Anyone start their career late in Life? - Page 84

I completely agree with you. Denying admission or giving preference based on age is pure discrimination. How do we know the 20 somethings won't decide to change careers a few years after graduating? Wouldn't that be a "waste" of a spot in a program? Admission should be based on a person's quality, not on age. Anyway, none of us old fogies are going to be able to retire until we're well into our dotage-we won't be able to afford to!!!

I graduated 3 years ago with my BSN. I was only 3 classes off from having my BA in sociology. I worked for over 10 years in Quality Control/Assurance in different compacities....everything from a Quality Lab technician for a food company to a Quality Assurance analyst for an adult beverage company.
I got sick of being stuck in a cube or a lab.....and wanted some human interaction, and boy do I have it now as a CVICU RN!!
I know in one of my prerequist classes there was 76 year old who was wanting to be a nurse!!! So, it is never too late~

Sieze the day! It is never too late. I am 30 yrs old; I graduated from a fashion school, worked in corporate america as a store analyst & allocation planner for almost 5 yrs before I decided that I didn't want to work behind a cubicle. I went back to the junior colleges, transferred to a state college, graduated w/ my BS in Health Science as of last December. Throughout the years, I volunteered in different capacities to help communities. I absolutely love public health. I just finished a CNA program & now trying to get into pre-req classes for the winter & spring intersessions so that I can apply to an RN program. Eventually, I want to work as a nurse in the public health sector. I commend everyone that has changed their careers! KUDOS & best of luck!

The folks who express a negative opinion about older RNs don't really surprise me. I work in a very busy unit and can hold my own with the best in most ways, but I do not have the physical strength that some or most of the younger RNs have. I am forced to ask for physical assistance many times when a stronger person might not, but so do the pregnant nurses and those with back problems. I am not exceptionally dependent on coworkers but I have noticed some staff seem to resent assisting me, particularly some techs. I think this is more to do with predjudice than with reality.
Mahage

Nursing is a profession that some people take some time to come around to join. Age brings wisdom and life experience is priceless. With the median age of nurses who retired being 47, we can use all the good quality help we can get. Age brings knowledge that cannot be found in a text book. I came to nursing relatively young, at 38 but, it took me that long to go through the other changes that life throws at us, i.e, marriage, divorce, debt, family crisis and losss, and now, I am a better nurse because I went through all that and still wanted to travel this road. This is not an easy path by any means but with time comes patience and tenacity. We can learn from the younger nurses too as they are still more idealistic than some of the more seasoned nurses but, together we are stronger. And no matter what we go through to get here, the most important thing is that we get here. Nursing should be much more than a pay check. There are easier ways to make money, even in this economy. I was a teacher first and a TBI survivor and now I am doing my FNP. It is never too late.

I'll be 40 in January, 10 days after my first day of nursing school.
I received by BBA (in Marketing) in 1991 so - second career for me too...

Best Wishes and Good Luck!

Loren

My first career was a stay-at-home wife and mom. After a midlife divorce, I decided to go to college to become a nurse. The biggest challenge in going back to school later in life is balancing all the responsibilities. I got an associates degree in pre-nursing at a community college and then did an accelerated (14 mo) BSN program. I think there is an advantage of having some life experience before going to nursing school. It gives you a different perspective than going right out of high school. It was hard to go to nursing school while supporting a family, etc. but I would do it again in a heartbeat! I graduated at age 51. You're going to be older anyway -- why not spend your time doing something you want to do.

[quote=izeofblu1973;3841653]To the people that addressed the issue, not the "insult":
If you are saying that you are gonna start nursing school at age 55 and work until you are 75, it is unlikely. It is possible but unlikely. I have never met a 75year old Rn still working. As a matter of fact, I dont think I have ever met a 65 year old full time nurse.
Young nurses go out on disability for back injuries, how is a 75 year old gonna give CPR, boost people in bed, hold down an ETOHer, etc? Possible, but unlikely.

My mom worked for more than 50 years as a nurse. She worked full-time until she was 74 when her children finally convinced her to retire. Her co-workers were amazed to discover she was old enough to retire! Her last job was running the pre-op area of her hospital. She also was still teaching ALS. Could she do everything she did when she was 25? Surely not but that did not make her less of a nurse. She had an amazing amount of knowledge which benefited her patients and co-workers. I have a co-worker who is 74. Until a recent layoff, she worked as a public health nurse with moms and babies. She still teaches part-time at one of the nursing schools. Though many nurses work in the hospital setting, there are many other options for nurses that are less physically demanding. In the future, we will see more and more nurses working later in life, either because they need the money, or because they love what they do. I am 54 and plan to work for at least another 20 years.

In 9 days I will be a 52 yo RN that can hang with the youngest nurses where I work!! Being in shape and working out has alot to do with it. My only concern is the pratice of promoting younger nurses with children over more qualified older nurses because they have "families" and I don't. But I like working nights so no problems.

Why not? Don't let age stop you.