Going to Nursing School at an Older Age

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I have been planning to go to nursing school (direct entry MSN) & have been progressing in that direction. The other day I was having a conversation with a coworker (a non-practicing nurse!) and she said, now at your age (I am in my 40s) you have 10, maybe 20 years of nursing, but if a younger candidate gets your seat they can practice nursing for like 40 years, so why should you get a seat? It's more beneficial to train a younger nurse. I was rather tacken aback by the question & said something to the effect the more nurses the better and it is illegal to discriminate based on age, and she said the nursing shortage is a myth and age discrimination happens, no matter what! While I always believe education is throughout one's life and one should pursue one's aspirations, it got me thinking. (In some countries where their are no age discrimination laws this does happen). Is it really socially more desirable to prefer younger candidates? And does this factor into admissions decisions?

And does this factor into admissions decisions?

Now remember, we're talking about success in school here. Schools want students who won't drop out. When I went for my school interview, I asked if my age would be an impediment to acceptance and the interviewer smiled. She said they liked older students because they had a better record of toughing it out 'til graduation than younger ones.

We're like fine wine. We just get better as we age. :D

We're like fine wine. We just get better as we age. :D

...or compost. :jester:

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Oh, brother...I remember not too long ago when women were trying to get into law/medical/business/etc. schools and were told, "you know you would be taking a spot that could go to a MAN". One case that comes to mind is Geraldine Ferraro...one of only 2 women in her law school class...who then went on to run for the second highest office in the country. Because of folks like her brazenly (gasp!) challenging what society 'ought' to be doing, young women today have the luxury to take for granted that they have a real chance at any dream they set their sights on.

To the person who said they would never hire the 70 year old...that's no less disturbing than someone saying they would never hire a 20 year...because she's just going to get married and have kids and an employer would end up losing their investment in her.

It took the Boomers to redefine what it means to be female...and it looks like it'll be up to them once again to pave the way so that the next generations won't have limited views of what it means to be 70, 80, 90, 100, and beyond.

No, it is not disturbing to say that if I were an employer, I wouldn't hire a 70 year old [new grad]. Nursing can be hard labor, and I would want someone robust enough to do a job. A 20 year old could stay for five, six years, get married and have kids and return the workforce...same thing can't be said for a 70 year old. At seventy, you should be towards the END of your working career, whereas at twenty, you are at the beginning, and there is no shame in admitting the truth.

Specializes in cardiac-telemetry, hospice, ICU.

I read somewhere not too long ago that when one looks back on life, it is not the things that we did that we regret, but the things we didn't. I think there is some wisdom there. I was recently accepted to a very competitive nursing school. I am a 58 year old man, and no, I don't think I am taking the spot from any young person. If the young person got my slot it would be because they were better qualified, thats how it works, right? I still don't think of myself as old (although I am teased of that occasionally) and feel like I can still whip my weight in wildcats. I have had 2 other successful careers, and nursing will be my last. I am going to be a great nurse and I hope the youn-uns can keep up!

"composting" - too funny!

I have just been accepted and will start my first semester of the nursing program at the end of August and will graduate next December. I am 40 (almost 41) and will be 42 when I graduate with my ADN. Don't let anybody discourage you from following your dreams.

There are people that I know, but don't spend a lot of time with any more, that laughed and made fun of me for being a 38 year old man wanting to go back to school for nursing.:mad: I will be done in 16 months, until I go back for my BSN, ready to embark on a brand new and rewarding career, while these "friends" are still circling the drain in a dead-end job.:D

People around you influence you, so if you are around consistently negative people, it will bring you down as well. I have made a conscious decision to better my life and anybody that tries to rain on that parade gets dropped like a hot potato.

Sorry, got carried away, getting off my soapbox now.:spbox:

Specializes in stress relieving humor.

In my experience the health professions, unlike my former career of engineering, have very little age discrimination. Also, I have had several comments made by colleagues and managers stating they truly appreciate the perspective that career changers bring to nursing.

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

The bald truth is yes, you will be given a back seat to younger nurses.

Hospitals don't want to take the time to train older people who may leave in 10 years or so. They want younger people who will stay in bedside nursing & who they can manipulate to do what they want and how they want it.

I firmly believe there is no caring in nursing anymore. It's all about speed & greed, & who can climb the nursing corporate ladder quicker and at a younger age.

I advise you if you decide to do your degree (whatever it is called over there), make sure you do extra study, cos if you don't get a job at the end of it all, you are basically wasting your time. No-one has a crystal ball but read the other threads on here about people being laid off after 38 years - scary.

I know what I am talking about as I am in my early 40's & have just been told today I no longer have a nursing job. The hospitals want experienced, younger people they don't have to train - and this info came from an old gf who now works as a nursing recruiter - from the horses mouth so to speak. I had a high GPA at university, was given excellent references by two clinical nurses and was told I was a good worker who fitted in. But once management decides they don't want you they just say 'you lack experience' of whatever BS excuse they dream up.

I am speaking from the reality of nursing. It is no myth what you are saying - it happens! Go do something else - nursing will let you down and destroy your soul as it has mine.

I am now out of this profession and I am actually positively relieved, though I don't have a job to go to.

I wish I'd found this page BEFORE I decided to go back to do nursing - it could have saved me a lot of heartache.

In both Medical Assisting and the STNA course I was told by students in their late teens and early twenties that "I took the college course way too serious" and "she's a serious student".

Isn't that what college is all about, being serious about the profession you are striving for? I really don't think I entered college to just fool around.

THIS is why employers should take "baby boomers" serious when considering a candidate for employment. We are serious about our work, learning and performing to the best there is and being a top professional in our field.

It's sad to hear those kind of statements coming from our younger generation. College is not a free-for-all, it's a 'job' in becoming a 'qualified professional'.

carolmaccas66...i understand what you are saying and i'm sure it is very true in many places. but there is training needed for the young who are fresh out of college, just like there would be for the older generation.

the law says there should be no age discrimination, but we know the reality of it all...there is!

it's sad because many women & men our age don't have a significant other to pull them through the hard financial times. we are the sole provider. we're out there educating ourselves because we're single, divorced, unemployed, widowed and trying to make our way just like any young person.

my venture through medical training and then proceeding to search for employment in this field has been one of the most discouraging times of my life!

WOW, what an inspiration Kitty! I am a nursing student... one more semester to go and you just made my day!:)

Ooops, I forgot to include I will be 46 when I graduate in December :D

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