Any other "older" new nursing students out there?

Peeps Mcarthur · Dec 23, 2002

All,

I really wanted to encourage all the prerequisite students about how they might expect nursing classes to turn out. Psychology is stressed in my former program over all the other classes you may have taken to apply. I think you'll find that a common thread through nursing curicculum in general is the use of what's called a "nursing diagnosis", or care planning. I'm sure you've read about someone on this board fretting over them. If you are getting "A"s in psychology, anything psychosocial, or sociology, then you will do very well. If you just barely scrapped by the sciences, but you did well in those above mentioned classes, you are home-free.

All the English you will ever need is 101. If you know how to write a topic sentence,and run a Word program, all you need to do is learn the lingo. My program didn't require medical terminology as a prerequisite, now I know why.

The instructors aren't English or science majors...........................buuuuuuuut they are way deep into the psych , and they come from floor nursing with psychomotor skills that you will have to learn, but that just takes repetitive practice and some lab time.

Don't worry, you'll get in and you'll do fine.

I turned 40 the year I went back to school after a 12 year absence from any classes. I never got above a "C" except for once in P.E. before and now I'm Phi Theta Kappa with 29 credits.

The older students always excel beyond thier expectations because thier expectations are tempered with reflection on past failures.

So we are destined, say predisposed to not repeat what was maladaptive(use this word alot in papers, they eat it up) and will find a path to greatness of our own chosing.

KarenAR · Dec 23, 2002

Well, I'm joining in the discussion late in the game, but...

I'm 32, married for nearly 10 years, two kids, a dog, own my home, etc., etc. I'm in an accelerated BSN program at a school that's an hour away from my house, and MY LIFE IS INSANE!!! It is tremendously difficult to come home from class or clinical, do the evening routine with the kids and then have to write nursing care plans, etc., after they go to bed, and then get up early for the commute the next morning.

BUT, it beats sitting in a cubicle bored to tears every day. And my program only lasts 14 months, 7 of which are already under my belt! (YAY!)

I started prereqs when I was 30, I guess. Started this nursing program at 31. I'd been trying to figure out "what I wanted to do with my life" (i.e., my career) since high school. I did earn a bachelor's degree in English back in '92, but it wasn't until a couple years ago that I even considered nursing. As soon as I started thinking about it, I realized it was the perfect fit: flexible schedules, can do it anywhere in the world (we plan to move around a bit with my husband's work), can serve others and still make a living, there are so many different areas and settings you can work in, etc. etc. You name the reason and it was one of mine.

I will say that the 18-19 year old girls at my school sometimes drive me absolutely crazy with their talking and snack-wrapper-rattling noise in class. Luckily I do not have many classes with those guys. At my school, there are 38 of us in an accelerated program, and we're mostly older. (Actually, age 24-ish and up to 40-something. I have to laugh when the 24 year olds call themselves "older," and the 40-something year old laughs when I call myself "older" - ha ha.) For the most part, our classes are separate from the regular undergrads. It's nice because the professors consider us to be the "creme de la creme" and they treat us more as equals, or at least, as very responsible, dedicated and capable students - which of course we all are!

So even though life is crazy trying to juggle school, kids, marriage, etc., I am glad to be doing this ... and I wish you all the very best of luck as you go through the craziness too!!

Vmommyx4_RN · Dec 23, 2002

thanks for posting everyone.

I was feeling a bit bummed this week about being an "older" student. I start my clinicals in January and graduate in four semesters. I will be 6 months short of 40.

I have meet a handful of students in my class, they are all in their early 20"s (20-24) and the majority already know everything there is to know. One is an LPN and she really doesn't understand why she has to take all this crap, she's been doing it for a year now.

At any rate, I am still hoping to run into more "older" student's when I finally get to meet the rest of my class. But knowing there are alot of us out there really helps! Good luck everyone!!!

Danielle4 · Dec 23, 2002

I see all of you saying that people in their 20's are not really old. I find it kind of hard to judge people too much by age.

I am only 25, but I have been on my own pretty much my whole life. I have owned 2 houses now and have taken care of myself as my parents did not think college was important while I was younger and would not let me go. I moved out and started saving for college at a young age- I was only 20 when I finally had enough to buy my first house (It is cheaper to buy a house than to pay for college). I have worked full-time since graduation of high school to save for college, the mortgage on my houses, pay for my wedding and honeymoon on my own and paying off my college loans. I find even though I am only 25 I don't really realate to the people of my age really well and most of my friends are all in their, 30's 40's and 50's. I am in college now and the only person who has ever supported me in school is my husband-thank goodness for him. He knows how much it has meant to me my whole life to go to school as we have been together now for 6 years. I do not have anyone else helping me and I get annoyed when I see these kids fresh out of high school under mommy and daddy's buck goofing off and laughing and making fun of other people. It is just really annoying. I guess maybe I feel like they are so extrememly lucky to have what they have they should not waste it or take it for granted. I just do not like it when people make fun of other people either.

I know I am young, but I think I have been through a lot my entire life to say I have matured a bit more than my 25 years. I do not have kids yet as I do not have time between school and work and I have nieces to tend to as well as I sit often for them as well as I have a custody battle going on with that too. All my friends have kids so if I feel the need I just visit them. :) I would rather wait till I am done with school so I am not selffish and can give them all I have when I have kids. I guess in this respect I still do feel young in the sense that I am too young to have kids. :)

I feel I have earned the right to school and hopefully I will finish and it will make me yet a better person. I can only hope and pray that I have enough money to finish and the time to be able to study to make it through. I feel like I am juggling and I hope I have the strength to make it. It has been hard so far, but I am still going and I have what I hope is enough ambition to get me through.

I am hoping to fit in with the other students, but it is hard for me to find out what to talk about with most of the students here are younger and they all talk about "Cute soccer players and haircuts", etc. I have been debating whether to sign up for the accelerated program at night as the requirement for that is age 25 or over and it may be a better fit for me I am not sure. I am working on my BS in human biology first before I apply to nursing or PA school because I get to do the cadaver program at the school here and I really like it. The accelerated program here with a Bachelor's degree will only take me a year to a year and a half to get my BSN according to the school. The school itself I go to is really great only I guess I have not found my niche yet. I guess sometimes that really bums me out too.

Good luck to all of you in nursing school. I really admire all of you especially the soon to be nurses balencing school and kids and work! I personally think the older students with kids make the best nurses as they have already had the experience with kids and the best compassion for people.

I have a sister in law that is a nurse and she is really a know it all that acts like she knows more than anyone so it is hard to talk to her about nursing and related to her about anything. She acts like she is so much older than me and she is only 2 years older than I and her parents paid for her school! oh well.

I am still trying.

Sometimes I feel bummed because I am still not done with school, and I feel like of like a loser because of it, but I think about how much I have done and I guess I am proud and I know I have done a lot on my own and with my husband, but it still hard that my life long goal of getting my degree and maybe becoming a nurse is still a little ways away. I hope I can do it. the classes are no problem so far and I really love anatomy, but I am still nervous and physics is the class that I am mostly worried about that I may not be able to do.

After all I have done my parents still do not agree with the fact I am going to school and will never appreciate what I have done I have since found out. I think they are still mad that I bought another house. They will never be proud of me no matter what I do and I guess that is something I will have to accept. I have never had parents I could go to for support or even help with school and I have never been given anything. All I have done has been on my own dime. I have done more than my parents already in my 25 years of age and I just hope I can maintain that by finishing school.

2banurse · Dec 23, 2002

Danielle, I don't think that there are 50 y/o's that are as mature as you appear to be. Instead of looking down on your decision to buy a house on your own and to pay for your own education and come so far, your parents should be overwhelmed with pride.

quote:

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Sometimes I feel bummed because I am still not done with school, and I feel like of like a loser because of it, but I think about how much I have done and I guess I am proud and I know I have done a lot on my own and with my husband

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You are anything BUT a loser...you will, I feel, succeed in whatever you chose to do (PA or Nursing). Good Luck!

Kris

wishingmary · Dec 23, 2002

I'm in my 40's and am starting my last year in nursing school. I find that nursing school is the great leveler. "Young, old" we are all in it together. My advice is just be a nursing student. If you think your old you will unintentionally alienate yourself. Anyway I do want to pass on a wonderful strategy I have found that works well with working, going to school, raising a 4 & 7 year old and passing nursing exams. Read the books & handouts, go to class, clinicals, etc and then focus on passing NCLEX in the areas you are studying in class. The NCLEX study questions from Springhouse, Saunders, Mosby, etc will help you learn critical thinking in applying what you know. Our nursing exam questions often times have 2 right answers, you have to pick the most right and to be able to do that you have to be able to ask yourself why. Don't just memorize the correct answers from your handouts, but look at that list and think through which ones most defines or results from what they describe (topic). I hope that makes sense. Also utilize your support to free up time to study. Keep your eye on NCLEX from start to finish.

KarenAR · Dec 24, 2002

Originally posted by Danielle4
I see all of you saying that people in their 20's are not really old. I find it kind of hard to judge people too much by age.

Danielle, you have done amazing things in your 25 years!! I am really impressed with your motivation and your perserverance. I don't think anyone meant to say that all people in their 20s are "not really old" ... it's just that sometimes the younger students in my class who don't have as much life experience crack me up when they call themselves old. Likewise, when I call myself old, the 40-something student laughs at me. And that's OK because I know when I'm 40 I'll chuckle at the 30 year olds! :)

Originally posted by Danielle4
I find even though I am only 25 I don't really realate to the people of my age really well and most of my friends are all in their, 30's 40's and 50's.
... I am hoping to fit in with the other students, but it is hard for me to find out what to talk about with most of the students here are younger and they all talk about "Cute soccer players and haircuts", etc.

I can totally relate to this. I had my first child at 24 and most of my same-age friends are just now having their first babies, in their early 30s. My oldest is now 7 years old. I don't totally relate to my same-age friends because either they don't have kids or they have babies--and they had their babies after becoming a lot more stable financially. (My husband and I really struggled financially when our first was born...but my friends having kids now are a lot more well-off than we were so their parenting experience is in some ways very different.) And the other parents of 7-year-olds that we know are in their late 30s, early 40s, and so we don't really relate to them completely either.

One thing I am learning as time goes on, though, is that it's really not always necessary to find a "niche" - at least not a niche in terms of age or life experience. I used to really anguish over the fact that I didn't really "fit in" anywhere. But now I just don't worry about it (maybe because nursing school doesn't leave me time to!). My mom used to talk about how my sister really found her niche in life with dance...and it made me feel inferior for not having found a niche. Now I say TO HE*L with niches. Just live life and enjoy it. Life's too short to worry about fitting into a niche.

Originally posted by Danielle4
I have been debating whether to sign up for the accelerated program at night as the requirement for that is age 25 or over and it may be a better fit for me I am not sure. I am working on my BS in human biology first before I apply to nursing or PA school because I get to do the cadaver program at the school here and I really like it. The accelerated program here with a Bachelor's degree will only take me a year to a year and a half to get my BSN according to the school. The school itself I go to is really great only I guess I have not found my niche yet. I guess sometimes that really bums me out too.

That's what I'm doing - an accelerated program. I definitely think in my case it is a better option. Aside from the niche thing, the good thing about being in this program is that most if not all of us are paying for our education ourselves...and we all WANT to be there. So therefore we pay attention in class. All of us are motivated, and in that way, I do "fit in" better here. I would strongly encourage you to consider doing the accelerated program. (And definitely do nursing school, not PA!)

Originally posted by Danielle4
After all I have done my parents still do not agree with the fact I am going to school and will never appreciate what I have done I have since found out. I think they are still mad that I bought another house. They will never be proud of me no matter what I do and I guess that is something I will have to accept. I have never had parents I could go to for support or even help with school and I have never been given anything. All I have done has been on my own dime. I have done more than my parents already in my 25 years of age and I just hope I can maintain that by finishing school.

I'm so sorry that your parents are not supportive. I have a really hard time relating to my parents too, and it is heartbreaking when you can't relate to them or make them accept you. My situation is interesting in that it's kind of the opposite but the same. My father will always find the negative in what I'm doing...and my mother always smothers me with the "I'm so proud of you" statement. Which would be fine except she kind of takes ownership of whatever good thing I'm doing...and twists it so that it's a reflection of what a "good job" she did raising me, rather than my own accomplishment. And at the same time, I think she is just saying it to cover up the fact that she doesn't believe in my choices either, if that makes sense. But anyway, my point is that I hear you!!! Keep your chin up even though your parents make you nuts. It is sad, but I hope that you will not let it affect your ability to forge ahead. I am learning that being an adult means not letting them get to me. They are going to be who they are going to be...can't change them. But I can direct my own life, and if they don't like it, oh well.

Good luck to you! I'm sure with your motivation you will absolutely get any degree you set your mind to!

Dublin37 · Jan 2, 2003

I'll be 41 in a few days and ya know I have those days, that I say, "what the heck am I doing? I could be going to starbucks, hanging out at my kids school, going to the gym, being at home, ALONE just RELAXING, hitting the mall, doing some gardening........" but then when I'm walking up to the college from the parking lot, I get a little thrill, a couple butterflies in my stomach, yes I get happy, "Oh man, I LOVE BEING HERE!" And ya know once I'm in class gabbing with the 20 somethings, I totally forget, that I am or nearly twice there age. And after that killer exam, walking back to my car, I'm thinking, "cool, I'm a little bit closer to that rn program". And don't cha love, when the kids say, "no way, you're HOW old?!" I always want to pay them a little something.

One thing I've really learned from going back to school, is that there are a lot of hard working young students out there. Most of them are working, and many are paying rent, going to school and work! I really respect them, because I know I wasn't that serious when I was getting my BA.

Anyway, only 2 classes to go!

Heather:eek:

opalmRN · Jan 3, 2003

Hi all,

Haven't checked this post for a long time.

WOW there sure are a lot of us all babes out here, aren't there?

We are all gonna do just fine and the nursing profession will benefit from the wealth of experience we will bring.

Hey and like I look at it for me I just wanna get finished with nursing school before I'm old enough to do my geriatric rotation in my own room!

Good luck and glad to see I have so much company along my journey!

C

opalmRN · Jan 3, 2003

ooops,

that was supposed to be "a lot of us old babes"

See my eyes are going already!

c

DenaRN2B · Jan 3, 2003

I'm 35 and turning 36 just 2 months after I graduate nursing school this spring! Three kids and married 15 years ... but I'm finally doing it...

martymoose, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2003

Hi all, I'm one of those not so young students(37), but i feel I am paying way more attention in class than I was when I was 20. I actually want to be in class now- I love sciences and the psych classes- back then, I couldn't bear to sit thru those classes. Better late than never. Some of my profs said they prefer the "older students" because they are very serious about their work. Not to say some younger people aren't. The olders usually have already held other jobs for some time, or raised their families and know what to expect in the world.-chris