Going to Nursing School at an Older Age

[AmaurosisFugax]

I have been planning to go to nursing school (direct entry MSN) & have been progressing in that direction. The other day I was having a conversation with a coworker (a non-practicing nurse!) and she said, now at your age (I am in my 40s) you have 10, maybe 20 years of nursing, but if a younger candidate gets your seat they can practice nursing for like 40 years, so why should you get a seat? It's more beneficial to train a younger nurse. I was rather tacken aback by the question & said something to the effect the more nurses the better and it is illegal to discriminate based on age, and she said the nursing shortage is a myth and age discrimination happens, no matter what! While I always believe education is throughout one's life and one should pursue one's aspirations, it got me thinking. (In some countries where their are no age discrimination laws this does happen). Is it really socially more desirable to prefer younger candidates? And does this factor into admissions decisions?

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

100 K seems very excessive. Are you sure the cost is that high? If so, you may be eligible for partial grants or something. It really comes down to what your preferences are, and if you feel you can manage that kind of debt. Realisitically, it would take you probably 8 years to pay that off. However, if you are sure you want to be an RN regardless, then do it anyway. Because you would still have many years to enjoy the benefits of the job. 46 or 50 is far from old! One of the nurses who precepted me this year told me she was a secretary and went back for her RN around 48 or something. So people do it all the time.

It took me 5 years altogether between my Math, Chem and Bio prerequisites and then 4 years of school, to obtain my BSCn. I finished in June (six weeks ago). I think I debated about going back and waffled for almost 2 years prior to starting everything. It is ironic, because almost 20 years ago, I was set to go to nursing school, but I decided against that because the economy was bad...layoffs....Ha! I guess the joke is on me, because here we are again.

One thing I realized, the time goes by anyway. So why not work towards something you want? 5 years or 6 years is not a long time. And while the economy might be less than desirable right now, there ARE always jobs somewhere for RN's.

I hope that helps.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I just re-read my post. In case you may be confused, what I meant to say (not that clear), is that it took me 5 years from start to finish. So 1 year for those prerequisites, and 4 years of university.

[sarah10]

I just re-read my post. In case you may be confused, what I meant to say (not that clear), is that it took me 5 years from start to finish. So 1 year for those prerequisites, and 4 years of university.

Yes its 100k for a private school no prequs actually its maybe 130k? IDK no straight answers on that

So 5 yrs Wow thats not bad I dont think I could do all the prerequs in 1 year? Im headed to CC next week to see about LVN to RN I just hear hooror stories of waiting lists even if you are an LVN

Well Thank You Again for your Time! Its nice to get POSSITIVE feedback :)

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Wow. I thought paying 50 grand was bad enough. Is that how much nursing schools cost in the US? How do they expect people to pay that back?

As for the positive feedback...well, I try to remain as positive as I can. I feel that we should be encouraging each other, especially during these challenging times. You will hear both positive and negative comments from people. Block out the negatives. If you want something, there is usually a way.

Perhaps there is another less costly option for nursing school? Have you researched various schools? I know that private schools can often cost more.

[Jamesdotter]

I haven't read all 14 (!) pages of this thread, but my reaction when I read the OP's post was that while many of the 20's drop out because it wasn't what they expected, the more mature student generally knows what she/he's getting into!

[dazyRN]

There is no guarantee that the younger nurses are still going to be nursing in 10 to 20 years anymore than there is for an older nurse. I will be 51 this year and am going to begin the master's program next month. I have been a nurse for 20 years. I work on a floor with several young nurses and I, as well as the other older nurses from what they have said to me, feel very discriminated against. But how do you prove discrimination?

The older nurses get the hardest assignments and no special treatment like the younger ones do. The younger nurses get the easiest jobs and get lots of help. They are the ones that are chosen to represent our unit in hospital committees. I was told "You can't do that" when I asked about joining a committee that other nurses that I am aware of go to. They said it is just for the new nurses. The nurses that I know of that go to this committee, are not new.

Also, the younger nurses constantly get recognition for things like PALs, ACLs, and Med-Surg Certification. I have had those certifications for years and earlier this year just got recertified. Everyone makes a big deal out of it when the young nurse get this certification. To me its the same praise that you would give your child when they learn their A B C's for the first time.

I created and designed a badge for our unit that listed the things that we were to chart on. I made the colors to match our scrubs. A few months later I find the scheduler, the coordinator, and the new nurses in the manager's office. The scheduler and coordinator were telling the new nurses that they made that badge (the one I made) and they were to wear it on their badge.

Then the manager told me, after everyone left his office, that all of us together, young and old, are equal. If thats the case why isn't someone jumping up and down and turning flips when I got re-certified in ACLs earlier this year? I made the badge, they took the credit.

Thats the reason I want to get my master's degree.........

[apoppyfield, BSN, RN]

This really annoys me when I hear people making generalizations about one's age. I am a "mature" student and can study and work circles around some of the youngsters. You need to look at a person's real age. An unfit 20 year old may not be a good employee. They may take years off to raise a family. A fit 50 year old may be able to work another 10 or 20 years. Tell her to put a sock in it.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Unfortunately for all of us, times are tough, which affects workplace dynamics. 3 years ago, there was no issue for younger or older nurses to find and keep employment. Things are improving, and I say, if you want to be a nurse, go for it. Don't allow mean supervisors, workplace politics, or your own reservations to deter you. No matter what field you get into, there are miserable people out there. On the other hand, there are equally kind and caring people who want to help. Also, life is truly what you make of it. If I had allowed every miserable SOB, and/ or workplace politics to deter me, I would not have come this far. While I am realistic about life, I would also rather see the positve, good side of things.

[sarah10]

Wow. I thought paying 50 grand was bad enough. Is that how much nursing schools cost in the US? How do they expect people to pay that back?

As for the positive feedback...well, I try to remain as positive as I can. I feel that we should be encouraging each other, especially during these challenging times. You will hear both positive and negative comments from people. Block out the negatives. If you want something, there is usually a way.

Perhaps there is another less costly option for nursing school? Have you researched various schools? I know that private schools can often cost more.

Yes iam at a CC and i may just do my 30 unit opt out program No degree but will b an RN

[nursedora]

In all my years of nursing, I was never once asked for my grades on a job interview. However, my skills and bedside manner, and general clinical aspects of nursing were scrutinized under a microscope. I also had an ER Dr I once worked with tell me that he'd rather work with a nurse who is a hands on nurse, and can actualy "do" the job, and maybe her/his grades were average, or just passing, as oposed to the nurse who aced everything, got the highest grades in everything, was academicaly honored, but didn't have a clue how to do the hands on of the job.

To the student who is gaining experience as LPN then may go for RN, I believe strongly that gaining experience as LPN is great, also, go to work in a small rural med/surg hospital, one where you will get a taste of everything, rather than the larger hospitals where you get pigeon wholed into a department and that one area is all you get to see. The pay is much smaller in the rural hospitals, but the experiences are priceless. Also, volunteer to float off to other units every chance you get, that too gives immeasurable experiences. Or at least they did for me. And don't waite too long to go for your RN, I waited 22 years, and wish I'd of gone for it right out of LPN school. It's harder to go back to school as you get older, not impossible, just harder.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I agree with you about being able to do the "hands on" stuff for sure. Some people are academically gifted, but clueless. However, I do think that a balance between the two is important. Because if you just passed all your courses in nursing school, that usually indicates that maybe you either need study/ organizational skills, or you don't care that much, about the academic part, anyway.

For example, for subjects such as Anatomy, Pharmacology, and Pathophysiology, usually, the students who just passed don't handle the hands on stuff as well, because they don't know their meds, and the signs/symptoms of various diseases as well. I also know that certain hospitals in my city made it mandatory for students to have at least a B or better average, in order to apply for their preceptorship there. So while hands on is definitely important, grades do matter to a certain degree as well.

[nursedora]

I'm not disputing that grades don't matter. I'm speaking from experience. I do care about my academics, but, strugle to get B- or C's. Yet, when I put it all together with the hands on, it comes together for me. For example, in PN school, I barely passed pharmacology, yet when I got my first job, and connected this medication is given to this pt for this reason, it all came together. I am very organized, I am very dedicated and I do care about my studies. I'm also saying that no one should be discouraged from going to nursing school just because they feel they wouldn't make it because they aren't the "A" student. And for some older students, aquireing the "A" grades is harder.

I believe I told this experience before, but when I was a young nurse, just got my license for LPN had it about a month, I was assigned to orient a new nurse, she was a 4

th year RN student, and being such, automaticaly qualified her as an LPN. We had an assignment to insert a foley catheter in a female pt. this orientee said: "Oh! I can do that no problem! I've read the book on this proceedure and got an "A" on the exam for foley catheter insertion." The charge nurse, being an older and wiser nurse, saw a red flag that she was overly excited about performing this proceedure, and told me to stop her immediatly if I felt she wasn't doing anything correctly. And by "anything" it meant just that, from A to Z. We gathered our supplies, double checked the DR order, and proceeded down the hall to the pts room, on the way down the hall, this BS student, who was working as a LPN, told me "I fail to see why a lowly LPN has to precept me, I probably have more experience than you!" I kept my mouth shut, and did my job. We entered the pts room, and this "know it all" proceeded to open the sterile packet before washing her hands, cleaning the table off and assuring pt privacy. I did as I was told to do, and stoped her before she went any further, she stormed out of the room, I had an extra kit with me, so I did the proceedure, and met up with her a few minutes later at the nurses station where she was fuming to the charge nurse, who sat there quietly listening to her, about how she didn't think a lowly LPN should be orienting her, and how she failed to see what she did wrong for this lowly LPN to stop her. The charge nurse asked my version of what took place, I told her. The charge nurse didn't make any comment yet, went to the pt, and asked her what took place in the room. This pt was also a retired nurse, neither of us knew that, except the charge nurse. Upon returning to the nurses station, the charge nurse complemented me on my professionalism, and took the other nurse into a private office for a conference.

This nurse was a straight "A" student, but even after passing her 4th year of nursing school, passing her boards, and getting her title of "BS" nurse, she still didn't have the hands on abilities to do the bedside nursing proceedures. Not only with the proceedures that LPN's can do, but with all proceedures. And yes, even with pharmacology, she knew by the book her medications, calculations, etc. but had not a clue as to how to properly administer the medications, IE proper amounts of fluid, what can be crushed or can't, what VS must be checked prior to administration of meds. That sort of thing. This nurse ended up leaving the nursing field within a year and going into business.

I did have a job in my early years where I was tested on pharmacology prior to being considered for the job, and I remember one question in particular on the test, it was asking for a medication that is given IM "Z" track, or deep IM. They were looking for Valium as the correct answer, my answer was Rocephin. I challenged it, and ulitmatly won, by pulling my pocket drug handbook out of my bag and showing the examiner, who by the way wasn't a nurse, but rather a liberal arts major who landed the job as inservice co ordinator. I knew this answer from experience. And knowing my weakness in pharmacology, always then, as now, kept/keep a nursing drug handbook with me, and read it like my Bible. Yes, I passed the test, by the minimum grade, however, because I challenged a question on the test, the DON was brought in and her answer was that if someone is able to know other meds given via this method, and carries a drug handbook of their own, then that's the nurse I want working for me. Ultimatly the prehire testing was revamped, and the testing is now showing that you can actualy do the job. Because it was noted that many nurses passed the test with an "A", but once they got on the floor had no clue how to do the job.

So, my advice to older people wanting to go to or go back to school for RN, is go for it! Don't let the fact that you may not be an "A" student stop you. Even though academics are important, and you have to make a minimum grade to pass, it doesn't mean one is any less a nurse than the one who got straight "A" all threw the class. Life experiences, common sense, and maturity ultimatly are what most employers are looking for.