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I'm wondering if there are others such as myself who have decided to change careers and gone back to school to pursue a nursing degree. I am 50 years old and have always wanted to be a nurse, but married and had a family instead. No regrets, I am taking my last pre-req course for an ADN, I am nervous about moving forward because I think I will be the oldest person in Nursing class. :-) Thoughts????

I'm wondering if there are others such as myself who have decided to change careers and gone back to school to pursue a nursing degree. I am 50 years old and have always wanted to be a nurse, but married and had a family instead. No regrets, I am taking my last pre-req course for an ADN, I am nervous about moving forward because I think I will be the oldest person in Nursing class. :-) Thoughts????

Thanks for posting this comment. At times, I have felt like I was alone in these same feelings. I turned 40 y/o this year and I'm married with children. I left the classroom after 15 years to return to my passion. I stepped out on faith, quit my job, and my husband is supporting us. I was blessed to get a scholarship and I'm working hard to keep it. It hasn't been easy being an older student in class. I remember the first week, one of the teenaged students commented on why older students were just now going to school. She said it as if the 15 or so older students were lazy and just decided to get out and do something with our lives. I was sitting there and I jumped in. First off, they were shocked to know I was 40; I've been told I look 20ish. Then, when I told them I have a B.S. and M.S. in biology, their jaws dropped. It has been competitive. . .mostly with myself. I'm determined to graduate with honors. We can make it! Hats off to the over 20's!!!!

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Thanks for posting this comment. At times, I have felt like I was alone in these same feelings. I turned 40 y/o this year and I'm married with children. I left the classroom after 15 years to return to my passion. I stepped out on faith, quit my job, and my husband is supporting us. I was blessed to get a scholarship and I'm working hard to keep it. It hasn't been easy being an older student in class. I remember the first week, one of the teenaged students commented on why older students were just now going to school. She said it as if the 15 or so older students were lazy and just decided to get out and do something with our lives. I was sitting there and I jumped in. First off, they were shocked to know I was 40; I've been told I look 20ish. Then, when I told them I have a B.S. and M.S. in biology, their jaws dropped. It has been competitive. . .mostly with myself. I'm determined to graduate with honors. We can make it! Hats off to the over 20's!!!!

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Specializes in Psychiatric, School Health, Adminstration.
I'm wondering if there are others such as myself who have decided to change careers and gone back to school to pursue a nursing degree. I am 50 years old and have always wanted to be a nurse, but married and had a family instead. No regrets, I am taking my last pre-req course for an ADN, I am nervous about moving forward because I think I will be the oldest person in Nursing class. :-) Thoughts????

Do it! Go all the way! We have three women in our program who are 50 and above and a couple others who are in their 40's, and they are doing great. I think you have two advantages over younger students: life experience and your kids are self-sufficient at this point. I'm 33 with a husband and two boys ages 6 and 7, and I'm having a hard time but hanging in there and doing pretty well. You probably don't have to worry about rides to school and aftercare for your kids, they're not needing your attention when you have to study, you don't have to do everything for them. You're probably back to your pre-kids time scheme at this point. Sometimes I think maybe I should have waited until mine are at least in middle school. Owell.

Also, as far as the physical demands, helping someone get out of bed can be challenging for anyone! At my age it's still hard, and I'm pretty strong... just small. Just get help. There's always someone around who can help you turn or lift or move someone. You'll be on your feet quite a bit walking around, but it sounds like you're already doing that. It's taking care of patients, not Wipe Out. You'll be fine. One girl in our program has severe asthma, and she's around 40, quite overweight, but she already works as an LPN and is having no problems in the program.

You can do this. You can do this.

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Specializes in ED.

I graduate next week, and while I'm in my 20's, my oldest classmate is in her 60's. The age range in my class is huge, we have kids that just turned 20, lots of people in their mid twenties, thirties, and a few in their 40's and 50's. Makes no difference, they will all be good nurses.

Once you get into the program...age doesn't matter quite so much. Our lady in her 60's is buddies with a 28 year old girl and a woman in her 30's. One of the women I hung around with a lot is in her late 30's with 5 kids. You'll be surprised how well you can fit in, nursing school seems to bring unlikely friendships about ;)

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Specializes in OB.

CONGRATULATIONS Racer! I can't wait for me to be able to say that! Still a long ways to go for me but so motivated!

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if I get into a nursing program, I hope there are older students in it! I'm 28 and switching careers and I was afraid I was going to be the oldest one in the class, :)

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I'm 34 and starting school in January 2013! At first I thought it would bother me to be older, but now it doesn't bother me at all. You just have to put your mind to it, which will probably be easier being a little older and more mature. ;)

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You go girl! I love it!!! Keep up the good work, this is all so encouraging. Man, I can hardly wait! SMH:)

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I am an LPN going back to school to obtain my RN, I am 48 and have 5 kids as well as 13 grandbabies, they are all encouraging me and rooting me on, what a wonderful feeling.

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I was going to post that I guess as we 'age' and hit near 50 we are all 'winding down' our life--after all 'most people are'.

HUH????

Then we are possibly unable to work 'long hours' or move easily due to lack of exercise and too much blubber.

I then had to laugh. Guess that is who this person sees as 'old' Well, BREAKING NEWS:

'Old' people are living longer, staying healthier and working longer. My husband is 61 and could run circles around most 20 year olds. He is a triathelete, yogi, intellectual, extremely well muscled and eats healthy wholesome foods in small quantities. No illnesses or medications. I am very fit too at 45 almost 46 but he could run circles around me too. I work 50+ hours a week at a preschool I run (not much sitting down and relaxing there) and go to school at nights, have a teenager and a husband (house to run), volunteer 8 hours on the weekends at a program for -pre-nursing students at a nearby hospital--doing clinical patient work, msotly bed changes, patient transfers, stocking, cleaning, patient transports, we lift, bend, carry but use proper body mechanics to alleviate damage to ourselves or our patients. I also have been accused of being in my 20's. One patient asked if my parents were proud of me going to college and how they can afford it. I had to tell them my father has died and I support my mother. I have a near to grown child of my own. They told me I looked 24 tops. Get that all the time. I exercise by running outside and not on a treadmill in the corner, lifting weights and yoga.

I kept reading and saw how a lot of posters said that too. Then I fugured that those who were 'old', frumpy and dumpy so to say, who were 'ready to wind down' would NOT endevour on this journey--AT OUR AGE.

Do not let anyone discourage you or tell you that you are too old or shove you in a box of stereotypical ageism. Your too old and old people are sick and have heart trouble and can't work long hours and can't this or that....It is 'ageism'. You are YOU and you knew who you were and what you were capable of when you started this. We didn't get to this age and not learn to plan and calculate costs of things, physical included. We are bright and sharp and sounds like we are healthy and fit. We work hard and want to keep working hard. SO do this and don't pause with the influence of those who say 'you are old'.

signed-not ready for the crypt -yet.

note to poster reffered to: I know you said 'IF' any of us had let ourselves go, gained weight and used our treadmills -if we had one- as a clothes rack, since we don't know how to use our closets- but seriously what made you post that???? Did you presume that was the best piece of adviced you could give us based on us being 'old'? That is sage advice for ANY aged nurse and student --everyone actually! What we struggle with at our 'age' is discouragement like yours. We must be this or that and maybe even too old to know what we are in store for, like maybe we had not thought about it ahead of time. I believe we ALL realized we would have patients and would have to clothe, bathe, move and care for them. Most of us, at our age, have had grandparents, parents etc fall ill and need similar care. We have seen it and done it. Please think about what is encouraging on this board not throwing the same old Stereotyping and AGEISM's. I wish you the best and can't wait for you to get old and gain that higher level of insight. Something the aged on here can offer that the 20 somethings cannot often do.

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so glad to read these posts...Im 38 just starting my prereqs...and I told my parents I was going back and my parents are thrilled. My mom, 63, also wishes she could go back. She stated she got scared off at 17 during her first AS classes years ago and regrets it. Ive been scared of "change" but I figure life is no fun without trying things that are scary!! :D

I also had a nurse friend laughing at me yesterday since I have already started studying...she says Im that old lady messing up the bell curve that is going to be studying too much and sitting in the front row asking all the questions...:cheeky:...after pushing my kids to study all the way through school I understand the value of studying! (something "I" lacked at 20) She is my encouragement letting me know Im nowhere near old and will do great!

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I was unsure too at first about going back to school at a more mature age but then I realized that you're never too old to go for your dreams! As long as you have the drive, passion and motivation, you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to! So just go for it!

I'm 40 (turning 41 in Dec). I'm planning on apply for a BSN program Oct/Nov 2013. By the time I finish nursing school, I'll be 43ish. I've been wanting to enter nursing for several years but was at a job that was VERY demanding, stressful and time consuming for 11 years (60+ hours a week, travel 4-5x a year, occasional weekends) but when I got laid off 8 months ago, I realized now was the time! My only regret is not starting sooner and letting my demanding job hold me back from starting! I'm ready now and very anxious for this next phase in my life.

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