Will my age keep me from a good nursing career?

U.S.A. Virginia

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I am in my early 50's. I am in classes now and worried that being in my 50's as a nurse will keep me from getting a good nursing job. I guess that "officially" hospitals and employers can't discriminate based on age. But what will REALLY happen? 2nd question - where are all of the nursing employees that are in their 50's and 60's? Are they in a different medical line of work? I don't see them in the hospitals when I visit there occasionally. Thanks in advance.

Specializes in RN. Med/Surg.

I've been working two years as an LPN. I just graduated my ADN program last week at 56, and I'm reviewing prior to taking my NCLEX-RN exam. I've had several offers from the local hospitals for when I get my license. School's really tough, but I haven't seen any problems getting hired, yet. j

Specializes in onc, critical care.

Here is my advice- keep at it. I was 50 when I got my RN. Most pts and families (and some doctors) just assume I have been a nurse forever. ALso all the pre nursing life experiences I've had made me a much better nurse. I don't freak out at stuff like the young RNs and I don't get caught up in the drama and gossip the way we did when we were in our 20s.

My memory is a bit worse, but I have tricks to help me, and I do get tired at a 12hr shift, but I did that when I was a young mom with a baby and two jobs also. GOOD LUCK

You might want to read a book that out there before starting your nursing career. It's called "Where have all the nurses gone?" It gives you the view of the nurse, DON, Administration and was written by a nurse. What it says about nursing is basically that you can't handle the floor as you get up in age. By then most nurses are in a specialty. I worked my last five years in Cardiac Rehab and it was a breeze compared to the floors. If I was starting out as an older nurse I would find a unit that wasn't hard or work in a physicians office or clinic. The floors are tough on the aging.

ariansas do you think that in some cases having already been on the floor for 20 or 30 years might be a factor rather than the raw age itself?

I am in my early 50's. I am in classes now and worried that being in my 50's as a nurse will keep me from getting a good nursing job. I guess that "officially" hospitals and employers can't discriminate based on age. But what will REALLY happen? 2nd question - where are all of the nursing employees that are in their 50's and 60's? Are they in a different medical line of work? I don't see them in the hospitals when I visit there occasionally. Thanks in advance.

Hi. I don't want to discourage you, but everyone that failed in my OB class last term were all older students. I thought many of the older students were smart, but it was interesting that a young cheerleader instructor decided to single out us babyboomers. She failed me in the clinical, even though my written grades were A's and B's. Older students seemed to be singled out. Scary, all that hard work.

Actually, my only negative experience in OB was that one of the Dad's-to-be said he didn't want any other men in there, so I was excluded from watching the birth. He came out of the procedure apologizing - because he realized that between the OB, the nurses, and the techs, there were only two women in the room, and one was his wife! I told him not to worry about it. You can get an instructor with an attitude in any term/area - or not. We had one who didn't like men in nursing. We made it past her, too.

Hi!

Read your email re: where do older nurses go?...I am an older nurse- I'm 60. I am currently working in a Long Term Acute Care facility. Many of my co-workers are also older. Long term Acute care is a interesting sub-specialty- It's designed for pts who require acute level of care but have used up their acute hospital days. So think a cross between ICU and extended care. The average lenght of stay is 25 days. Pts are treated with long term IVAB's for drug resistant infections. They also are frequently treated for someother condition along with Renal Failure or are Ventilator dependant. The pace is not quite so frantic, and the patients still need a high level of care. I worked in ICU for many years, and I also have worked in home care- I would not recommend that for a new grad- You need a little acute care experience, first...But, home care is a good fit for the more mature nurse...with a little experience. I hope that this a little help, there are other options for the older nurses- Dr offices, clinics, school nursing, that sort of thing...The cool thing abt nursing is that there is lots of options...Best of Luck in your career!!

Excellent question. I was in your shoes not too long ago & was surprised at the age discrimination I encountered. I turned one of those around by requesting recommendations on positions I should interview for as a mature new nurse. Because there were no openings at this hospital, I interviewed at a different hospital & got hired in their maternity area.

This does not happen to everyone as I know of a nurse who was hired immediately. She believes that in her case, the fact that the interviewer graduated from the same nursing school had a lot to do with her getting hired.

Where are the nurse's that are in their 50's? While not necessarily in the majority, I see directors, managers & also staff nurses that age.

Persistence is critical for success. But understand, that in the meantime, there are now many new grads & many more coming out of nsg schools who are & will be competing for much fewer internship slots. There are many who remain without internships & I also personally know of some. One of them is asking himself if age has worked against him as he is in his late 40's & he chose nsg as his second career. Also a factor to keep in mind.

I wish you success!

Specializes in Tele, Acute.

I was 50 when I got my LPN.

Still work the floor and also do nights. Don't plan on giving up any time soon. C:D

Specializes in Tele, Acute.
I was 50 when I got my LPN.

Still work the floor and also do nights. Don't plan on giving up any time soon. C:D

Oh, sorry, I'm 63 now.

I lso had a clinical instructor who had big attitude against her older student - me. She asked me to turn in a 10 page paper a week early with one day notice. I had a job and 2 kids. She constantly harped on ironing scrubs which I did and never noticed that one of the young students who hated her not only didn't iron she didn't wash her for the entire 6 weeks. Immature and wrong. She got an A. Even though I saved this creep's career when I disobeyed her demand to inject an incompatible (actually most are so never do this) med into a tpn line she was waving in my face she gave me an A- and refused to give me a letter of reference.

There is heavy duty age discrimination in nursing and it is often from the older nurses themselves who project their own physical and mental burnout. If you are investing in a second career I would suggest you look into something else but then it is all through our society. Which is unfortunate for boomers as they generally lack the pensions and homes and medical insurance of the generation just preceding them.

Specializes in Tele, Acute.
Hi!

Read your email re: where do older nurses go?...I am an older nurse- I'm 60. I am currently working in a Long Term Acute Care facility. Many of my co-workers are also older. Long term Acute care is a interesting sub-specialty- It's designed for pts who require acute level of care but have used up their acute hospital days. So think a cross between ICU and extended care. The average lenght of stay is 25 days. Pts are treated with long term IVAB's for drug resistant infections. They also are frequently treated for someother condition along with Renal Failure or are Ventilator dependant. The pace is not quite so frantic, and the patients still need a high level of care. I worked in ICU for many years, and I also have worked in home care- I would not recommend that for a new grad- You need a little acute care experience, first...But, home care is a good fit for the more mature nurse...with a little experience. I hope that this a little help, there are other options for the older nurses- Dr offices, clinics, school nursing, that sort of thing...The cool thing abt nursing is that there is lots of options...Best of Luck in your career!!

I also work at an LTAC in Slidell, La. I am 63 years old and still goiing strong.

I did have surgery in Oct. for a hernia, they put a mesh and my body rejected it. After 6 weeks on ABX at home and a Picc line that I mantained, I was able to return on Dec. 1.

Unfortunately, on April 5, the mesh infected my body and had to be replaced. I am still on medical leave. Go to the doc today I am already back on the schedule for next week so thats a plus.

During my time off, my fellow employees called, came over etc.

Let me mention, when I went back after the first surgery, I picked up where I left off. Moved arould just as I left off. So I'm hoping for the same this timel. I am 63,, by the way and hope to work until 70.

Good luck to you and go get that degree.:)

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