Older Student/Over 60 years old

pkemp · May 21, 2017

I want to revisit the Age issue and get updated comments from the group. I am starting a nursing program

in Minneapolis, MN; moving from Houston, TX back to my home state - in January 2018. I am 60 years old

and will be 62 when I finish with a BSN.

I have a B.S. degree in business management and an M.B.A. I have always wanted to be a nurse and now is

the perfect time in my life to do so.

I have talked with two recruiters in Minneapolis who have told me that I will not have an issue due to age, but

I'd like to hear comments from the group on this subject.

Thank you!

pkemp · May 21, 2017

Hello Flatliner:

I would love to connect with you for support and anyone else as well. I will be starting an accelerated BSN program in January 2018 at the age of 60. I would love to hear your experience about getting a nursing job at this age. I have a B.S. degree in business management and an MBA and eventually want to go on and become a nurse practitioner.

Thanks much!

drsrn · May 24, 2017

I've been a RN since 1995 when I received my ADN. My three daughters are grown now so I decided to return to school and obtain my BSN. I will graduate in Dec at age 58. I am just going to keep on going to school and pursue a MSN. I haven't been a very good retirement planner, so I figure I'm going to be working the rest of my life anyway That MSN might come in handy and enable me to work in some capacity up on into my 70's at least.

Chronicallychanging · Sep 13, 2017

I too am a older student. I decided to become a nurse in 2013 it is now 2017 and I'm on my second to last semester, so I will graduate May 2018.I will be 56 then on to the NCLEX then I'm worried will my age affect my job placement. I did struggle through the math and sciences (my tip is to really try and learn the biology! It's so important). It seems it was harder to retain everything as an older student. I was never able to feel like the "Mom" of the class. I don't really have a study group,but that ok. When I first started this journey I was truly skeptical of the outcome. My grades were not that great and I was barely passing. I decided to change my study habits..... I try and study at least 4 hours daily. I also try and limit myself to resources or otherwise I am on the same topic forever. I use my textbook, the power points from class, and Saunders Nclex . I really need to be doing Nclex (25-50)questions, lab values, and meds with dosage calculations daily but IT IS REALLY HARD to fit it all in. However from the bottom of my heart, I am rooting for you, it is really hard but we can do it. I have cried, felt like quitting, and more but I kept on and now I am almost finished. Keep at it and find a strategy that works for you! I wish you and all the older students the very best!

ElMSN Nurse2b · Sep 13, 2017

Go for it! I'm 51 and just finished my pre-nursing courses. A big part of nursing is being able to have compassion and empathy for others. I think you also bring life experiences that can help others. I personally went to tutoring and studied all the time, so I know it's possible.

rroes56 · Jan 28, 2018

I am also glad to find this thread just this morning. I no longer feel alone! I am 61 years old, went back later in life and graduated with my ADN, Dec. 2006, with honors. Started out at a country hospital on a Med-Surg, Telemetry unit for about a year, where I feared loosing my license daily, but learned a lot. I moved on to new hospital on a Med-Surg, OBS, Telemetry floor, that I loved. I left there in 2011 only due to a move cross-country for my husband's new job and went back to school FT and completed my BSN 2015 but have not returned to nursing yet. Now, I will be moving to OKC next month and am going to be required to take a refresher course to obtain an OK license by Endorsement.

I am highly motivated and excited to re-enter nursing and am hoping I won't have a real hard time finding the right job. Any tips, especially from any nurses in OKC area, will be greatly appreciated.

And I just want to thank everyone on this thread for what an encouragement you are to all of us on this thread with similar situations.

time2go, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 18, 2018

This thread has been around a long time and I'm happy to see it got continued recently. I was a claims adjuster, real estate agent, dog groomer, etc., etc. prior to starting my nursing school journey at the age of 53 with pre-reqs at a community college, getting through regular and organic chemistry, statistics (not a math person AT ALL), and more algebra THAN I EVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT (!) Next, I moved from California to South Dakota in 2010 for nursing school since California schools were crazy crowded and I wanted to finally just get'er done. Went to SDSU in Rapid City for my BSN and came back to California for my first nursing job at the age of 58. I'm now in the last year of my Adult/Geriatric NP program at soon-to-be 63 and continue to be a hospice nurse. When you talk about age-ism in nursing, I have to think it may be in hospitals but I have never encountered it in my field. I got my CHPN (Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse) in 2016 and have always been able to find jobs. As an NP, I expect the same. If you have the right attitude and skills and you gravitate toward something you're good at, you will be fine.

Going back to the initial posts from 2010, I MUST take exception to telling anyone in their 50s or 60s to lean toward LVN or CNA. Those jobs are for the younger! They are usually more physical than RN work and honestly, learning what you need to learn to be an RN is way more do-able past a certain age than turning and lifting and bathing patients. I won't even talk about the wage difference. If you're going to bust your hump in your 60s and it's going to be your last big career change, make it worth your while monetarily.

CPTRAXXES · May 27, 2018

Stay the course it will be worth it. A&P is a requirement for the LPN program, maybe not as involved but involved enough. Yes there are a lot of older people deciding to change careers or start a new one.

Kaisu · May 27, 2018

I graduated and passed my NCLEX at 59. I immediately began working, first in Med/Surg and now Home Health. I was a peer tutor (paid by the college) for Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Gen and Bio Chem. I know I made it possible for many of the young men and women that I tutored to become nurses. This was while I was going to school myself. There is no better way to really learn something than to teach it. I credit my strength in the pre-requisites to my ability to understand the pathophysiology I now encounter everyday.

No one has a license to live. A 20 year old can be seriously injured or even killed just as easily as a 60 something. As far as being less quick at academics, what we lack in speed we make up for in understanding. All academic deficits can be rectified with time and effort. Young people often have families and other responsibilities. Grandma can devote the required time to her studies.

I am very proud of becoming a nurse at my advanced age. I am living proof that accomplishments do not need to be limited by the number of birthdays you have accumulated.

Omillion8 · Jun 23, 2018

I am 63 & am in an LVN. Program. Doing well so far. 15 months to go. I will Graduate when I am 64. Already seeking RN Bridge over Programs to pursue while working as an LVN. I am healthy and very energetic. U have been a Counselor and Holustic Practionaire for 25 years. I have always wanted to be a Nurse - Retiring is not interesting to me. I am really enjoying the LVN Program thus far. Getting 'A's..in my Classes - Hang in there - It is worth it -LOL

pkemp · Jun 23, 2018

Thank you for this wonderful update. I feel the same way as you do. Best of luck!

Soshabby · Jul 4, 2018

Wow! You are an encouragement. Nursing school is hard at any age. Dont give up and continue towards your RN. If you settle for LPN you will probably be disatisfied.