Any older people in pre-nursing?

Scooter321 · Jul 1, 2008

I am 57 years old and will be 60 before I am done. us older potential nurses have experience in many things already. I lost my daughter a year ago, and continued going to school. I felt if i dropped out i would not continue. I have learned about grief and compassion throu this experience.I have one semester, then I will start the nursing program. I will be 60 in three years no matter what i do, but I would rather have a good, steady job, that pays:yeah: well. It is worth it if I only work 10 years full time, then go parttime. There are plenty of older students, actually the professors prefer US. WE know how to study, we are paying for it ourselves and we know the value of a good education.

You are my hero! I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter, but I'm betting that she would be very proud of her mum. :icon_hug:

noladancer · Jul 1, 2008

I got all of you beat! I'm 53, working on my prereq's (I already have a Master's in another field), and will be nearly 55 by the time I enter nursing school!

basketcase · Jul 1, 2008

:yeah:Congrats!! It is so hard to make the decision to go back. Then to walk through those doors again can be terrifying!! Then you get over it!!

I finished my pre-reqs and will start nursing this fall. I worked as a dental hygienist for 30+ years and made the decision to shake up my life. My kids thought I was crazy but supported my decision and my husband has been my rock.

It is amazing how many "non-traditional"(that means old ) students are attending class. I have met so many fun people each semester! Just have a positive attitude, realize we do not learn as fast as the young ones however most of us are not running around to the bars at night either. I had a big burly jock come to me for chemistry help.....talk about ego!

Best of luck to all!! Oh, by the way....got you all beat....I'm 53....and a Grandma!!

reads4fun · Jul 2, 2008

I am 41 and just completed my first year of college. I have wanted to go to school since I was a teen but things happen. (love , kids, life in general) I was so surprised at the amount of 40+ students in my A&P I class. Out of 26 students, more than half were 35 or older. I was also happily surprised with the fact that age didn't really seem to be a concern for anyone. We were all there for the same reason and through the stress of studying for our labs together, all bonded pretty well.

Learning also seems so much easier now that I am more mature and am paying for everything myself.

Good luck to you!

muleplow · Jul 2, 2008

I'm a RRT that's going into nursing LoL

You will probably love respiratory, it's a very interesting field to work in!

Good luck with school!

steeldelica · Jul 3, 2008

Thanks for this post! I smiled so much when I read it. I'm 38 and in my observations, I've been the oldest person in my classes. So appreciate such encouragement here. I only have Micro left in Fall 2008 before I apply to nursing. Hey...if you have any heads up or areas to pay special attention or to be aware of for Micro...it won't hurt my feelings. I start next in August 2008.

Much success to you and your future, AtomicWoman.

I'll be 52 when I graduate with a BSN in 2010!
Older students kick butt and take names. Ask any professor. :) I just finished a microbiology summer class where at least half the class was over 35. The professor said we had the highest scores on tests of any of his students! I called it "The Coot Factor" (speaking as a coot, of course. LOL!)
You can do it and you can do great!! Just keep your focus. I actually (now) think that older brains learn differently, but in a much cooler way. Sometimes when I study, I feel like my brain is connecting the information in a hundred different ways all at the same time. And I've talked with other students about this... I think it has something to do with all that life experience we bring to our studies. I am also way more wowed by the science and by the amazing human body than I think I would have been when I was younger. I keep thinking, "How cool is that!!", whether it's Chemistry or A&P or Micro or something else.
So, best of luck, and most of all, enjoy yourself!!

AtomicWoman · Jul 4, 2008

Thanks for this post! I smiled so much when I read it. I'm 38 and in my observations, I've been the oldest person in my classes. So appreciate such encouragement here. I only have Micro left in Fall 2008 before I apply to nursing. Hey...if you have any heads up or areas to pay special attention or to be aware of for Micro...it won't hurt my feelings. I start next in August 2008.
Much success to you and your future, AtomicWoman.

Thanks!

Someone started a thread in this forum called "Micro Heads Up". I posted my favorite microbiology websites in that thread.

I think the only thing in micro that made me a little crazy was memorizing which drugs targeted what: cellular membrane, cell wall, transcription/translation, etc. So if you have to do that, too, flash cards are essential!

Also, wear a plastic apron in lab, even if your prof doesn't make you (mine didn't)! Those darn stains/dyes can be really ugly on your clothing!! And I found the antibacterial soap extremely harsh on my skin. Good old soap and water after lab will do just fine, thank you.

If your prof has you running around school swabbing stuff to get samples, try swabbing a dollar bill. Yuck!! Ours had E. coli all over it! :barf01:

When studing viruses, ask yourself if you'll ever need to read sci-fi again! Viruses are so amazing and weird and out-of-this-world-scary, I don't need fiction!!! :chuckle

Best of luck!!

AtomicWoman · Jul 4, 2008

I am 57 years old and will be 60 before I am done.

You rock!!!! :bowingpur:bowingpur:bowingpur:bowingpur

My hero!

CRIMSON · Jul 4, 2008

Hey more power to you! I am 36 and just starting my ADN in August. It is never 2 late.

Butterfliesnroses · Jul 4, 2008

I'm 23 years old....So I have the 18 year olds, just out of high school...Which 18-23 doesn't seem like much of a difference...BUT it really is maturity wise...at least for some people...and then there are the people that are in their 50s...SO I just don't feel like I fit in at all!

caycc · Jul 4, 2008

i'm new here and just found this site. i will be starting biology 110 in the fall. i already have a bs in education and will be going back to the community college i started at 25 years ago! this is something i should have done way back then, but , i was young and stupid and had no confidence in myself. but i'm doing it now!
i'm so excited i have already gotten my biology book and started reading and taking notes. fortunately, my instructor has a website as well and i've been following along and getting a head start.
anyone feel like the oldest in class? i have this image of being stuck in a classroom with a bunch of 18 year olds...lol. i am taking night classes though so hopefull that means the average age goes up.
people keep telling me how old i'll be when i'm finally an rn, but heck, i'll be that old in a few years whether or not i'm a nurse, so i might as well go for it.
anyone else over 40 like me?

you'll be fine! i am 53 years old and was just like you, afraid that i would be with a lot of young students. in my anatomy class there are 2 other people who are 50 and 52 years old. we like teasing the younger students about how old and wise we are. i think you'll find out like i did that there are a lot of "older" people who have decided it's never to late to go back to school. good luck to you.

debbie2388 · Jul 4, 2008

These posts made me soooo....very happy. I am a 39 year old mom of a 19 year old married college student who is getting ready to be a grandmom. I was just accepted into my local community college's RN program for Fall 2008. I will actually be 41 by the time I sit for boards. I have a 3.40 GPA and I was surprised when I was completeing my prereqs that there were actually so many other older students....Well, congrats to us because you're never too old to better yourself!!!!! :yeah: