How many much older (40+) students out there starting classes? (I'm 47)

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hi, everyone. Just wondering how many older students like me are starting nursing classes this year? I'm 47 and just finished most of my pre-reqs; starting nursing classes in the fall and am extremely excited! Second career for me after doing data entry for over 25 years and never having gone to college before, but I love it! I don't feel like I could have done this when I was younger - didn't have the determination I do now. And now that my children are grown, there's only my husband and I left so I have plenty of time for studying. This is happening at the perfect time in my life. My ultimate goal is to work as a L&D nurse. I became interested in that 3 years ago when my granddaughter was born and I noticed the nurses helping my daughter through her labor. I thought that was such an interesting and rewarding career. My goal is to have my RN by the time I turn 50! Never thought in a million years my life would take this turn, but soooo glad it has.

Great thread!

I know a guy who is 52. He has a fulfilling life and makes a decent living, but he wanted to get into medicine 25 years ago when he first graduated college. Family took precedence and it never happened. Finally, his last kid is graduating and moving away soon. The guy decided to try to relive his youthful dream, researched the posibilities and was blown away by the proliferation of second-degree BSN programs, PA programs, and NP masters programs. He discovered that the opportunities in nursing are endless in terms of specialties, geographic choices, and schedules. And, although at the end of the day we only work so as to have the money we need to enjoy our lives, much of the value in nursing comes as a bonus...the personal satisfaction in serving a noble purpose.

A little apprehensive about his old brain still working, he jumped into community college with both feet, taking Stats, Micro, AP I, and Nutrition all at once. He aced all of them. Now he's so excited he can barely contain himself....but he does, because giddiness on a 52 year old cowboy looks kinda weird.

So, if any of you young-uns see the old dude in your nursing class this fall, just know that he envies you for your age and for making a wise decision early in your life.

Oh yea. I'm gonna try to whoop ya in the gradebook, too!

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It might just be my school, but I've noticed I'm the lone "mature" student in some classes and just another fish in the sea in others. In both my English classes, I was the oldest (even older than the instructor in 1101), but in my sciences, I'm just one of many older students.

I have found that during my prereqs so far, I have been the oldest student in my Chemistry classes; in the rest, there were two or three students either my age or older in the class.

At the open house, I ran into a friend whose son (a junior in HS) was interested in the Nursing program there. She asked me what I was doing there, since I was not with my daughter (she is in the military). When I told her a snippet of my goal, her reply was "All the way down HERE?" and my reply was "Absolutely!"...the exchange went back and forth a couple of times where I repeated my response with more and more conviction until she got it. In other words, "No, I am NOT too old to do this!"

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i completely understand that feeling. when i first started my prereqs, i felt out of place and obvious. but, i found out that it's okay that i'm noticeable. my professors remember me.

[color=#8b4513]i found that out as well. i love that the professors remember me. they remember me as one who was focused and serious about learning.

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The 19 year old girl sitting behind me in micro lab asked me, "so, do you listen to country music." I said, "yes I do." She responded, very innocently, "old time country music or what?"

Our professor is the head of the department and, in fact, was my freshman chemistry prof many years ago. I told her about the exchange and we both laughed so loud we almost had to step into the hall.

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I just graduated last week from an ADN program and I am 41. I made the decision 4 years ago to return to school for my nursing degree and will be continuing on for my bachelor's this fall. I am one of the few lucky ones that will be employed in an ICU upon passing boards. I wanted to work in ICU or ER. Our graduating class of 75 had very few 'young' people in it. I would say the average age was 30ish as we had one student that was 65 and just 2 or 3 that were in the program directly out of high school.

I don't believe it is too late for anyone to return to school and I truly believe that my past experiences in customer service helped with my clinical rotation. I was hired in the ICU as I was paired with a seasoned nurse that didn't like students and the nurse told the OD that it would be a mistake not to hire me upon graduation.

Not that it was mentioned here, but I also worked full-time all the way through nursing school. One of the LPN instructors told everyone in nursing information night that you can not work and expect to pass the program. I sent her a nice note this last week that basically said 'thanks for raising the bar. I wanted to let you know that I worked full-time and graduated with a 3.8 gradepoint average. Please continue to tell people they can't do something because some pretty amazing nurses have come out of this program due to their determination to prove you wrong."

If you are truly determined to become a nurse and it is your calling, you can make it happen whether you are 19 and just out of school or 65 and it was a life long goal. Good Luck!

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I will be 48 in August, am a single dad of 3 girls, 7,11 and 24. The older one is scheduled to make me a grandfather in December.

After 10 years in the military and almost 20 as a systems and satellite engineer, I was layed off in Oct of 11. I had already become interested in nursing but never took the idea too seriously due to the time commitment required which would have made it impossible to work full time and go to Nursing school.

Well, I jumped at the opportunity when the layoff happened and by December 2011, I was studying to test out of a math prereq. Have since finished my CNA classes and have 3 more semesters of prerequisites before I can apply for the ASN program next spring.

I'm having the time of my life! Living on unemployment as long as I can, I've liquidated almost all my posessions and it feels great.

If you want to know who I am, watch the movie Larry Crowne, add 2 young daughters and take away Julia Roberts as one of my teachers.

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in my LPN classes there were so many wide range of students. 40+ is not uncommon. 40+ isnt even OLD! the mind of an experienced adult is always greatly appreciated in this field. Use the resources of the young and the old and at the end of the day the work place will have a balance. Good luck! (btw my instructor got her MSN at age 50+) another story I heard someone got their PhD at that age... at the end of the day the are Dr. so-and-so

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I just turned 48 and am starting RN classes in the fall!! I am so excited and VERY nervous! Like you, I know I could not have done it when I was younger. Tried and decided I wanted to travel instead. Joined the Navy, became a wife and a mother. They are grown now and I am going to do it. The prereqs are done and I love school. Good luck to you! :)

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46 and starting in the fall.

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Mr. Sensitivity...

You won't be alone.. I am on my last semester and in my previous post I mentioned that there were several people older than me. I should have added that we have about 15 males in our class and half of them are over 40. Enjoy it.

Glad to see all of you pursuing your dreams! That is great. Let me know if I can help...

Time really flies. Don't give up.

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Like others have said... the professors will appreciate you and respect you but even better than that when you go to clinicals, the nurses will prefer to work with you!

In every clinical rotation, I have been asked to join their team when I graduate because I am serious, knowledgeable, experienced and I love being there, unlike my younger counterparts.

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Love "Larry Crowne". :yeah:

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