Curious. How many "older" students

Sheri257 · Mar 2, 2004

she made it very clear that she thought i was an idiot for going back to school at 45 yrs. to pursue this goal of mine. fortunately i am not one to replay conversations over and over in my head to give me a complex ..but i have to say..i was totally shocked at her attitude and it concerned me enough to worry that here is this professional who has made her feelings known in a very negative way...is this type attitude toward the 40's nurse graduate manisfested by dr's and other seasoned nurses and professionals?
i just found it a huge eye opener to actually hear that attitude being expressed directly to me..

a lot of people are jealous of nurses and, even, nursing students. mostly because they wash out along the way.

since she mentioned you blowing the grade curve, it wouldn't surprize me if she wanted to be a nurse at some point and didn't make it. or, was simply jealous of your grades.

i'm 43 and have only seen this attitude with people who mostly flunked out of pre-reqs and didn't make it into the nursing program. or, people who are jealous because they don't make very good grades.

otherwise, noone really cares how old i am. try not to worry about it. they're losers.

manna, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2004

I'm 27 (today!), mom of two boys (5 and 2), work full-time, go to school 3/4-time at night/online, and am hoping to get accepted to a BSN program (junior year begins July 2004)... still waiting on a letter.

FutureNurse2005 · Mar 2, 2004

I'm 25 (will be 26 in November) and am married with 2 kids. I am completing my pre-reqs and hopefully will be starting in Fall 2005 or Jan 2006. I'm in Canada and hope to move to the States when I am done school.

longroadahead · Mar 2, 2004

Hi

I just turned 18 actually. Graduated a year early from high school and went straight into CC to do my prereqs for an ADN program. Although there are a few younger people in the prereq classes with me (in their early to mid-20's) there are more older people (one even in her late 50's). I think it's great they're going back to become a nurse. I can't imagine how those of you with kids and families do it all. I guess if you want it bad enough you make it work??? Good luck to all!!! :wink2:

Heather

studentdeb · Mar 2, 2004

I am 41 married with two kids (6 & 3). I just got accepted into the RN program to begin in the fall. I will graduate in May with my Associate of Arts degree (wanted to make sure I had something in case I don't make it in nursing). I am in my last prerequisite (microbiology) for the RN program. Would like to continue with the BSN so I have a three prerequisite classes left for that. I may take stats and Chemistry this summer and will only have communication left.

Glad to see I am not the only one at my age trying to make a change.

Good luck to everyone!

phillygn · Mar 2, 2004

I'm 49 two grown children both girls, one 22 senior in Temple and 19 freshmen in art school. I just finished RN program and I was not the oldest one in my class. I had no nursing experience, 15 years on Philly PD and last 5 years Drug/alcohol therapist. Think I do nusing for 10 years then Law school..LOL :)

jschut, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2004

I'm 41, working on pre-reqs and hoping to be accepted to BSN program this fall.

Also I work full time in LTC as a LPN, and have 5 children at home.

Good Luck to us all! :)

ayndim · Mar 2, 2004

Seems like us "older" students are the norm and not the exception. I am glad to know there are so many of us. I was a bit worried about being "older" than everyone else. I will have great company.

I put older in quotes because most days I still feel quite young. And bless the store clerk who carded me for a lottery ticket.

fry.girl · Mar 2, 2004

This is a reverse example of the subject...

My mother graduated with an ADN at 25...she worked mostly in Home Health for 25 yrs until she decided to try her hand at an IT degree...She finished her second AS as a Network Administrator with all kinds of extra certifications etc...finished top of her class and Graduated at 50.

She has worked for two reputable companies doing contract IT work for a fraction of what she was making as an RN...After 3 years in her new career she still has not been able to find a direct hire position making comparable income.

Last month, after being 3 years out of the clinical environment, she was offered a nursing job in less than a week...she started taking Home Health patients a couple nights a week to help her pay some bills that the IT job was just not covering.

Nursing will always be good to you no matter what your age...there are not many careers that offer opportunity to people over 50...

kats · Mar 2, 2004

Mary Rose, we live in Lemoore. We are practically neighbors. I have already gotten my associate in health sciences degree and have applied to all the ADN programs around here for the fall. Like you, I don't have too much hopes for FCC, but maybe COS? Either way would be about the same commute so it doesn't really matter to me which one I get into. If I don't get in before too long, I will be transferring to FSU so I can at least keep working towards a bachelor degree. I hope you get in soon too.

Mauser, my oldest is 15 so I am in a similar situation to yours. If I get into the nursing program that I want when I want, then my son and I could conceivably graduate at the same time. Him, with his high school diploma, and me with my second degree, this one an ADN. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it works out. That would be pretty cool.

opalmRN · Mar 2, 2004

HI. i am 41 years old and i am in my first semester of an ADN program. i have been married for 22 years and my kids are 17, 15, and 13. my oldest will graduate from high school in june and go off to college in august. what an emotional year this will be!

I'm sure I'm not the first to tell you, "you will survive" but that doesn't make it easier to let the first one go. I thought by the time our second left for college I had it down pat. WRONG, I cried all the way home from W VA which is 5.5 hours in good traffic. :crying2:

The last one will finish HS in 3 years. I think that will be just as difficult as she is "the baby".

All I can say is I better get some grandchildren out of all this suffering!!!

Good luck in school and come here for support anytime.

Altra, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2004

mlos..this is very reassuring and you are right, we do carry alot of experience under our belt...i guess i worry more that i will be respected going into this at this late stage...
fortunately i am not one to replay conversations over and over in my head to give me a complex ..but i have to say..i was totally shocked at her attitude and it concerned me enough to worry that here is this professional who has made her feelings known in a very negative way...is this type attitude toward the 40's nurse graduate manisfested by dr's and other seasoned nurses and professionals?
i just found it a huge eye opener to actually hear that attitude being expressed directly to me..inever ceases to amaze me the tunnel vision that some people willingly allow in their life..i was never so happy for a vet appt to be over with...lol

i got some of this too, from friends and acquaintances. i'd been a stay-at-home mom for 7 years, so the reaction i got was sometimes ... "you're doing this now? why??" but that has passed.

i haven't had any apparent issues w/respect with other nurses. i can't say that i know what they're thinking about me, but it doesn't exactly keep me awake at night, ya know? i do my best to work hard, know my stuff, and be a team player. anyone who has issues with that ... well, i think they have issues themselves, not with me.

but then that's just me. i've just really come into my own in my 30s - a definite late bloomer. imagine the horrified looks i got when i decided to take up skydiving! :chuckle

happy birthday manna! :)