Other than my family ( hubby & kids) EVERYONE else is very negative about my wanting to obtain a desire that I have had for such a LONG time...and that is to become a Nurse!
I have worked as a CNA for Years...( over 15 ). Due to many factors, I had to put my goals on hold..and now finally after all this time, I am in a place in my life when I can go back and complete what I started long ago..( I took some pre-classes off and on at our local CC...
Anyway, the negative stuff stems from my AGE....I'm in my late 40's ( very late ) but look and feel much younger!!...I been told things like..."Why bother at YOUR age", or you will encounter hard times study wise, or "you won't fit in with the normal student s age wise..and other heart breaking comments...
Please help!! I WANT to do this and if I get in,..then I WILL Do this.....Just looking for some Encouragement....Thanks!!!!
Don't even consider yourself too old. I am 39, there are 5 women in my class that are in their late 40's and one is in her late 50's. Except for one young 24 year old, us older ones are the top of our class grade wise. You still have a good 40 years left so go for it. You are never too old to learn. Its our sharp minds that keep us young. It isn't going to be easy by any means but if you want it, you can do it. Tell your family that its your time now and follow your dream.
Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.
My mom is 42 and i'm in LPN school and she's signing up (tonight actually) for respiratory therapy school, i've always told her that ITS NOT TOO LATE TO GET AN EDUCATION...and for those that say stuff about your age...in my LPN class i'm one of the YOUNGEST @ 25 yrs old, so that's gotta tell you that the traditional 18 year olds are honestly the minority!
My mom ran into the same problem with people talking about her age and i told her to tell them this..."at least when i'm 50 i'll be making really good money, AND have a career i can be proud of...what do you do? LOL it's stoped people from saying stuff to her@!
Please do not let anyone discourage you from becoming a nurse. I turned 40 during my 1st semester of my LPN Program. I have heard all of the negative things that you have heard and then some. I just look at them and tell them that when I get through I'll have a career, no matter what my age. I lost my job when my factory closed it's door in 2005. I couldn't think of anything else that I wanted to do with my life. My mother has had cancer since 1998 and many other health related problems. I guess all of those trips to the doctor's offices and hospital just got me hooked. It is harder as you get older, but I feel that I really appreciate the opportunity that I have now. I certainly don't take it for granted. I don't think that I would have worked as hard as I do now if I had done this when I first got out of high school. With age comes maturity and responsibility. I'm proud to say that I've maintained A's in all of my classes since I entered the program. On Monday I have my capping ceremony, so I'm half-way there. As soon as I finish the LPN program, I plan to bridge over to the RN. I really feel that it's better that I did it this way. The RN program is really intense at our college, and I feel that the LPN program was easier for me to make the transition of going back to school. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do this. Oh, be prepared for everyone to ask you after you've went one semester if you're ready to graduate yet. I can't believe that people think that you can go to school for only a couple of months to become a nurse. After all, we're dealing with people's lives here. An automechanic has to go to school for a year to work on your automobile. I hope that we think that caring for a living person deserves more study than automotives. When people ask me that I just bite my lip and smile and say "not quite there yet." I'll look forward to hearing how you're doing. Just don't give up. Age is just another number.
Hi!!!! let me tell you something! I am 37 and just finished my LPN and have worked at a huge hospital for 3 years. The new nurses coming out today are exactly that,new to nursing and new to life. there have been many times as a tech that I have seen things that were pertinent to quality patient care and brought it to the attention of the nurse(20-24) that impacted the patients well being dramatically and not even as much as a thank you. We(older new nurses) are not bringing just a couple years of college with us we are bringing life skills and lessons to a profession that depends on these things. There are alot of things that we as seasoned adults have either experienced or known somebody that has. These things can prove most adventagious in caring for others. We have developed a sense of compassion,empathy,understanding and the art of hopefully being non-judgemental. The reason I say this is alot of new grads for instance see old people as a burden, without living long enough to appreciate the knowledge they have to offer or respect them for the fact that they have made it this far. Sometimes our life doesn't always play the way we dreamed but no matter what I think all people deserve to be treated with respect. This is the main thing we can offer as older nurses, a standard on which the new nurses can build and help develop them into the life learners that we have been. You are to very proud of yourself and your accomplishments and know that we are all meant to be at a certain place at a certain time for some reason and you are exactly where you need to be. Whatever you do after this will come as it comes and the time will be right. JUST HAVE FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi!!!! let me tell you something! I am 37 and just finished my LPN and have worked at a huge hospital for 3 years. The new nurses coming out today are exactly that,new to nursing and new to life. there have been many times as a tech that I have seen things that were pertinent to quality patient care and brought it to the attention of the nurse(20-24) that impacted the patients well being dramatically and not even as much as a thank you. We(older new nurses) are not bringing just a couple years of college with us we are bringing life skills and lessons to a profession that depends on these things. There are alot of things that we as seasoned adults have either experienced or known somebody that has. These things can prove most adventagious in caring for others. We have developed a sense of compassion,empathy,understanding and the art of hopefully being non-judgemental. The reason I say this is alot of new grads for instance see old people as a burden, without living long enough to appreciate the knowledge they have to offer or respect them for the fact that they have made it this far. Sometimes our life doesn't always play the way we dreamed but no matter what I think all people deserve to be treated with respect. This is the main thing we can offer as older nurses, a standard on which the new nurses can build and help develop them into the life learners that we have been. You are to very proud of yourself and your accomplishments and know that we are all meant to be at a certain place at a certain time for some reason and you are exactly where you need to be. Whatever you do after this will come as it comes and the time will be right. JUST HAVE FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Other than my family ( hubby & kids) EVERYONE else is very negative about my wanting to obtain a desire that I have had for such a LONG time...and that is to become a Nurse!
I have worked as a CNA for Years...( over 15 ). Due to many factors, I had to put my goals on hold..and now finally after all this time, I am in a place in my life when I can go back and complete what I started long ago..( I took some pre-classes off and on at our local CC...
Anyway, the negative stuff stems from my AGE....I'm in my late 40's ( very late ) but look and feel much younger!!...I been told things like..."Why bother at YOUR age", or you will encounter hard times study wise, or "you won't fit in with the normal student s age wise..and other heart breaking comments...
Please help!! I WANT to do this and if I get in,..then I WILL Do this.....Just looking for some Encouragement....Thanks!!!!
I'm 45 and have absolutely no regrets about deciding to become a nurse at this age. GO for your dreams. All the best!
My nursing class of 30 had 5 students age 50 and above. I say go for it!! You'll be glad you did!! I was 43 in nursing school and have absolutely no regrets whatsoever.
My mom finished nursing school at 53. My friends mom is in her 50's and is just starting. We had a nun in our program that was in her mid 60's. We had one man in his 50's. Its never to late. I was 24 when I finished nursing school, and I was one of the youngest. None were in their early 20's. Not many were in their mid 20's, and we had NONE directly out of highschool.
I been told things like..."Why bother at YOUR age", or you will encounter hard times study wise, or "you won't fit in with the normal student s age wise..and other heart breaking comments..."]
Sounds like these people have some self esteem issues of their own. Don't let that get in the way of your own goals.
Your "friends" are wrong. I'm 40 years old, taking 17 hours this semester and I am not the oldest student in ANY of my classes. You'll be surprised at how many second career students you'll encounter.
And for the record, studying is not a problem for older students. Neither is fitting in. People are people at any age. Go for it!
) but look and feel much younger!!...I been told things like..."Why bother at YOUR age", or you will encounter hard times study wise, or "you won't fit in with the normal student s age wise..and other heart breaking comments...
Don't even consider yourself too old. I am 39, there are 5 women in my class that are in their late 40's and one is in her late 50's. Except for one young 24 year old, us older ones are the top of our class grade wise. You still have a good 40 years left so go for it. You are never too old to learn. Its our sharp minds that keep us young. It isn't going to be easy by any means but if you want it, you can do it. Tell your family that its your time now and follow your dream.
Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN
773 Posts
Go for it!! I am a much student now at 39 than I was at 19 anyway!