Older Student/Over 60 years old

ERICA57 · Feb 24, 2012

Also, I would take the fact that health care programs admit older students with a grain of salt. That reality does not, in my experience, reflect the perspective of the working nurses who will supervise your clinical placements, and hire you (or not).

caliotter3 · Feb 24, 2012

My experience somewhat mirrors the point Erica makes. I have actually had interviewers make remarks about my age during job interviews. At first I was floored, but upon reflection, realized that they assumed I would not be making any legal problems for them if I wanted to work. It was depressing to say the least.

prettymica, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, APRN, NP · Feb 24, 2012

Two of my Lpn classmates were well into their 60s.. Go for your dreams :)!

ERICA57 · Feb 25, 2012

With all due respect, prettymica, the fact that you have LPN classmates in their 60's only proves that some individuals are willing to take the risk of paying for retraining in late in life. It says nothing about how these classmates will fare after they graduate. It is entirely possible that they'll be closed out of the job market (or have an extraordinarily difficult time) because of the combination of their age and the weak economy. And if they went into (significant) debt to retrain, so much the worse.

prettymica, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, APRN, NP · Feb 25, 2012

Yes all this is true Erica57. One dropped out and the other pass boards and was working at a psych facility the last time I talked to her.

NewRob · Feb 28, 2012

:waving to everyone: I'm a 40+ pre-nursing student that just made an A on my second A&P I lecture exam after getting a 56 on the first one. Was beginning to wonder if I could cut it. I will be 50 when I finish Nursing School and although that sort of scares me a bit, the life experience that I can bring to the table because of my age makes me stand a little taller. Don't ever give up on your dream! The universe gives us everything we need including the most difficult challenges- stay positive!

laurier53 · Sep 27, 2012

You are never too old to go back to school!! I was a C student in high school in 1970, went to lpn school and made B's. I have been taking pre requisite classes for 4 years and am on the Deans list...and working full time...! My advice is if you want to do it go for it...start with easy classes then go to the harder classes then finish with easy classes. I am taking chemistry as my final class and wish I had done it earlier. I start in the nursing program in January. You go girl!

laurier53 · Sep 27, 2012

Erica57...with all due respect... have you been listening to my nursing peers from the 70's??? Nurses are always going to have jobs...they will never be without jobs. Attitude is the key. If you have a negative attitude, you will not suceed in any occupation. It is important to remember that there is a lot of respect out there for older students, it is not easy when you are young, it is harder when you are older and working full time, without parents to support you financially. Nurses are the key to every successful medical office or hospital or assisted living facility.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Oct 1, 2012

One of my classmates is 63 and just got hired as a new grad on my medicine/telemetry unit. Another classmate is 55 and also got hired at a different major hospital into their MICU fellowship. We all live in the New York City metro area.

Clearly, age is just a number! It's not impossible to get a job when you are older.

braindancer · Mar 19, 2013

I stuck with it and got kicked out of ADN RN program with eight weeks left to graduation. I was told to work as an LPN and come back next year to retake the last nursing course in the program. Would be no big deal if I wasn't already going on freaking SIXTY ONE YEARS OLD! So, besides the fact that this Community College , should be sued for educational malpractice, discrimination, incivility, and heartless bullying, I need help deciding what to do next. Should I hang up my stethoscope and change careers to counseling? I have a MA in psych but need the clinical experience. Or should I do an LPN to BSN online course while continuing to work as an LPN?

HELP! Anyone have any advice for me?

Thank you all so much!

wannabe an rn · Mar 20, 2013

I stuck with it and got kicked out of ADN RN program with eight weeks left to graduation. I was told to work as an LPN and come back next year to retake the last nursing course in the program. Would be no big deal if I wasn't already going on freaking SIXTY ONE YEARS OLD! So, besides the fact that AB Tech Community College in Asheville, NC, should be sued for educational malpractice, discrimination, incivility, and heartless bullying, I need help deciding what to do next. Should I hang up my stethoscope and change careers to counseling? I have a MA in psych but need the clinical experience. Or should I do an LPN to BSN online course while continuing to work as an LPN?
HELP! Anyone have any advice for me?
Thank you all so much!

My advice is to walk away and don't look back. During the four rotations I've had so far, I haven't had one instructor actually come in the room with me and TEACH me anything. I used to think they were confident in my abilities and didn't feel the need to "hover". I came to realize that the hovering was actually them investing their time and experience to teach the nursing student. In fact, I had a hard time actually getting the instructor to come in the patient room with me when I needed help.

I completely agree and understand your comments on incivility and discrimination, both in the nursing program and at clinicals. I actually cautioned the younger students at the beginning of the program to have a thick skin and not take it personally if the nurses act short or impatient with them, but when you see the younger students getting the instruction and experience while you've been cast aside to sink or swim on your own it does get disheartening.

Everyone I know thought it was so "cool" that I was pursuing nursing at my age (52) but the realities are this; your body doesn't necessarily have the stamina needed to pull a 12 hr shift. You are trying to enter a field where everyone else close to your age has already been nursing for 20+ yrs and I have yet to meet any instructor or nurse that made a single positive comment about entering the profession at this age.

Save yourself a LOT of stress and frustration and move on. You can apply the same care you want to give in another profession where you'll actually be respected and appreciated.

momtojosh · Mar 20, 2013

thats not very encouraging. and i have never been treated differently....i am on the deans list and just got invited to be in the phi theta kappa honor society....how cool it that...well,i think so.. :yes:

i am 50 and in my 2nd semester of an ADN program...its it hard...YUP....does my lil body get sore...YUP...i have been a LPN for 7 yrs now and work circles around my younger counterparts...

i would say if you really want this,then go for it! :yes:

that stamina remark is so true....i can start to feel it after my 8 hr shifts:sleep:...but ya know what....it keeps me young,fit and active... :nurse: