Agism in nursing???? (furious rant potential)

Night Owl RN · Jul 28, 2006

All of this talk of ageism in Nursing is extremely upsetting. I have a couple of classes to complete and I'll be ready for clinicals but, considering the wait list, I'll be 60 years old when I get my ADN. Actually, I haven't met or read of anyone my age just starting out in the profession and I am very concerned my age will be a negative factor when I begin a job search. It would be nice to find out now (before I invest anymore effort or money) if I will be able to work as a nurse. If I can't, striving for that goal will be more than frustrating.

This is a third career for me and I already have a B.S. in Biology so I'll not likely pursue a BSN. I anticipate a 15-20 yr nursing career because I'm in excellent physical condition and don't intend to retire and rust. I just want to produce a "work product" that truly is useful for a change. In my past careers, my job duties contributed to corporate profit making and there didn't seem to be any real human benefit derived for any of it. I'm ready for a change, but I need to know, straight up, if my age will be a roadblock. :confused:

WDWpixieRN, RN · Jul 28, 2006

In my past careers, my job duties contributed to corporate profit making and there didn't seem to be any real human benefit derived for any of it. I'm ready for a change, but I need to know, straight up, if my age will be a roadblock.

I'm 10 years younger than you, and starting the RN program in a few weeks , and this has been a concern for me.....second career, holding a BS in MIS and also pursuing ASN rather than BSN.....if you search around on these threads (Pre-Student & General Student), I think your fears will be put to rest....there's plenty on this subject and believe it or not, you are NOT the oldest person who ever graduated from nursing school according to what I've read and been told!!

By the way, your reasons for going back to school and in to this field are written so eloquently....I just gave my 2 weeks' at my IT job yesterday and don't know how I'm going manage financially without that check getting direct-deposited every 1st and 15th, want to get physically sick everytime I think about it, but am SO excited to be moving in to something that will hopefully make getting up in the morning (or at night!) feel worth it!!

Night Owl RN · Jul 28, 2006

Thanks for the encouragement wdwpixie. I, too,worked in IT for 15 years. The last job was a a Network Mgr for a national telecomm company and I was based in NY, NY. On call 24/7 for network outages, with 3 teenage boys and a husband in the Army, I developed superhuman powers that persist today. So the question in one's 50's becomes, "What am I supposed to do the rest of my life?" Already had my turn at the corporate ladder, kids are out of the nest & living in distant places, husband is functional workaholic, and both parents are gone. I'm not used up yet and nobody (even me) cares how great my home looks or whether my gardens are perfect. There must be some purposeful meaning to "the golden years" and I'm hoping the nursing profession will allow me to experience it.

I notice you're from the midwest and so am I. Wouldn't it be surprising to find we're in the same area? Good luck on your new adventure in nursing school. I envy you because despite being mentally, financially, and academically ready, I'm struggling to get on as many waiting lists as possible with no chance of really digging into nursing until next fall at the earliest. My timing is off. I should have started planning for nursing school last fall or winter rather than in May.

HARRN2b · Jul 28, 2006

I guess I will just have to get a facelift. Do not want to but cannot afford to face age discrimination. My aunt had to get one to still look young and youthful to keep in the employment market. This is just the way our culture thinks.

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 28, 2006

All of this talk of ageism in Nursing is extremely upsetting. I have a couple of classes to complete and I'll be ready for clinicals but, considering the wait list, I'll be 60 years old when I get my ADN. Actually, I haven't met or read of anyone my age just starting out in the profession and I am very concerned my age will be a negative factor when I begin a job search. It would be nice to find out now (before I invest anymore effort or money) if I will be able to work as a nurse. If I can't, striving for that goal will be more than frustrating.
This is a third career for me and I already have a B.S. in Biology so I'll not likely pursue a BSN. I anticipate a 15-20 yr nursing career because I'm in excellent physical condition and don't intend to retire and rust. I just want to produce a "work product" that truly is useful for a change. In my past careers, my job duties contributed to corporate profit making and there didn't seem to be any real human benefit derived for any of it. I'm ready for a change, but I need to know, straight up, if my age will be a roadblock.

Obviously can't speak for every unit in every facility, but I work in a hospital with half a dozen nursing schools in the area, including that of the institution itself, so I don't think we're as hard-hit by the nursing shortage as some. I had no trouble getting a job here at 48, but already had a foot in the door, since I'd worked there for 7 years as a UAP.

We have a lot of candidates at the beginning of June, and a smaller wave near the end of December. In between, it seems like our NMs are always scrambling to find bodies to fill holes. I don't mean to sound unflattering--it's just that you can't stay open without nurses, and at times any nurse with a valid license is worth a shot.

Age is a two-edged sword. The downside is pretty obvious, at least to us old farts. On the other hand, you probably won't get married and move away in the next year or so, your SO is probably pretty settled in his/her field and less likely to get transferred to Timuctu, and you may well be pretty accustomed to the notion of working for a living.

A lot of the nurses I work with are my age, or older. Granted, they have a lot more experience than I do, but we have a lot of other things in common, like realistic expectations of life, a tendancy not to panic over little stuff, and a sort of glazed-over expression whenever we hear Iron Butterfly. At least some of these traits are advantagious to a nurse.

Of the five nurses hired to my unit when I started, two remain after a year. Hiring a nurse is a crap shoot--the odds of keeping them more than 5 years are definitely against management, regardless of age. There are just too many other opportunities. So it isn't as though the 25-yr-olds you'll be competing with are likely to be there in 5-10 years. You'll see dozens of new nurses come and go before you retire.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Jul 28, 2006

All of this talk of ageism in Nursing is extremely upsetting. I have a couple of classes to complete and I'll be ready for clinicals but, considering the wait list, I'll be 60 years old when I get my ADN. Actually, I haven't met or read of anyone my age just starting out in the profession and I am very concerned my age will be a negative factor when I begin a job search. It would be nice to find out now (before I invest anymore effort or money) if I will be able to work as a nurse. If I can't, striving for that goal will be more than frustrating.
This is a third career for me and I already have a B.S. in Biology so I'll not likely pursue a BSN. I anticipate a 15-20 yr nursing career because I'm in excellent physical condition and don't intend to retire and rust. I just want to produce a "work product" that truly is useful for a change. In my past careers, my job duties contributed to corporate profit making and there didn't seem to be any real human benefit derived for any of it. I'm ready for a change, but I need to know, straight up, if my age will be a roadblock

I graduated in May 2005 with a man who was 60 years old when we graduated. There is a 72 year old nurse on my floor-who does nights! Like i tell my patients, its not how many birthdays you've had, its how you feel

chadash · Jul 28, 2006

I guess I will just have to get a facelift. Do not want to but cannot afford to face age discrimination. My aunt had to get one to still look young and youthful to keep in the employment market. This is just the way our culture thinks.

Ouch!

I don't think I want to alter my naturally wizened appearance just to get a job. But, you might be right.

But then, do you really want to work for an organization that factors in your physical appearance when considering you for employment? If they don't see the value of your wisdom and life experience, what are they looking for?

Just visited a hospital website to find I have been dropped for consideration for three more jobs. I know it is a good hospital, and I am really not sure what my problem is, but they haven't even seen me yet, so it can't be my cute little old lady wrinkles!

Accept yourself, don't change a thing! It is inevitable, they will get old too!

summerland5 · Jul 28, 2006

You are right-a facelift might be needed by all of us older gals.

i know i could use one (51) and even though nsg is a second career for me, too, i'd rather have a facelit than continually be discriminated against by other nurses and/or physicians

i doubt the pts care about age-many would probably prefer older nurses-how many 25 year olds have heart attacks or cancer or need gallbladder surgery?!?

shouldn't be this way-a terrible reality!

a face lift might not overcome all agism in getting jobs, but it would certainly help ON the job!

I think we older ladies will make much better nurses than most of the younger grads!

HappyNurse2005, RN · Jul 29, 2006

I think we older ladies will make much better nurses than most of the younger grads!

This is just as much an example of age-ism as me (24) saying that I am a better nurse than those who are over 50 because I am faster and smarter (or whatever reason).

What exactly makes you think you'll be a better nurse than me b/c you are twice my age? Maybe you will be, maybe you won't-but, your age hasn't a thing to do with it.

This attitude(from you) of me not being as good of a nurse because I am young makes me mad. I currently work with post op cardiac surgery pt's. No, I haven't had a heart attack, heart surgery, CHF, or most of the conditions my patients present with. I am, though, very well educated on these conditions, adn can still provide education, information, support, and technical expertise to those pt's. No, i can't personally tell them "i know how it feels" but that alone does not negate my ability to be a "good nurse". I can tell them from the experience of seeing hundreds of other heart patients what their recovery will likely be like. I can refer them to a support group.

On that same train of thought, most nurses my age (24) are very healthy. Most of us don't have chronic conditions like heart or lung or liver disease, or need surgeries, have cancer, etc. Many of us have been in the hospital only to have babies-maybe all of us young nurses should only be OB nurses.

On the same train, again, should only those with cancer take care of those with cancer? ONly smokers take care of lung CA secondary to smoking?

this statement is absurd

many would probably prefer older nurses-how many 25 year olds have heart attacks or cancer or need gallbladder surgery?!?

for all of the above reasons.

Oh, again, only those who've had babies should be OB nurses. Only those who'v ehad preemies should be NICU nurses, too.

You are displaying just as much age discrimination as you claim you are against.

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Jul 29, 2006

It does goes both (and many more) ways doesn't it? Excellent points.

summerland5 · Jul 29, 2006

hi happy nurse

you are really right-it just depends upon the personality of the individual involved.

i know many of my classmates seem rather immature, however, those are the ones that will probably never finish! (instructors say 1/2 won't)

i do think that young nurses can be great-even better than older ones-just depends upon the particulars...

there's a lot to be said for maturity and for youth

the very best must be to have both kinds of nurses working together!

:)

summerland5 · Jul 29, 2006

sorry duplicate:)