Is anyone as old as me?

[Laraine]

I am 53. I have only finished one year of practical nursing. I am concerned about starting my clinical placement in September because I'm not sure if I'll have the stamina to go to placement and do homework. So I am transferring to a school that has only one day of placement per week so that I can rest if I need to. Yikes. I wonder how I'll ever be able to do the full week of placement at the end of the program. Does anyone have a similar experience? Thanks,

Laraine

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I was 45 when I STARTED nursing school. You will probably work till you are about 65-67 so there is still plenty of nursing to do. I managed to keep up with everyone while in school and the first 10 years or so of working in a hospital, but then I needed better hours. Plan your rest and forget about doing anything social till you graduate. If you are able to fit some social thing in, well all the better.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I met a nurse who graduated from an LPN/LVN program at age 55. She moved more quickly at the workplace than many people who were half her age, so 'older' students can and do succeed in nursing school. Good luck to you.

[NightBloomCereus]

My mother is 53 and in LPN school. She is doing amazing. You could do it. You'll bring so much varied life experience into your career and it will make you a better nurse.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

If you're worried about your physical condition, do something about it. Park at the far reaches of the parking lot and walk more. Take two flights of stairs, then elevator only if you're going up more than that. Down-- all of it. I

f you're worried about being upright for a whole week of clinical-- what were you thinking about doing when you get, like, a JOB?

[rubato, ASN, RN]

I'm in my mid 40s, but we have a lot of students in their 50s in my class. I agree with GrnTea that you need to get yourself in shape. I used to be a personal trainer and run circles around my 20 something classmates. It's not about our age, it's about our stamina. If you can't handle school, you won't be able to handle the job, so make sure you get in shape now, while you can.

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

I'm 43 and will (hopefully) be starting nursing school in the fall. The program I applied to has an age range of 26 - 58 for last year. So, you are by no means alone

Good for you for going back to school and pursuing your dream! Best of luck

[FineAgain]

I am 54 and a senior in a BSN program. Only 29 days until graduation...so yes, you can do it too. I go to school M-TH and work 12 hour shifts every weekend. I am exhausted but it is a happy exhaustion. I am finally realizing my dream of being a nurse. Is it hard? Yes. Will you be so tired that you don't know how you will make it? Yes. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other and before you know it you will be finished. I am so lucky, I have a wonderful husband who supports me every step of the way and my children (and yes, grandchildren) are cheering me on. And...I have the support and love of a fantastic group of young men and women who don't treat me as if I was any older than they are. I sometimes run rings around them, so age has nothing to do with it.

Good luck to you. If I can do it, you can do it!

[SunsetButterfly]

My mother in law was in her mid 40's when she graduated from nursing school... I met a lady at my school the other day whose mother went back to nursing school at the age of 60!! You are never too old to learn something new and improve your life :)

[noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP]

We had a grandfather in our nursing class. He was in his mid-sixties.