considering nursing school at 45 yo

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Has anyone else starting nursing school at the age of 45 or so? My youngest will be a senior in high school next year and my other two in college. I have waited a long time to go back to school. I wanted to know if others have gone back in mid life.

hi there I am 60 and taking cpne next week started this program 2 and 1/2 years ago. why not, with the stock market I certainly can't think of retiring until 67 or later.

besides age is just a number!!:yeah::loveya:

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Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
I am 51, just started nursing school, and will get my LPN in Sept '09! Lovin' every minute of it! I plan to go on to RN while working, and continue working in the medical field until I am 70.

Go for it!

:yeah:Lots of kudos to you slickvic! It takes guts and focused goal to do what you did !!! Congratulations!!!!!!!!:D

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Specializes in IMCU.
Has anyone else starting nursing school at the age of 45 or so? My youngest will be a senior in high school next year and my other two in college. I have waited a long time to go back to school. I wanted to know if others have gone back in mid life.

You're just a young sprout! I started my summers only program in 2005 at 53. I Graduated in August 2007 at 55. I am 56 almost 57 with just over a years experience under my belt. Some nights I work rings around the young kids. They will be whining about being tired. I will check my body to see if I am tired when I hear this, and I usually am, but given my history, being tired is not a big deal. We work 12 hour shifts which generally work out to 13. I am not as physically strong as most of them and that is sort of embarressing, because I don't have bad back or anything like that but even the little ones, pull their side of the patient up higher than I do, LOL! Oh well, what I lack in muscles I make up for in tenacity.

If I had been 45 I would have probably went to med school instead of nursing. I went to nursing to become an FNP. I will be starting the program in Jan. It will be 3 years part time. I will graduate just before I turn 60. I have no desire to retire, but hope to be able to work part time as an NP when I am retirement age. The floor nursing seems a bit hard on my compadries who are my age and older, though they are more experienced. A lot of them have health problems.

Take care of yourself physically and try to get the sleep you need. Any extra weight makes it harder on you and I am just a little overweight. If I could loose about 30 lbs it would be a lot easier. Right now I am just trying to maintain and avoid the candy during the holidays, but I will get back to my routine following holidays. I was doing regular weight training, but got off track.

Certainly don't let your age hold you back. It is not a big deal at all in my opinion.

Mahage

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Of all the people who answered your post I am proud to be the oldest. I am 58 and feeling pretty strong. Nursing is going to be my third profession, by the way. I say to you go for it wholeheartedly...you'd be surprised how good does it feels. :D feliz3

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Indiana

765-331-2122

Congratulations to you...go for it. Best, feliz3

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Quote

I'm currently 46, turning 47 in a week, plan on applying next year

if anybody wants to email me the name of a school they know for sure accepts applicants over 45 years old, I'd appreciate i>>>>>>>>>.

James, I don't know where you are but I graduated from Arapahoe CC in Littleton Colorado at 47, however, if you want the BSN a good nursing friend of mine graduated from CU in Denver at 50. I've not heard of anyone who has had any trouble in the Colorado area getting into school at an older age. My floor specializes in orienting new grads to hospital nursing.

The clinicals teach them to how to pull out all that new knowledge they got in school and use it, especially in an emergency - you know that stuff you know but don't really KNOW yet when you get out of school. My point is that we have a lot of new grads that come through and probably at least half are looking at either side of 50 or at least over 40.

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Specializes in IMCU.
mern08,

thanks for posting the name of your school

and I'm obviously being a pain, (again)

but please, when you reply to something like this would you mind also saying what school you're attending?

it would be helpful to me because I'm sure some schools probably don't accept applicants over a certain age, even though they would never admit that's the reason

so it would be helpful to have a list of schools that are known do accept us older folks

I'm currently 46, turning 47 in a week, plan on applying next year

Hi there James, I went to Southern Adventist University in Tennessee but I was accepted to Chattanooga State in their program which is highly competitive. I was accepted there after taking my pre-reques there. Many of my class mates were not accepted and they were much younger than me. I have been told that it would be very discriminatory to not take you because you are older and that many employers prefer older workers because of their life experience. I had no trouble finding a job.

You aren't old at all. Apply to the schools you want to go to and if your grades are good and your work history is good, you will likely get in where you want to go.

Mahage

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Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
You're just a young sprout! I started my summers only program in 2005 at 53. I Graduated in August 2007 at 55. I am 56 almost 57 with just over a years experience under my belt. Some nights I work rings around the young kids. They will be whining about being tired. I will check my body to see if I am tired when I hear this, and I usually am, but given my history, being tired is not a big deal. We work 12 hour shifts which generally work out to 13. I am not as physically strong as most of them and that is sort of embarressing, because I don't have bad back or anything like that but even the little ones, pull their side of the patient up higher than I do, LOL! Oh well, what I lack in muscles I make up for in tenacity.

If I had been 45 I would have probably went to med school instead of nursing. I went to nursing to become an FNP. I will be starting the program in Jan. It will be 3 years part time. I will graduate just before I turn 60. I have no desire to retire, but hope to be able to work part time as an NP when I am retirement age. The floor nursing seems a bit hard on my compadries who are my age and older, though they are more experienced. A lot of them have health problems.

Take care of yourself physically and try to get the sleep you need. Any extra weight makes it harder on you and I am just a little overweight. If I could loose about 30 lbs it would be a lot easier. Right now I am just trying to maintain and avoid the candy during the holidays, but I will get back to my routine following holidays. I was doing regular weight training, but got off track.

Certainly don't let your age hold you back. It is not a big deal at all in my opinion.

Mahage

:yeah:You are an amazing person !!! Listening to you , I can see that you will be a wonderful NP. do you need the masters to go NP? I really do not know much about the mechanics of this area...........and I dknow they difer in requirements in some states?

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Specializes in IMCU.
:yeah:You are an amazing person !!! Listening to you , I can see that you will be a wonderful NP. do you need the masters to go NP? I really do not know much about the mechanics of this area...........and I dknow they difer in requirements in some states?

Thanks! FNP is masters in Tennessee and they are going to doctorate, but I probably won't go that far. Who knows I might. I started all this in order to become NP and was accepted into an accelerated RN-MSN program but felt like I needed to get my BSN and some experience first.

Mahage

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Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
Thanks! FNP is masters in Tennessee and they are going to doctorate, but I probably won't go that far. Who knows I might. I started all this in order to become NP and was accepted into an accelerated RN-MSN program but felt like I needed to get my BSN and some experience first.

Mahage

Thank you much for the info.Wish you the best! :loveya:

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My youngest daughter and I were freshmen together. I was 48 and graduated at 52. Always go for your goals in life no matter what your age.

As you ramble on through life, whatever be your goal, keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole.

Anne

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Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
My youngest daughter and I were freshmen together. I was 48 and graduated at 52. Always go for your goals in life no matter what your age.

As you ramble on through life, whatever be your goal, keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole.

Anne

:D

I will remember that advice Anne.thanks ! and thank you ladies for sharing such a wonderful , encouraging mind set!

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