I am new to posting here. I do read posts on occasion although Anatomy keeps me pretty busy! I was hoping to meet others near my age and hear your stories.
I am 51 and have another year of pre-requisites and I will apply to the local JC's ADN program. It's on a lottery system which has its pros and cons. I take one science class per semester and am fairly well challenged, but am holding my own with Bs.
I never finished college and once I finish the ADN program, I'd like to get my BS, hopefully the hospital I work for will pay!
I have 3 kids and a very supportive DH. Sometimes I get feeling like I'm too old for this and then I learn something new and it gives me the resolve to keep going. I love all that I'm learning!!
:loveya: Welcome, Welcome, I have been in nursing school forever.....or so it seems like it. Well I was having a heck of a time, I finished my program in August and needed to pass the end comprehensive exam (ATI) I made several attempts. On this pass Wednesday I DID IT, I passed . I am through to the next round----NCLEX in January or February. I am proud to say I turned 52 in July. Boy does this feel GOOD I am almost there. Don't get me wrong no one ever said it would be easy, but you can do it as long as YOU believe in YOU, nothing else matters!!!!!!
Hi! I am so glad I found this thread....it gives me hope. I am 38 with a traveling hubby (I call him my weekend hubby) two girls, ages 6 and 3. I am working on my Prereq's. Not sure how this is going to workout with two kids and no childcare help (they are forever getting sick). I have always wanted to be a nurse but have let Math scare me to death. Math has kept me from doing everything I have always dreamed of....not anymore. Good luck to us all!
Hi! I am so glad I found this thread....it gives me hope. I am 38 with a traveling hubby (I call him my weekend hubby) two girls, ages 6 and 3. I am working on my Prereq's. Not sure how this is going to workout with two kids and no childcare help (they are forever getting sick). I have always wanted to be a nurse but have let Math scare me to death. Math has kept me from doing everything I have always dreamed of....not anymore. Good luck to us all!
Goodluck beachmommy but if it helps u any I have a best friend that went thru the program with me that had 6 kids all 10 mths, 2 yrs, 3 yrs, 4yrs, 6yrs and 8 yrs old and she had NO hubby and she graduated with me :)
It's nice to know there are others out there who are going for their goals at a more, uh, "advanced" age! The thing that helps me through is the perspective I have that I didn't have when I was in my 20s and first considering a nursing career. I volunteered for one shift at a local hospital and I was done! Simply put, I was immature.
I wonder if any of you ever struggle with balance. I suspect there are many who do. Sometimes, I feel as though I lose days because I am so engrossed in my studies. Then, I realize I've only managed to get a day of exercise in! I'd love to hear about how all of you manage to find balance.
Just taking a break tonight from my studies about blood and the heart to see how others are doing. :)
I struggle with balance also, I have the kids in a good routine & I study mostly at night when they are sleeping and we spend extra time together on the weekends. The thing I can't seem to get balance with is time for myself away from being mom and a student. I am still working on that! I get a little time here and there but not a lot. I don't really have any help with the kids. I do have a best friend who is a god send when I do need extra help like picking up the kids or sitting with them when they are off from school and I am not. Because she is always there when I really need her I don't like to ask for her just to watch them so I can have sometime to myself or lord forbid go out on a date...LOL So I need to work on figuring out how to balance everything and have leisure time for myself................
I am 50 and just started nursing school in September and I know how you feel. Some days I wonder if I can make it. I got to school during the day and work an 8 hour a day job M-F which is not easy finding time to study but I am doing well. I have 3 As and a B+ so not too bad for an old woman. We are more experienced and when I listen to my much younger fellow students and they complain that is too much for them because they cannot get out and party with their friends, I realize that I am more settled and I appreciate it more when it all comes together and I can pass a test. I realize my brain really does still work but just takes a little more effort and planning to find time to study and absorb it all.
Just hang in there, you can do it. Just remember the end result and that it is not forever.
Regarding "balance." For those of us with children, I find that it has gotten easier as my children have gotten older. My youngest is 10 and there is so much that they can do on their own. They can put together a salad for dinner or vacuum. I have to let go of wanting the things I ask them to do to be done the way I would do them and when I am able to let go of a preconceived outcome, I'm truly grateful for their help! I feel that the more I ask of them, the more I teach them to do, the more prepared they will be when they leave home. It also helps that I'm now able to leave them home for an hour or so, if I need to.
On to studying: do any of you ever feel that you can't study enough when it comes to the science classes? My anatomy instructor gives questions on the tests that require a thorough understanding of the material, which is good because I want to know this stuff, but I just can't seem to spend enough time, even though the majority of my free time is spent studying. I enjoy taking tests, but I always have the anxiety beforehand that I didn't put in enough time. I wonder if it's the same for any of you?
I'm enjoying everyone's support and input on this thread, it's great!
Hi everyone! I am officially a nursing student! I start in January.......It took me a long time to get this far but I did it!!! If I can do it being a older student and a single woman with children anyone can. I still have a long way to go but I am excited to be at this point!!!!
Regarding "balance." For those of us with children, I find that it has gotten easier as my children have gotten older. My youngest is 10 and there is so much that they can do on their own. They can put together a salad for dinner or vacuum. I have to let go of wanting the things I ask them to do to be done the way I would do them and when I am able to let go of a preconceived outcome, I'm truly grateful for their help! I feel that the more I ask of them, the more I teach them to do, the more prepared they will be when they leave home. It also helps that I'm now able to leave them home for an hour or so, if I need to.
On to studying: do any of you ever feel that you can't study enough when it comes to the science classes? My anatomy instructor gives questions on the tests that require a thorough understanding of the material, which is good because I want to know this stuff, but I just can't seem to spend enough time, even though the majority of my free time is spent studying. I enjoy taking tests, but I always have the anxiety beforehand that I didn't put in enough time. I wonder if it's the same for any of you?
I'm enjoying everyone's support and input on this thread, it's great!
I totally understand the test fear I would study for hours and right before the test I would feel like I didn't study enough or maybe I felt like I did not injest enough although I would pass each exam I hated the way I felt before each exam I know it was test anxiety but I just couldn't help it but you just need to know you actually after studying do know more than you think you do and just need to take some deep breaths and keep telling yourself that you know you studied and no matter what your mind tells you , you do know the material and then into the test with a clear mind and when you are finished taking the test no matter the result always tell yourself you know u studied and whatever the outcome you gave it your best never 2nd guess yourself before or during or after the test and you will find the more you do the test will get some what easier to take because you have not only prepared for the test but you are prepared mentally and no matter what you know you did your best!!!!!! Goodluck to you
mickswit
9 Posts
:loveya: Welcome, Welcome, I have been in nursing school forever.....or so it seems like it. Well I was having a heck of a time, I finished my program in August and needed to pass the end comprehensive exam (ATI) I made several attempts. On this pass Wednesday I DID IT,
I passed . I am through to the next round----NCLEX in January or February. I am proud to say I turned 52 in July. Boy does this feel GOOD I am almost there. Don't get me wrong no one ever said it would be easy, but you can do it as long as YOU believe in YOU, nothing else matters!!!!!!
