Concerns and fears

wow, thanks. That is great advice and hadn't really thought about taking orders from those younger. I think I will be okay in that department! I personally have never regarded age as an issue, but I know for some others, it very well could be.

Miss Lo

In our orientation group we had new nurses of all ages. 37 is not old, sweetie :). In my community college, the students had an average age in their 30's. Some of us just come to nursing a bit later .

I thought the NET was really easy, personally.

llg is right; everyone has their own issues, but I wouldn't sweat the age one.

I love the NICU and would definitely recommend it. Enjoy school; it's a rough and tumble ride, but worth it in the end.

Thank you very much for the encouragement. In my psych class today, I was the oldest student there....gulp...and about fifty percent of the gals were going into nursing!

I don't really have a complex about my age, honest I don't, but the question did pop into my head a few times.

Thanks again!

Miss Lo

I think it will be ok. I think its great that you are doing what you want to do. You are soooooooooo young to me LOL (I'm 30) and I think we both are making good decisions and doing what we want. I never thought NICU would be my place, not that I was against it but just hadn't really thought of it. Then along the lines I fell in love with it.

:):)

My graduating class had 9 students, all of us over 21, the youngest being 21 or 22 exactly. The oldest being 58 I believe. I think its awesome to be a nurse no matter what age you start and I think its honorable for anyone to pursue their dreams!

((HUGS))

PS - I start my new job as a NICU RN in a few days! :balloons::balloons::balloons::balloons:

I think it will be ok. I think its great that you are doing what you want to do. You are soooooooooo young to me LOL (I'm 30) and I think we both are making good decisions and doing what we want. I never thought NICU would be my place, not that I was against it but just hadn't really thought of it. Then along the lines I fell in love with it.

:):)

My graduating class had 9 students, all of us over 21, the youngest being 21 or 22 exactly. The oldest being 58 I believe. I think its awesome to be a nurse no matter what age you start and I think its honorable for anyone to pursue their dreams!

((HUGS))

PS - I start my new job as a NICU RN in a few days! :balloons::balloons::balloons::balloons:

I understand your fears, believe me. But you know what? When you're 40, you'll still be 40, and you'll be wondering why you didn't go back to school when you were at the tender age of 37! :)

I'm 37 now, and have been a NICU RN for 18 months. It's the best career decision I ever made. Good luck to you!!

Well, I don't "think" like I'm 37...lol I relate well with my teenage daughter, she is 17. In my mind, I am not old, but I was just wondering if "numbers" would affect anything.

I am less than a month away from taking the NET, the reading comprehension part doesn't scare me, however the algebra does. I absolutley hated my algebra class and after looking over the practice tests, it shows what I learned in there however, I don't remember how to do it..lol I sooo hate algebra!

Miss Lo

Oh WOW! I must have seemed like and ancient nursing student when I got my BSN at the ripe young age of 50, two years ago.

I wanted to SO go to medical school and was even in premed until my 4th child was born when I was 39. That sort of ended medical school (at THAT time - but I always hold eternal hope....)

I have been told 37 and EVEN 50 is not too old for medical school anymore. The world is a-changing!

The mean age for RNs will be 47 by 2012, ladies.

Am an NICU nurse, age 52 in about oh, 10 days....

I thought night schedules would hurt, nope, not a bit, in fact I'd never done them before and I have no problem whatsoever. In fact it is the youngsters who have night issues...my kids are all older and leave me ALONE when I need am sleep time, it is great.

Twelve hour shifts are no issue either.

I did work ER for a bit and shoving big old hospital beds from room to room and carting LARGE patients to MRIs, etc got old, though. But I think that gets old for even younger women.

Fifty is the new 30 - baby boomers are tough.

Hey Misslo,

Thanks for posting and for your thoughts. No, I don't think you're "old", well, I'm 33 and have just graduated with a BScN. I think, as another poster mentioned, that your life experience and the skills that come with it will be an asset to you.

I am not really sure how I feel anymore, though, about new grads in critical care. I guess I'm having an extremely rough time as a new grad in the NICU, with very little nursing experience. The general feeling that I get from other nurses is that I am an annoyance to have around. I have been ignored, demoralized, pushed around, told "you should know this by now", "why can't you get this", and have been called "stupid". It breaks my heart because I really enjoy the work and I work very, very hard. You may be great for the job because you are nurturing, but IMHO that is only a fraction of what it takes to work in the NICU. You gotta be tough and I mean TOUGH. If you are tough as nails, have a thick skin and a lot of support, as well as a decent preceptor and clinical nurse educator, you will probably succeed. I would highly recommend working perhaps on a general peds floor or a mom/baby unit first, I think that I might have had more respect as a new employee coming in with more experience.

I guess the feeling that I'm getting in general is "who the hell do you think you are, fresh out of school and in the NICU when I've been here since the dinosaurs walked the earth", "I've paid my dues and you haven't" sort of thing.

Sorry to be negative, I guess I'm sharing my story and how rough it is out there. I thought that because I was a bit more mature with more life skills that it might serve me well, but I was wrong.

Good luck to you - sounds like you have passion and perserverance. Always remember to do your research before you work somewhere - "interview the unit" sort of thing. Observe the other nurses - I think you can learn a lot just by doing a walkthrough and getting a sense of what the atmosphere is like, what management is like, do the employees feel supported, talking to other new grads can help too.

Thank you for that information. I am wondering, if I start out in the peds ward, is it going to be more difficult to get into the NICU? I thought I had read somewhere that it is much easier to get into the NICU if you start there versus transfer.

I am so excited and ready for a nursing career. I haven't even went through the program yet, but really truley do believe that this is my calling.

I read through the posts hoping to gain knowledge that will help me when I do start my program! I have ALWAYS tried to find a way to stay ahead of the game! LOL

Miss Lo

Thank you for that information. I am wondering, if I start out in the peds ward, is it going to be more difficult to get into the NICU? I thought I had read somewhere that it is much easier to get into the NICU if you start there versus transfer.

I am so excited and ready for a nursing career. I haven't even went through the program yet, but really truley do believe that this is my calling.

I read through the posts hoping to gain knowledge that will help me when I do start my program! I have ALWAYS tried to find a way to stay ahead of the game! LOL

Miss Lo

If your goal is NICU, I'd find a good NICU internship.

These days a few NICUs are offering 3-5 month internships which ONLY GNs can get. You are paid RN I / GN pay (usually $20/hr); you MAY incur 5K to 10K obligation (which declines as you increase your work time); and when you "graduate" from their NICU program you become an RNII.

There are so many PICU positions I would be a bit wary that I'd get STUCK in Peds. There are ALSO PICU, CCU, ICU internship.

I personally don't want anything that weighs more than five pounds;)