Am I too old to go to nursing school and into a nursing career?

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Thinking about going into the nursing profession with no nursing credentials. Have desgrees in chemistry, been in industry, teaching, retail most recently. what are the facts? realistic for me to do this? cost? i'm 58 yo. anyone else enter nursing field at that time of life?

I started college when I was 41 yr, obtained my ADN at 47yr. I'm 56yr and work 7pm-8am 3day/wk in L&D. Sure I have ache but no more than my 20-30 yr old coworkers. Staff nursing is not the only jobs available for an RN. Dr office, clinics, home health care, nursing home, the choices are endless. You'll never know if you don't try. If you find it isn't for you what have you lost? Nursing school doesn't consist of only the younger set. Life experiences gave me an infinitely greater edge and confidence many of my classmates lacked. Go for it!

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I once heard from a previous nursing school instructor that in a lot of cases (not all) that older people do better in nursing school than the younger students. Life is the best education. If you are healthy; doing this to fulfill a dream.....GO FOR IT! :) I look forward to hearing of your decision.

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Specializes in CCRN-CMC-CSC: CTICU, MICU, SICU, TRAUMA.
Thinking about going into the nursing profession with no nursing credentials. Have desgrees in chemistry, been in industry, teaching, retail most recently. what are the facts? realistic for me to do this? cost? i'm 58 yo. anyone else enter nursing field at that time of life?

If you have the energy and the drive you can ABSOLUTELY do it! There are so many different avenues for nurses to pursue I am certain you will find your fulfilling niche should you choose to complete a program. With the shortage nursing faces we need nurses badly. It's a great opportunity for later in life because you can work per diem, choose your schedule, have job security and achieve a stable income. You'll be able to work as much or as little as you like. There aren't many careers that offer this. I know two nursing students currently in their 50s. Don't let your age influence your interest! Do your research, think carefully, talk to nurses as you are doing, and if you feel it is the right direction for you, charge forward full steam ahead! There are plenty of scholarships available as well.

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FYI: I know of a nurse that is in her 70's & works in the OR with an orthopedic surgeon. She is the one he always has working with him. She loves her job. Yes she has aches & pain but you never hear that from her. It was the young nurses who were complaining about it.

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Specializes in onc, critical care.

No You are NOT too old!!! I love that I did this even in my late 40s. I was a single mom and once I finally got here, I love it. There are benefits (pts and families automatically assume you know what you are doing) drawbacks (nights are a bit tougher but still doable. All the life experiences I have had have made me a better nurse and since you sound well educated this will help you also. In school my memory was worse but my study skills were better and I did pretty well. If you heart is there, I think you should go for it.

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I'm nearly 50 and looking for options away from the floor. I love floor nursing and am lucky enough to have an 8 hour position. Twelve nearly kills me. It takes all of the next day to recover. Knees, back, shoulders, and arms hurt. My tolerance of needy families and patients is declining.

Those 90 yo olds who graduate college aren't doing it in nursing, they are Arts and Science students.

I'm going to get flamed for this but there comes a time when you have to think of the younger generation. It is hard enough for those in their 20's to get in without having to compete with a 50+yo who may or may not have a working life of 8 years ahead of them. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

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never to old, give it a try!!!

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Specializes in CCRN-CMC-CSC: CTICU, MICU, SICU, TRAUMA.
I'm nearly 50 and looking for options away from the floor. I love floor nursing and am lucky enough to have an 8 hour position. Twelve nearly kills me. It takes all of the next day to recover. Knees, back, shoulders, and arms hurt. My tolerance of needy families and patients is declining.

Those 90 yo olds who graduate college aren't doing it in nursing, they are Arts and Science students.

I'm going to get flamed for this but there comes a time when you have to think of the younger generation. It is hard enough for those in their 20's to get in without having to compete with a 50+yo who may or may not have a working life of 8 years ahead of them. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

I'm just sort of surprised by this comment... about stepping aside for the younger generation coming from a nurse... what about psychosocial issues, Maslow and self-acutalization, or resolving generativity vs. stagnation?

I have heard of plenty of "younger generation" nursing students who partied their way through school, did not have the maturity to accept the responsibilities of the profession... have not interviewed yet for positions because their TSH levels will show up in their employment tox screens and guess what, have recently failed the NCLEX.

There are awesome, mature, enthusiastic students that can cut the mustard at any and every age. Steering someone based on age is simply age discrimination.

Older students have an edge with what they can bring to the table. It's a good experience for everyone in the classroom. They have former careers and often for them critical thinking and time management skills are easier to build in nursing because they've done it professionally elsewhere.

If you go to Yale's website you will see the "grandma" that they did an article on who just graduated from their med school...Grandma, MD. If your suggestion holds water perhaps she should have graciously stepped aside for the "younger generation"... afterall... there are far more highly qualified younger students applying to Yale Med and being turned down then to nursing schools (this is a very fair analog to your analysis in my humble opinion)... and by the time Grandma MD finishes her internship and residency how long will she work? Ultimately I don't think it matters. Lifelong learning, education for education's sake, is to be encouraged. Kudos to her!!! It's remarkable! Furthermore, age is also not a reliable marker of how long someone stays in the profession. The rate of nurses leaving the profession runs a wide scope often having nothing to do with age.

Near me there is an univseristy science professor in her 50s going to nursing school now at the college she teaches at.

Phooey for this discouragement... bid you did say you knew you'd get flamed.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

fiona 59 and novicetoexpert, both of you have arguments that stir healthy debate in my soul regarding this issue, i only wish it were true in our national press (especially on radio) regarding conservative and liberal views that we could come to a sounder understanding of which political way is best, propaganda makes my heart cringe. back to the main issue at hand: i am in favor of the experienced well passed their prime nursing student getting a degree in this field of endeavor, but fiona's realistic understanding of how taxing a career nursing is aught very well to be considered before waisting time and precious money on school. and given that how our nursing schools suffer impaction ( ok ok all kidding aside to this term which begs the question of what stool softener is dreadfully neaded.) the younger more ample in years to begin to toil in nursing to me is the better investment. we cannot afford at this time to dally with some who have little time left to work to solve the nursing shortage. for the shortage will remain acute if the ebb is greater than the flow.

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Specializes in CCRN-CMC-CSC: CTICU, MICU, SICU, TRAUMA.
... we cannot afford at this time to dally with some who have little time left to work to solve the nursing shortage. for the shortage will remain acute if the ebb is greater than the flow.

all fair game comments... however, one individual's desire to prepare for a new career is not about whether this solves the nursing shortage or not. the one slot she'll take, should she decide to pursue her dreams, is rightfully her's if she is accepted to a program. it seems fiona's argument and bolstering of it suggests that taking a slot in a program without having the guarantee of 20 years of nursing service is irresponsible and is thus perpetuating the nursing shortage. this is, in my opinion, absolutely absurd. if the root of the nursing shortage is, in your opinion, not enough slots in programs...then suggest a way to increase nursing faculty and program sizes. discouraging someone from taking a slot is not such a solution. there are nurses who do more for nursing and elevating the profession in a short time than others do in a lifetime... there is also plenty of damage nurses do to minimize, lower and diminish the profession in a very short while or over a lifetime. it is case specific to each particular nurse. every life this new potential nurse touches or saves is another life touched or saved. whether she practices for a year or 10 or 20 does not minimize this. if i stopped my career this instant... i already know the lives i have touched/saved/made a difference in were well-worth my effort and that my stay in nursing, however short, has benefited the public and elevated my profession. in my opinion, there are way too many nurses that say "if i'd do it over again, i'd never go into nursing..." i've heard it from four nurses on my unit without provoking. i've heard it as a student over and over. it is this discouragement that perpetuates the nursing shortage. yes, nursing is hard work. yes it is taxing anatomically and physiologically. but plenty of jobs and careers are. i have seen nurses that have overcome severe hearing pathology by using special stethoscopes and other devices, another that has a prosthetic leg and i even read about a blind nurse on this very site. even if i were physically disabled i could still teach, i could still serve on community boards such as aids councils, participate in public health initiatives, develop theories, publish, run trials or studies... all of which require no lifting and through which i could participate as an rn until the day i die, whether that be at 45 or 95. and by encouraging those coming after me i could build a legacy of difference for the future of the profession in a short while. that being said... if anyone has a sincere interest in the profession... come one... come all... i for one welcome you wholeheartedly and thank you for the difference you might make whether in one year or one hundred.

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I waited all my life to go back to school to be a nurse. Finally graduated at 50. I couldnt have been happier. Then I met the DON's from h---! I've been in the field just 4 years and so burned out I dont know what to do. I just quit my job after being told I "have a hard time keeping up" on a busy unit. I had ONE day that I had 2 critical patients, a discharge, a team meeting, an admission, and routine wounds, lab reports, doc orders, bloodsugars/insulins, IV's, and I "had the nerve" to ask for help! I'd sooner throw my license in the trash than harm one patient. I dont know what I'll do. I feel trapped and beyond depressed. Everyone is so overworked and there doesnt seem to be any relief. We have all the power in the world to make a difference if we would stick together, but we just let others dictate our future. I wish you much success but dont forget to read llg's post#6 and really think about it....

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Specializes in Infection Control.

I'm 54 and should graduate from an ASN program this semester.

You want it? Focus ;) and go for it.

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