I had asked this question awhile back about going into nursing but did not get many replies, so I am rephrasing it. Do you think at age 39, I should start this ADN program I have been accepted into? I have read many posts where people say they would not recommend it as a career change, especially at an older age since it is so stressful and physically demanding. My choices are this two-year ADN program or spending the next two years completing my Bachelor's degree in something else. Any thoughts?
Is it easy to get an office type job as an RN or do you have work in a hospital? I have years of clerical medical experience but no hands-on experience. I currently work as a urology medical transcriptionist. In the past, I was a licensed workers comp adjuster. Maybe some of this experience could land me an office nursing job??
i am 41 years old and i just graduated in may from nursing school with an associates degree. i have 3 children that keep me busy too. if i can do - anybody can do it. it is the best thing i have ever done for myself and my family. go for it - best of luck to you.:grad:
Go for it. I became a LPN at age 42 - I'm now 45. I have been working one class at a time on my RN. I have now been accepted into the RN bridge program and will start that this fall - luckily I only have my nursing courses to do.
i am 34 and have 3 more semesters before getting my ADN. there are 2 women in my class who are over 60!! why wouldn't you do it? age ain't nuttin but a number and 39 is NOT a big number!!
i am 41 years old and i just graduated in may from nursing school with an associates degree. i have 3 children that keep me busy too. if i can do - anybody can do it. it is the best thing i have ever done for myself and my family. go for it - best of luck to you.:grad:
sounds like we have a lot in common. i have three kids myself and if i go through with this, i too will be 41 when i graduate may of 2010!
Go for it. I became a LPN at age 42 - I'm now 45. I have been working one class at a time on my RN. I have now been accepted into the RN bridge program and will start that this fall - luckily I only have my nursing courses to do.
That is great! After I complete the ADN program, I would like to do this online BSN which takes a year. Best of luck to you! :anpom:
I graduated from nursing school with an ADN when I was 40. It was a career change for me. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of "older" students in my program--there were many people who were in their 30's and 40's who were looking to make a career change, too.
Go for it! As an older student, who had a previous career, I found that I was able to really focus on my studies and to take them seriously (since I was paying for the program myself.)
If you don't, you may always wonder, "What if...?"
Ok, I am going to have a much different view from others who have replied so far to your concerns. First of all, before you choose nursing -- KNOW YOURSELF!!! I cannot stress this enough! I have a similar situation in that I am 37 and am a new BSN grad. Before going back to school I had two long-term unit clerk in a level one ED and med secretarial job. I thought I knew what I was getting into---I DIDN'T!!!! When I was younger (in my 20's) I loved all the chaos of the hospital. I thought I could transition well to a hospital nurse. I thought I would have help with all the extras (computer work, bathing, running for pillows, etc...) I thought I could handle a million thoughts and feelings and tasks at once. Guess what? Things changed, not the hospital environment, but me. A lot can change as we get older and although 39 isn't OLD, it isn't the carefree youth we once had. In my case, while I was in school, my father dropped dead of a massive arrhythmia with no known health problems. Right then and there it all changed for me, but while in school, I didn't realize it. I didn't realize that I had lost my passion for nursing until I was graduated, passed boards and got a job and then it hit me like a white light. I don't mean to turn this into my sad story, but you knowing this lends to my statement. KNOW YOURSELF! SHADOW AT LEAST 5 RN's in various units BEFORE you make a decision to be a nurse. I, too, feel I am better suited because of my experiences to be an office nurse -- BUT GOOD LUCK FINDING A JOB LIKE THAT without years of being in the hospital trenches!!! Everyone wants a "nice office nurse" job. I am at a crossroads and very frustrated:banghead: My hope is that if you read this you WILL LEARN FROM MY EXPERIENCE!!! Hospital nursing takes a special kind of person. There is no time anymore to talk with patients, properly assess them, look at their history, formulate a plan of care... none of the things you would be taught in school!!! Your day will be filled with tasks akin to waitressing at a busy restaurant (with body fluids and sick mean people). THINK TWICE and three times! Mention my thoughts to other hospital RN's and see how many agree with me---most of them will, I guarantee it! I wish you happiness in whatever you decide!
I start ADN program in Aug., and I am 44!!! When I am done with 2 year, I plan on going to a 18 month RN to MSN program at one of the colleges in my area!
I will be 46 when I graduate with RN in 2010!
I think that as older nurses, we have a lot of other kinds of experience to offer. Personally I have 15+ years as a CNA, the mother of a juvenile diabetic (diagnosed 1 week after he turned 13, and is now 25), and a child with autism (secondary diagnosis speech and language impaired, and reactive airway).
I think being older can be an asset, and even at 44, I am stronger than many half my age.
Ok, I am going to have a much different view from others who have replied so far to your concerns. First of all, before you choose nursing -- KNOW YOURSELF!!! I cannot stress this enough! I have a similar situation in that I am 37 and am a new BSN grad. Before going back to school I had two long-term unit clerk in a level one ED and med secretarial job. I thought I knew what I was getting into---I DIDN'T!!!! When I was younger (in my 20's) I loved all the chaos of the hospital. I thought I could transition well to a hospital nurse. I thought I would have help with all the extras (computer work, bathing, running for pillows, etc...) I thought I could handle a million thoughts and feelings and tasks at once. Guess what? Things changed, not the hospital environment, but me. A lot can change as we get older and although 39 isn't OLD, it isn't the carefree youth we once had. In my case, while I was in school, my father dropped dead of a massive arrhythmia with no known health problems. Right then and there it all changed for me, but while in school, I didn't realize it. I didn't realize that I had lost my passion for nursing until I was graduated, passed boards and got a job and then it hit me like a white light. I don't mean to turn this into my sad story, but you knowing this lends to my statement. KNOW YOURSELF! SHADOW AT LEAST 5 RN's in various units BEFORE you make a decision to be a nurse. I, too, feel I am better suited because of my experiences to be an office nurse -- BUT GOOD LUCK FINDING A JOB LIKE THAT without years of being in the hospital trenches!!! Everyone wants a "nice office nurse" job. I am at a crossroads and very frustrated:banghead: My hope is that if you read this you WILL LEARN FROM MY EXPERIENCE!!! Hospital nursing takes a special kind of person. There is no time anymore to talk with patients, properly assess them, look at their history, formulate a plan of care... none of the things you would be taught in school!!! Your day will be filled with tasks akin to waitressing at a busy restaurant (with body fluids and sick mean people). THINK TWICE and three times! Mention my thoughts to other hospital RN's and see how many agree with me---most of them will, I guarantee it! I wish you happiness in whatever you decide!
Thank you for your honesty and sharing your story. I feel for you about your father. My father dropped dead at age 51 of an arrhythmia also. I'm always thinking that is going to happen to me! I am probably more suited to an office environment. I am book smart but I am an extremely anxious person and suffer from OCD. I HAVE to get a job done perfectly or I will be miserable! Do you really think it is that hard to get a job as a nurse in a doctor's office for lower pay? If you had done things differently, what degree would you have gone for?
I start ADN program in Aug., and I am 44!!! When I am done with 2 year, I plan on going to a 18 month RN to MSN program at one of the colleges in my area!
I will be 46 when I graduate with RN in 2010!
I think that as older nurses, we have a lot of other kinds of experience to offer. Personally I have 15+ years as a CNA, the mother of a juvenile diabetic (diagnosed 1 week after he turned 13, and is now 25), and a child with autism (secondary diagnosis speech and language impaired, and reactive airway).
I think being older can be an asset, and even at 44, I am stronger than many half my age.
Good Luck in your endeavors & CHEERS!
Congratulations on starting the program this fall! It sounds like you have a lot of medical experience to bring to the table too.
If I do go through with this, I too, was considering an RN-BSN or the RN-MSN offered at a nearby college here.
Ok. So we can see age is no problem. I totally agree w/ Shelly304 - in 2 years you will be 41, so the only question is what you want to be doing then. For me it was 37, and I too had concerns. I knew too many people w/ degrees who were either unemployed or working outside of the area they trained in because the jobs they hoped to get were not in demand. So I would ask is this "something else" something that is in demand? Is it something that you feel will be challenging and interesting? Nursing fit both of these for me.
Having said that I have found this first year pretty rough. I would recommend to you (and anyone else no matter what age) that you spend some time interviewing and shadowing nurses in different settings.
Only if you want to, I have two classmates in their 50's, one will be 50 when she graduates, and a few others who are LPN's who came back to finish their RN's. They are in their 40's.
I'll be 35 next week, graduating in December. When I decided to go back to school I though "I'll be 35 when I graduate, is it really worth it?" Then I realized that in 2008 I was going to be 35 and there was nothing I could do to change that. But there was no guarentee I'd be a nurse in 2008, and that was something I could change.
I'm an LPN now, passed my board earlier this year and have been working for the last 5 months, proud to say that in 2008 I AM a nurse.
(quietly adding...I'll be 35 soon too)
I had asked this question awhile back about going into nursing but did not get many replies, so I am rephrasing it. Do you think at age 39, I should start this ADN program I have been accepted into? I have read many posts where people say they would not recommend it as a career change, especially at an older age since it is so stressful and physically demanding. My choices are this two-year ADN program or spending the next two years completing my Bachelor's degree in something else. Any thoughts?
Is it easy to get an office type job as an RN or do you have work in a hospital? I have years of clerical medical experience but no hands-on experience. I currently work as a urology medical transcriptionist. In the past, I was a licensed workers comp adjuster. Maybe some of this experience could land me an office nursing job??
:grad:
momofthree
80 Posts
i am 41 years old and i just graduated in may from nursing school with an associates degree. i have 3 children that keep me busy too. if i can do - anybody can do it. it is the best thing i have ever done for myself and my family. go for it - best of luck to you.
:grad: