A few questions for the "older" new nurses...

[adiliegro]

Jeeze, I hated to put that "older" word in there, but I have a few questions...

How old were you when you decided to go to nursing school? The reason I ask is that I am 39 right now and have decided to go back to school for nursing. There is a supposed two year wait for the school (which is more like a year once they weed out the ones that arent coming). The school will take me two years to finish. That means I could be a 43 year old recent graduate. Is this going to be a problem? My wife says it will.

She actually doesnt want me to go back to school because she says I went back once and quit and she "knows" I will just quit again. It is true that I went and didnt finish, but dammit, this is something I want to do. I WILL finish this.

Any thoughts on this from the "older" crowd?

[clee1]

Besides the two individuals in a marriage, there should also be a third entity called the "us." Anything that affects either one of you influences the health and well-being of that us. When taking on a challenging and long-lasting committment like schooling, it's especially important to nurture the us so that your relationship will still be alive and well when you come out on the other side.

Darned well said!

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

I am 39+ and just got accepted to the RN Program for this Fall! The toughest part for me is trying to hold conversations with students who don't remember Reagan or the Challenger or are too young to drink- depressing sometimes.

I am in that boat too, the only other guy in my class is the same age as my son, 21!

[Amyjosonata]

Nursing School is a big commitment. Perhaps your wife is just a little concerned and is just voicing her concerns in a way that is not as positive as you would like. Also, a career in nursing is SOMETIMES. difficult for a normal family life. Consider perhaps until you get some experience you might have to work nights and then there are the weekends and it will MOST LIKELY be somewhat emotionally draining. You have a young daughter, and perhaps she is concerned that it would take a toll on how all of you bond together. I recommend trying to work something out that you guys can be partners in it and not work against each other. My husband was concerned when I first wanted to be a nurse because it would be hard to see all the sickness and not be emotionally involved, but we made the commitment to do it together we also have a young daughter and let me tell you I wouldn't want to come home at the end of a long day knowing he was not with me 100% . It also makes a MUCH happier environment for kids if mom and dad are happy and BOTH working for their betterment. Hope it works out for you!

[Amyjosonata]

Don't let anything stand in your way. Doing something like this that you can be proud of IMO is something that can change your entire life for the better. Do it for Yourself first and your family second. You can live everyday of your life afterward being proud of what you accomplished. And if you do..... why not aim high. Set reasonable, attainable goals... you have nowhere to go but up/forward! Best wishes.. good luck!

Doing something for yourself and your family second in my opinion, goes against what a family IS. Doing things for the benefit and BETTERMENT of each other. I am not saying not to aim high but if you married someone you made a commitment not to trample on them to get what you want or make decisions despite what their opinions are.

[p.allen3]

After spending 10 years as an auxiliary nurse, I finally decided to do my training when I was 36. I loved my auxiliary job and wondered what I would be letting myself in for, but have never looked back! Whilst covering my theatre stint one of the consultants looked at me and said "bit old for this sort of thing aren't you?" I replied "better late than never". Had this sort of remark been addressed to me if I had done my training in my teens I would probably have answered with a lot more deference, to someone considered by the rest of the theatre staff to be "God". Age and life experience gives you the extra confidence you sometimes need to carry you through!

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

I wonder if adiliegro ever decided to go back to nursing school. Would like to know :)

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

I was 45 when I started. You will age anyway, whether you are doing what you like or not. So you might as well do it. As for your wife, maybe she feels a little apprehensive because she is not sure how this will affect your family. Will she have to work full time while you work part-time (while in school)? Does this mean the house and kids are 100% her responsiblity? Does she have to pay for the tuition? Try to resolve the issues because nursing school is stressful enough without having home problems. Help her to see that you are trying to make a better life for the two of you, not just you.

[APP]

Somewhere there is a thread entitled "Too Old?" on allnurses - read it. You'll see people in their 60s and 70s are going to nursing school! This is one advantage of the nursing shortage!

Not to say age doesn't have it's issues, but I really don;t think it will keep you from getting hire - at least I hope not: I am 47 and am planning to go to nursing school. I start my first pore-req in June, and work full time, so I'll probably have to take just 1 course per semester to do all the pre-reqs: I'll be lucky to start nursing school by the time I'm 50!