Help-50 y/o & desperate for advice

Tweety, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

Good luck to you. :)

Hopefully someone can come along and offer advice. I moved your post out of Introductions into the General Forum, since you haven't gotten a response.

Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

Try applying as a school nurse. There is limited lifting and a whole different set of skills needed than floor nursing.

RN007 · Oct 13, 2006

Have you tried talking to nurse recruiters at hospitals and explaining your situation? I am older (48) and graduate in May. I made appointments with and have already met with all the recruiters at my area hospitals (Knoxville, Tenn). Some of the hospitals hire new grads in the spring for orientation classes that start in June. The children's hospital gets applications as early as December and starts hiring in January for a June orientation class. They do not hire any other time of the year, unless there's a large group graduating after fall semester and there's a critical need for new nurses. Good luck to you! Hospitals like getting us 'older' girls because of our life experiences.

barbie90210 · Oct 13, 2006

peds may have less lifting. all the adult units have the potential to have 200 pound patients. school nursing in california requires a school nurse credential. many of them are nurse practitioners as well. so with completing a masters with a nurse practitioner specialty and then on top of that getting the school nurse credential. . . might as well go to medical school! i did school nursing for a semester for the community health part of my bsn program. it is correct that the focus is much different. there is not as much lifting - that's true. but you need experience - preferably peds. i guess if i were you i would go for peds experience and work my way into school nursing. probably the wisest thing to do.

RaElrA · Oct 13, 2006

Hi everyone!! Best wishes in your specialty. Hope someone can help me out here... I'm older (50 yrs.), got my BSN l3 yrs ago., practiced a whole 3 mos.-found myself high-risk pregnant on spinal cord unit, so resigned. Didn't return since didn't need to at time and didn't know if I wanted to. Now, I want to, took R.N. refresher (not really enough). Having difficulty finding "new grad" positions to apply for, and have had to have a hip replaced, so am concerned about units where lifting is more commonplace. Need decent pay to get my son through college in a few years. Anyone out there have any suggestions? Do I hang it up, take out a loan, and go to school for something else. I have so little clinical/working experience, it is making even a doctor's office position less available.... HELP!

I'm only a student and can't help you with a job idea. I'm responding because I'm 54 and just now going to school. I had never gone to college so I am doing a couple of years of pre-reqs before I can even apply. What struck me is--please don't take this the wrong way--your attitude toward yourself. Don't view yourself as old, or helpless, or hopeless! I can't stress this enough. How you view yourself makes ALL the difference in how you project to the world. I visualize myself as "prematurely grey," lol. Trust me, try it--it will help!

Rio, ASN, RN · Oct 13, 2006

here are a few options to persue, Case Management and Quality Assurance. Also Information Services, if you like working with computers. All of these are hospital based. These also offer the luxury of day shift. If you are willing to work evenings or nights that will increase your chances of a entry level peds job. Good luck.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Oct 13, 2006

Nicu, Nicu. Nicu!!

TPfan24 · Oct 13, 2006

Hi there, how about working for a nursing agency doing homecare. I have been in this position many years and enjoy the one on one, less hectic pace and flexibility agency nursing allows. Lifting does not have to be an option. You could do skilled visits change dsgs and perform other aspects of acute care. Stick with your nursing career and good luck.

anne74 · Oct 13, 2006

Why would you even consider working on a hospital floor with heavy lifting and a crazy pace? I worked on a hospital med/surg floor for 7 months, and it killed me - and I'm only 32! Don't even go there - it's not worth it - it's so hard on your body no matter how old you are. Now I work in pre-op and PACU, and it's so much better.

I would try for an office job (at any kind of clinic), health insurance companies, home health, school nursing (other states don't have the requirements that Cali has), outpatient/day surgery - GI lab, IR, etc.; public health.

Don't quit nursing - you've already started, and there are so many opportunities that don't require physical labor. You just may have to search and work a little bit to find something. But the time/effort you put into finding the right nursing job will be less than the time/effort you put into starting over in a new field. Good luck!

oneLoneNurse · Oct 13, 2006

Goto a university hospital where tuition might be free for you son. Find any job you can, that doesn't involve lifting. I do psych, though I don't mind lifting. I hear horror stories from med/surg. And please keep applying and don't worry too much about not having the clinical experience, someone should give you a chance since the field seems desparate for warm bodies. Just don't take a position where you feel uncomfortable clinically speaking.

Hi everyone!! Best wishes in your specialty. Hope someone can help me out here... I'm older (50 yrs.), got my BSN l3 yrs ago., practiced a whole 3 mos.-found myself high-risk pregnant on spinal cord unit, so resigned. Didn't return since didn't need to at time and didn't know if I wanted to. Now, I want to, took R.N. refresher (not really enough). Having difficulty finding "new grad" positions to apply for, and have had to have a hip replaced, so am concerned about units where lifting is more commonplace. Need decent pay to get my son through college in a few years. Anyone out there have any suggestions? Do I hang it up, take out a loan, and go to school for something else. I have so little clinical/working experience, it is making even a doctor's office position less available.... HELP!

gr8rnpjt, RN · Oct 13, 2006

Forget case management, UR or insurance company jobs. You need experience "in the trenches" before you can get these jobs. But someone else mentioned home care. I think that would be an excellent way to get your feet wet without being overwhelmed. Start out per diem or part time, and work up to a full time schedule. Good luck.