Job prospects for older nurse who is new graduate

[Thomasray]

What is the reality of an older graduate(68) who is a brand new nursing graduate being hired for a position? If there really is a nursing shortage, are agencies and hospitals hiring new nurses who are in their sixties and seventies? I just read about a nursing student who is 73 years old. My wife has major concerns that I will spend lots of time, money, and effort, only to be jobless. I really want to do this, but I completely understand her point.

Please help as I will soon start to register for prerequisite classes. Also, I know well the nursing profession as I spent 25 years as firefighter/EMT working out of a small clinic whose only provider was a PA or nurse practitioner in remote bush Alaska. Thank you in advance for your responses.

Will I be able to get a nursing job?

[llg, PhD, RN]

A lot depends on your local job market and the type of job you will be seeking. In an area with lots of nursing schools graduating lots of new grads, you would probably be at a disadvantage for many jobs. However, there are probably some particular niches for which your maturity and background would be an asset -- assuming, of course, that you will be in excellent physical shape and give the impression that you will be able to handle the work and schedule well after you graduate.

For anyone entering the job market -- but particularly for anyone going in with some disadvantage -- I recommend doing a lot of networking while you are in school. You want people to already know you and to have confidence in your ability to do the job well when you come knocking on their door with a job application in hand.

And remember ... you won't be applying for an NP or PA job. You'll probably be applying for a staff nurse position -- which is very different from NP and PA work.

Good luck!

[caliotter3]

I had problems getting a nursing job as a new nurse at 42. Yes, there is age discrimination. You just apply to jobs until someone hires you. As a male, that should not be as much of a problem. And BTW, an employee at the unemployment office told me one time that it is a good idea to keep one's hair color "young" looking, so consider Grecian Formula if they still make that product.