Ageism?

I think I'm not being hired as an RN at the hospital I already work at because of ageism.

I'm 52 and just passed my state boards 2 months ago after graduating with honors from a very competitive RN program. I have been working for the same hospital corporation for 5 years as a unit secretary, I have never been written up for anything. I have had great evaluations every year and I have experience with the hospital charting system, also everyone in my department seems to be happy with me and have given me references. I have have applied for 4 hospitals in my area owned by this corporation. I have had 2 interviews for the new graduate program at 2 hospitals (one of which I currently work at) and have been turned down for both. I had applied for other positions as an RN but the recruiter automatically files denies my application as "not under consideration" so the hiring manager never sees it.

I talked to the director of the department i currently work in (radiology) and she had me talk to the CNO where I work who interviewed me again and set me up with a another interview that wasn't the new grad program. I interviewed for that and was not hired for that either. I am going to have to apply at other non affiliated hospitals, but if I don't stay with this corporation for 2 years I will have to pay back the tuition reimbursement the hospital gave me to go to school for my RN. I think its ridiculous i should have to stay a secretary there because they wont hire me as a nurse.

The reason I think the problem is ageism is because they hired some of my much younger classmates who have had no medical background at all. I also know of at least 4 of us who are over 40 were turned down from the same program. I've never had a problem with interviews before.