Any Tips on how the 50+ new RN can get a job?

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Hello fellow nurses,

I have recently graduated nursing school and passed the NCLEX 7/2018. I have started my job search and have a few upcoming interviews. I am 56 years old with little previous work experience since I was surprised at 40 with twins. Additionally I had a 5 year old as well at that time so I was a stay at home mom for a period of about 12 years. I did have some experience as a CNA for about 2 years and also did some volunteer work. Though this experience was early in my journey because my husband had liver cancer and had to have a transplant. Due to these events I had to stop working in order to focus on school and his health and helping him through this.

Although we are not to discriminate against age , I have no doubt that ageism is alive and well. I was hoping someone might give me some advice on how I can increase my odds of getting a position over my younger peers. What are the opinions on trying to look younger? Should I dye my hair? (Although I hate The thought of it)?

Does anyone know of networking, communication, tutorials & skills that I might benefit from? Any help or comments would be wonderful!

I'm surprised at the responses here. Dye your hair, plastic surgery, make-up tips??? Kinda shallow.....

I am in the same age group (although I had 8 years experience in NICU, PICU)

I came back into nursing after 23 years as a stay-at-home mom home-schooling and raising my kids.

The coordinator of the refresher course that I took knew the atmosphere of many different areas of nursing and placed me in in-patient rehab in one of our large hospitals for the clinical portion of the refresher. She knew it was a "refresher friendly" unit and she was right. There weren't any openings on the unit where I did my clinical, so I interviewed at a different one (the hospital has 3 rehab floors). I got the job, on a unit with very low turnover.

It has been a wonderful place to return. I've felt welcome, appreciated and respected for my age, having been told that the stability and life experience that older nurses bring is a plus. I have never in my life dyed my hair, not about to now.

That is my experience. It must be an exception based on comments here... and that is too bad.

So I would suggest that the type of unit makes a big difference. Thankfully I had no desire to go back to ICU. I didn't want to work in a SNF. I chose my unit because it's interesting, busy but not crazy. Ratio 5-6 patients.

I would also find out if there is a refresher course in your area and find the coordinator, see if they can give you guidance because they deal with a lot of older nurses returning to work.

I wish you well.

Specializes in Med/Surg/Infection Control/Geriatrics.
Well, ladies and gents,

I'm pretty much hired at a LTC. I have my orientation on ------- with HR. I went there without dyeing my hair, they didn't bat a eye at my DOB. I imagine that they are in need of nurses (any nurse). I was interviewed by a much younger nurse however I felt comfortable with her. She informed me that I would learn alot if I came to work there. She stated that hospital nurses have everything handed to them (labs, continuous vital signs,computer data etc ) and they don't develop critical thinking skills or their own sixth sense. I was told that I would be swapping back and forth between unstable long term and rehabilitation units.

I have a interview at the hospital the day after the orientation at the LTC. Recently I happened to be in this hospitals ER and the nurse there told me that I shouldn't go to a LTC because my skills would be suppressed and I'm setting myself up for a career as a LTC nurse.

I am unsure as what to do....should I go to the interview and see if they call me with a job and then make a decision? I just hate to waste their time at the hospital, I am sure they are super busy. Is this the norm to always work on a med-surg floor upon graduating?

CONGRATS!!!

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