It's never too late!

Nurses New Nurse

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I went back to school for an AAS RN program at my community college in 2011. I worked my butt off on prereqs and got into a "fast track". I remember telling my husband when doing the pros and cons of going back to school .. "I'll be almost 37 by the time I graduate" he said you'll be 37 either way. Here I sit 5 days from turning 37 (8/28) and a fresh graduate with a job as a MedSurg nurse nights starting in a few wks. I'm so glad I went back. My husband was right I'm turning 37 either way. Thank god I'm turning 37 as a nurse and not 37 still wishing I was a nurse. The nursing program was quite easily the HARDEST thing I've ever done (I lost my mom during the 3rd semester be prepared for challenges and be prepared to sacrifice these programs don't allow for "personal" time), but I feel like I gave my self a gift by doing this. I have my dream job (I was a candy striper at 15 and have always wanted to be a RN). So yeah I'm turning 37 but ya know what I have an amazing supportive husband an awesome intelligent teenage daughter and the job of my dreams! 37 looks pretty damn good! :) If you're considering going back to school for nursing DO IT! I will be he hardest thing you ever do but will also be the best gift you give yourself! I'm so proud to be a nurse and join the best profession out there!

Happy Birthday and Congrats! But when I saw " its never too late I thought you were old.....37 aint old! Try being 50! That sadly is too old to start RN.........I am thinking of starting LPN school in a month, so I will be 51 when I get out. I am willing to go for it, but I have heard rumors that LPN may be phased out. Do you know anything about that?

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Where I live it's very hard for LPN's to get a job in the acute setting (hospitals) but they are still the standard in nursing homes.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

My goal was to become a surgical nurse by the time I was thirty so I get it trust. Glad to hear that your dream came true. May god bless you.

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Specializes in Hospice.
Happy Birthday and Congrats! But when I saw " its never too late I thought you were old.....37 aint old! Try being 50! That sadly is too old to start RN.........I am thinking of starting LPN school in a month, so I will be 51 when I get out. I am willing to go for it, but I have heard rumors that LPN may be phased out. Do you know anything about that?

WHAT????? Why is 50 too old to become an RN? I just turned 50 and I start my ADN program Tuesday! I'm super amped!!!! :yeah:

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I agree LoriRN2b.. it's NEVER too late to go for your dreams. not knocking LPNs I know lots of LPNs who love their job and are great nurses.

Good Luck to you, both!!

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I started nursing school at age 55! I too had always wanted to do it and had worked on general education over the years with the thought in mind that I would love to go to nursing school. One day when I was 52 I was sitting in my office at my long time, secure high paying job and decided it was now or never. I finished all my prereqs just in time to come to the top of the three year wait list take advantage of a retirement offer from my job which included tuition. I graduated ADN in 2007 and am just a few classes away from my BSN. I LOVE being a nurse!! It has been wonderful for my well being to start in this new career. I was pretty burned out in the last one. I encourage anyone to go ahead and do it! As far as your age of 30 something, that was probably the average age of the people in my class. Just two were in their 20s, and many were in their 40s. I was the oldest student, but there were two others in their 50s. I do wish in many ways I had done it sooner,,,, but everything works out for the best. I'm not sure I would have had the maturity to do it any earlier although, hopefully, the education would have helped me grow. There are jobs in nursing for older nurses! I don't make as much money as I did in my other job, and I'm certainly not at the top of the payscale for a nurse, but at my age there is so much more to work than money in this career change. I'm sure I couldn't have stuck it out and been completely sane by this time at my other job. I do love being a nurse and it was a great change for me --- and nursing school was difficult but I really enjoyed it too.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

All I can say is watch your back! It's the only one you have and nursing is very rough on it! I can't imagine walking away from a secure, highly paid job to become a nurse! I would love to trade jobs and have such a wonderful job instead of dealing with the computer big brother, the dementia patients and the back breaking work that is nursing!

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All I can say is watch your back! It's the only one you have and nursing is very rough on it! I can't imagine walking away from a secure, highly paid job to become a nurse! I would love to trade jobs and have such a wonderful job instead of dealing with the computer big brother, the dementia patients and the back breaking work that is nursing!

Yes, brandy1017, it is important to be careful about back, especially since I broke my back 10 years ago and have an anterior/posterior fusion. I am very careful and I don't work in acute care. And even though my other job was pretty high paying, it was FAR from wonderful ...... But, I think it was just the change to something entirely different that was so great for me.

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Happy Birthday and Congrats! But when I saw " its never too late I thought you were old.....37 aint old! Try being 50! That sadly is too old to start RN.........I am thinking of starting LPN school in a month so I will be 51 when I get out. I am willing to go for it, but I have heard rumors that LPN may be phased out. Do you know anything about that?[/quote']

50 is not too old! I graduated last December (at age 44) and had classmates who were 48, 54 and 60! The 60 year old ended up with breast cancer 3/4 of the way thru the ADN program and had to take a semester off to go thru chemo/radiation. She graduated in May and just passed boards recently.

So, yes, it's never too late!!! :)

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Good for you! I'm 37 now and staring my first pre-req in ONE WEEK, so I agree...never too late!!

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
Happy Birthday and Congrats! But when I saw " its never too late I thought you were old.....37 aint old! Try being 50! That sadly is too old to start RN.........I am thinking of starting LPN school in a month, so I will be 51 when I get out. I am willing to go for it, but I have heard rumors that LPN may be phased out. Do you know anything about that?

HA! 50 is young! I will be 51 when I graduate from my BSN program next April. It was something I always wanted to do and I felt something was missing from my ADN.

Go for it.

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I agree 100%. I graduated from nursing school 1 month after I turned 40 and have never regretted a minute of the sacrifice. 10 years later feeling very proud and happy I made that decision. Like your husband, someone once told me you will turn 40 whether you go back to school or not, but just think how much better 40 will be with your RN and a profession that has so many rewards.

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