I wanted to be a nurse since I was a young teenager. I married at 19 and had 6 children by the time I was 24. At the young age of 52 I decided to go for that dream of being a nurse. Is this realistic or did I wait to long to start a new career.
When I was a teenager I visited a home for special needs children and after seeing the care that these children needed, I knew that I wanted to be a nurse someday. When I was nineteen I was married. By the time I was twenty-four I had six children. I was a stay at home mom until my youngest child started school. Then I attended a CNA class at a local nursing home. I truly enjoyed the work that I did at the nursing home while attending classes. Just before I finished the class we found out that our daughter of 18 months had cancer.
The Decision...
I never went back to finish the CNA classes and it was not until after my mom passed away that I started full time work. I worked in the paint department of a local manufacturing plant for 23 years until quitting this April to continue in the nursing program at Baker College. This was a huge decision that I had to make since working and going to classes would no longer be possible. I had worked full time while taking classes for two years. Once I made it into the nursing program it would take up more time than the company could work with, and therefore they ask me to quit my job.
Why?
I had thought about the reasons I had decided to go forward with a nursing career, such as my five year old granddaughter who has PWS and has been trached since she was 6 months old. She is on a home ventilator when she is sleeping and is fed through a G-tube. She has been my inspiration to go to college and get a nursing degree. I would love to be the nurse who goes to school with her each day. Yes I needed to continue with my degree and therefore consented to quitting my job.
Now....
I have now been in the nursing program for two quarters. I passed the classes in the first quarter just fine. This second quarter was more difficult and although I passed the med/surg class and clinicals, I did not pass the pharmacology class. I needed an 84 to pass and I only had an 80. I will need to retake this class again in the spring when it is offered to continue in the nursing program.
Clinicals...
I often wonder if I waited to long to start a nursing career. By the time I graduate I will be 57 years old. Then I think about clinicals from the previous two quarters and remember the feelings I had when a patient would thank me for just listening to them for a while or when my instructor would tell me how I rocked the clinical part of the class. I want to be that nurse the every patient remembers. I want that feeling at the end of the day that I have made a difference, no matter how big or small, in the life of a patient.
So...
Did I wait to long? Possibly but I like to think that with hard work and dedication that I will make it to the end and have that Bachelor's degree in nursing. By being older I think that I will need to work extra hard to remember all of the information I need. I also have the advantage of life experiences on my side. We lost a daughter to cancer at the tender age of 3. I lost my mother when she was only 54. I cared for both of them at home until they passed away. These are experiences that can help me relate to certain patients. This is a knowledge that really can not be taught but felt from experience.
And When I Graduate...
When I graduate in 2017 and pass the NCLEX to receive my RN license, I will not be too old but I will be an older nurse who has compassion and knowledge on my side to begin my new career.
The true answer to my question is NO I did not wait to long.
While I think that what you are doing is great, my cousins' grandmother graduated from college at the age of 81 last year, you will need to realize the struggle you are going to have finding a job. It's one thing to get a degree at an older age that you have always dreamed of getting, it's quite another if you are wanting and needing to find full time employment.
The poster that said social security is raising the retirement age all the time? Since when? Please document your sources on that. Yes, there has been talk. But the age in order to be eligible for retirement has been 65. If, you want to wait until 70 and pay into the system for 5 more years, you can get a higher benefit. But, they don't raise the retirement age every year. And social security is not meant to be your sole retirement fund. If a person is near the age of 60-65, chances are their company had some kind of retirement program. So basically, you can retire and get your pension from them and then at 65, be eligible for social security. Generation X is the first generation not to really have this option available to them and thus the 401k was born for retirement. It bothers me when people make comments like that because it's what they heard from their cousin's neighbor.
Now let me tell you, I will be 40 when I graduate in the spring. I do anticipate the job market may be a little more difficult for me than a 30 year old. I also know I have at least 25 more years until I am going to retire, so it's not a huge risk for a company to take time to train me. At 57, you have to remember that health care companies are businesses too. Is it feasible for them to hire someone, spend the enormous amount of money to train them, and then get a couple of years of work out of them? What kind of investment return is that? If I were you, I would have done the LPN or ASN programs first, gotten some kind of experience under your belt, then if you so choose, get your BSN. Be prepared when you interview at different places to address this issue. Even though they are not allowed by law to ask your age, they will be able to tell by looking at you. At least that you are over 50. So, if you don't address it, they will just find another reason not to hire you. Stay in shape, don't act your age, and this may get me flamed, but I would at least make a little effort to make sure hair and makeup don't show your age. Find a makeup that does not cake in wrinkles. People think the more makeup=looking younger. No it doesn't. Makeup applied appropriately makes you look younger. I have some crows feet already and I am very aware of what to do to minimize, not maximize the fine lines. Hair should be updated and current, neat and styled. I wouldn't go as far as to say color it, just find a good style.
These tips are not to make you feel bad and I'm not trying to be harsh and tell you that nobody will hire you. But if you want to land that job with a company that YOU want to work for and not just who ever will hire me at the moment, then I think these tips will be well worth it. I'm not naive enough to think at 40, I won't face a little push back on the age thing. But I also I know how I will deal with it in a interview. I know my assets as an employee and will work hard to sell myself in the interview.
I know you have a dream, but just be aware, older nurses are being pushed/forced/coerced out of their jobs in large numbers, mostly because they make too much money, but also because we in the good ole USA disrespect older people as a rule.
On the Social Security web site said that people born after 1959 their retirement age is 67 years old.
If you retire at 65 years old you will be retiring before your retirement age. I didn't get that information from
a neighbor.
What I was wanting was a link to state where it's being raised constantly like you are stating. You said why not since they are raising the retirement age all of the time. No they are not.
Congratulations on your decision to go to nursing school. I love the above response, "How old will you be in two years if you DONT go to nursing school. I am 52 and just started a Master's Program. It will take me 45 months. This way I won't be overburdened working full time and going to school. I will be 56 when I graduate. You are never too old.
Oh Bless you! I needed to hear this.. I was just accepted to the RPN course and I am so scared! I too have 6 kids (2 with special needs; ages 21, 19, 17, 14, 9 and 5..all mine) and I am going to be 45 early in the next year. My oldest son is in his final year of university and the next two are in grade 12, on the door step to post-secondary education themselves. I think time will pass anyway and it's time for me to follow my dream of becoming a nurse. Best of luck to you! And as my little 5 year old said to me in the beginning of this, "Never give up, Mommy! Never give up!" Smiles!!!!
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
It seems like you are keeping on with your plans-- that is the impression I got by the last couple of sentences in your article. Persistence seems to be a strong point for you, and I suppose great things can't happen without it in lots of cases. I am very reluctant to tell anyone to give up on their goals because of so many "I did it!" stories where people surmount obstacles nobody believed they could.
Your comment about your granddaughter with trach, vent and G-tube does lead me to mention that in my location at least, LVN/LPNs are hired as private duty nurses taking care of the same type of patients/clients as your granddaughter.
I absolutely agree that an RN is the best route as far as flexibility, advancement, pay, etc., but for some people a bridge program makes sense. Not to say you should do that, just that it is something to keep in the back of your mind as you progress.
I know you have a dream, but just be aware, older nurses are being pushed/forced/coerced out of their jobs in large numbers, mostly because they make too much money, but also because we in the good ole USA disrespect older people as a rule.
I wish you the best.
I think the experience is causing nurses to be forced out of jobs in nursing-and you can be expensive in your 30's and 40's if you started in your 20's
Actually Heathermaizey, you might check with SSA.GOV to find out what your actual retirement age would be. I think you will find it to be at least 66 and 2months. Since you are only 40 now, it might be slightly older than that. Medicare is 65. One option to make social security more solvent is extending retirement age even more. No decision yet however. I'm sure you will be ready to retire from nursing in your 60's , whatever age it may be. And also, most people do not have company funded pension plans. Most did away with that in the '80's and the 401K became the main funding for retirement in addition to social security.
NurseGirl525, ASN, RN
3,663 Posts
While I think that what you are doing is great, my cousins' grandmother graduated from college at the age of 81 last year, you will need to realize the struggle you are going to have finding a job. It's one thing to get a degree at an older age that you have always dreamed of getting, it's quite another if you are wanting and needing to find full time employment.
The poster that said social security is raising the retirement age all the time? Since when? Please document your sources on that. Yes, there has been talk. But the age in order to be eligible for retirement has been 65. If, you want to wait until 70 and pay into the system for 5 more years, you can get a higher benefit. But, they don't raise the retirement age every year. And social security is not meant to be your sole retirement fund. If a person is near the age of 60-65, chances are their company had some kind of retirement program. So basically, you can retire and get your pension from them and then at 65, be eligible for social security. Generation X is the first generation not to really have this option available to them and thus the 401k was born for retirement. It bothers me when people make comments like that because it's what they heard from their cousin's neighbor.
Now let me tell you, I will be 40 when I graduate in the spring. I do anticipate the job market may be a little more difficult for me than a 30 year old. I also know I have at least 25 more years until I am going to retire, so it's not a huge risk for a company to take time to train me. At 57, you have to remember that health care companies are businesses too. Is it feasible for them to hire someone, spend the enormous amount of money to train them, and then get a couple of years of work out of them? What kind of investment return is that? If I were you, I would have done the LPN or ASN programs first, gotten some kind of experience under your belt, then if you so choose, get your BSN. Be prepared when you interview at different places to address this issue. Even though they are not allowed by law to ask your age, they will be able to tell by looking at you. At least that you are over 50. So, if you don't address it, they will just find another reason not to hire you. Stay in shape, don't act your age, and this may get me flamed, but I would at least make a little effort to make sure hair and makeup don't show your age. Find a makeup that does not cake in wrinkles. People think the more makeup=looking younger. No it doesn't. Makeup applied appropriately makes you look younger. I have some crows feet already and I am very aware of what to do to minimize, not maximize the fine lines. Hair should be updated and current, neat and styled. I wouldn't go as far as to say color it, just find a good style.
These tips are not to make you feel bad and I'm not trying to be harsh and tell you that nobody will hire you. But if you want to land that job with a company that YOU want to work for and not just who ever will hire me at the moment, then I think these tips will be well worth it. I'm not naive enough to think at 40, I won't face a little push back on the age thing. But I also I know how I will deal with it in a interview. I know my assets as an employee and will work hard to sell myself in the interview.
Good Luck and congrats on going for it.