Infor On Older Students

Fiona59 · May 23, 2008

You might want to contact nursing registration agencies, they MIGHT have info on age of initial license issue. Local colleges might compile that data.

From what I've seen about 20% of the classes are made up of 40+ people.

Factor in second careers, broken marriages, empty nest syndrome, and the wait list/competitiveness to get into an RN programme, and I think you're off to a start.

asoonernurse · May 23, 2008

My thoughts exactly! The instigator for wanting to write this article was seeing a picture of graduates of an ASPIRE program in one of my nursing journals and noting that 95% of them were old fogies like me! :lol2:

Looking for information on subjects I'm interested in is usually as easy as a quick Google. Not so with information on older nursing students, though.

Odd. I would thing at least SOME studies would have been done...

Thanks so much for your input, Fiona.

Cheers,

Michael

You might want to contact nursing registration agencies, they MIGHT have info on age of initial license issue. Local colleges might compile that data.
From what I've seen about 20% of the classes are made up of 40+ people.
Factor in second careers, broken marriages, empty nest syndrome, and the wait list/competitiveness to get into an RN programme, and I think you're off to a start.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 24, 2008

I wish I had something to offer, but I think you are doing a very interesting article and hope you share some of the findings with us.

I worked in health care for many years as a CNA, Home Health Aide, Phlebotomist, Medical Assistant and Patient Care Associate. I always desired to be an LPN, but had no real resources to get started. I am a single mother and had to take care of the necessities of life. Then, I was offered a chance at my job to enter into a program where we would be on a 100% paid leave of absence and tuition pay to transition into being an LPN or RN. That program was a God-send for me. I was gone from work for 2 years to become a nurse and did not show my face there almost the entire time, except for when we did a clinical rotation at my place of work. I am now 43 years old and would not have had the opportunity, otherwise.

It is hard to enter into a second career, but if we look at Erickson, this is the period of time where most people have the desire to enter into a new phase of life and are focused on retirement preparations and pride in their experiences.

Keep us posted!

softstorms · May 27, 2008

I am 55 years old, been a nurse for 19 years. Went back to school in my mid 30's. mainly to try to support myself and my kids. My worst day was my first class. My teacher was younger than me LOL. Why did I do it? I married young, 17 and pregnant. I needed to find a way to better my life. My daughter was in nursing school and kept telling me (I was working as an aide then) that I need to move up and beyond. Best choice I ever made.

Jules A, MSN · May 27, 2008

I bet the schools would have all this information. Good luck and yes, please write back and let us know what you find out.