I am 43 years old and wanting to get into a nursing program. I was sick of getting paid so little with my ex-job and sick of treated badly by my manager in the past.
About a couple of months ago my father got really sick and I had to take care of him. He was in and out of ER and hospital for a month. Now he is in the nursing facility. He needs a oxigen tank with him so he could not come home.
It was my awenkeng experience in the hospital and nursing home to take care of my father. I really liked being in the hospital. I am not really sure how I feel to nurse patient but at least I liked being in the hospital. I talked to many CNAs, LVN, and RNs about the nursing school.
So here is my questions. I want to start as soon as possible the LVN or RN but it seems that LVN I could start right away and will be done with it in a year but it costs so much. I found out Casa Loma College, Los Angeles ($24K per program).
I have already BA and MS but I took college bio, college chem, math, etc., long time ago. And I am very scared to start a new career.
If I get my RN around when I am 46 am I still be able to get a job easily?
Or should I just start a private LVN program coming this July 30th?
Please give your thoughts and advice. I will greatly appreciate!!
Specializes in Acute rehab/geriatrics/cardiac rehab.
Hi - I also had a previous Bachelor's degree when I started nursing school. Since my degree was in Communication Disorders (Speech and Hearing), I had most of the prerequisites needed, and I only needed to take the science, nutrition and statistics prerequisites to apply for nursing school, which I took at a local community college. (I had never worked as a Speech Pathologist and had only done vounteer work with deaf individuals so I never used my previous degree professionally, especially since they required a Masters degree). I was a full time homemaker for about 17 years and I entered nursing school in 2002 when I had 5 teenagers still at home. I had met someone who also had a previous degree and was now a nurse. She explained that many of my credits from my previous degree would transfer over as prerequisites to enter into nursing school. I had been interested in nursing for some time so I entered nursing school at the age of 43 and graduated with a BSN in 2004 when I was 45. I worked for a year full time and decided to go back to school in 2005 to get my Masters degree part time to be an Adult Nurse Practitioner. I worked part time as an RN and went to class part time (now I go as needed due to the increase in papers, quizzes, tests, clinicals). Lord willing, I should graduate in December with a MS degree in Nursing after I take one more class and clinical.
I have no regrets about going into nursing. I believe in my state the average age of an RN is 46. Before I started college to get my nursing degree I counted 150 RN positions in our local paper one Sunday. There was much fewer job openings for Speech Pathologist. I wanted to get a degree where I would be able to find a job when I graduated. As an RN, you will always be able to find a job... And since my teens are now college age, the extra money comes in handy. :)
I'm 46 and will graduate nursing school when I'm 47. I plan to continue on for my BSN and MSN. So I'll be in my 50's when I graduate. At least I'll have a degree and I'll still be in my 50's anyway.
You should have no trouble finding a job at your age - in St. Louis, MO the biggest needs are in ortho, telemetrya nd med-surg. There are a multitude of full time and part time jobs available. You have so many credits alreadyw ith your past education and I would think most of that will tranfer into a BSN program. You go for it!!
This thread made me feel so much better about going back to school later in life. I also have a non-science bachelor's degree that I got in 1990. I want so much to be a nurse and I'm trying to figure out the best route for me. Ideally, I'd like an ADN program if I can get in soon, but I'm willing to get my LPN first if it means I can start working as a nurse sooner. Then I'll bridge to the RN.
Anyway, I'm 39, and I figure that even if it takes me another 5 or 6 years to get my RN, it'll give me 20 or 25 years in a nursing career. That's pretty good. I also have 3 young kids and I want a career in which I could support them alone if anything (God forbid) ever happened to my husband.
I just want to say THANK YOU! Thank you for putting the question out there and to all those who had such a wonderful positive response! I am 32, pregnant with our 3rd child and have desperately for years wanted to become a Nurse, I am an Admin Asst now and have been for the last 10 years. I have looked into it, researched my options, and hope to start classes soon. Everyone's response has also given me ideas on which direction I want to take my Nursing career.
Goodluck Peace with your decision and I hope that it is as fulfilling for you as I know it will be for me.
I graduated nursing school at 40. Of the 48 people who graduated, less than 20 were UNDER 30. The majority were second career people who decided to follow a dream and we saw the dream come true May 1999.
Thank you so much to all of you for putting in your experiences and thoughts for me. After reading all of your responses I am much better shape than ever. Now I am clear that I am going for my BSN coming this Fall. I will start to taking prereqyusutes courses.
My next concern is how am I going to pay for living and all the cost for nusing school. I am thinking to taking a CNA class before Fall starts and hopefully find a job as a CNA while I am in the nusing school. What do you think?
I graduated nursing school at 40. Of the 48 people who graduated, less than 20 were UNDER 30. The majority were second career people who decided to follow a dream and we saw the dream come true May 1999.
GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yelclap:
The same is true for my class.
In a class of 30, 2 are under 20, maybe 5 or 6 in their 20s, the majority in their 30s, 5 or 6 of us are over 40 and 1 guy is over 50. Many of my classmates already have degrees in something else.
Thank you so much for your posts I am also a 43 year young lol woman. I am so glad I am not alone. I looked at all the young kids in the schools and thought I was crazy for trying to do this so late in life. You have renewed my faith and excitement and drive to do this! THANK YOU! :redbeathe
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mom and nurse
513 Posts
Hi - I also had a previous Bachelor's degree when I started nursing school. Since my degree was in Communication Disorders (Speech and Hearing), I had most of the prerequisites needed, and I only needed to take the science, nutrition and statistics prerequisites to apply for nursing school, which I took at a local community college. (I had never worked as a Speech Pathologist and had only done vounteer work with deaf individuals so I never used my previous degree professionally, especially since they required a Masters degree). I was a full time homemaker for about 17 years and I entered nursing school in 2002 when I had 5 teenagers still at home. I had met someone who also had a previous degree and was now a nurse. She explained that many of my credits from my previous degree would transfer over as prerequisites to enter into nursing school. I had been interested in nursing for some time so I entered nursing school at the age of 43 and graduated with a BSN in 2004 when I was 45. I worked for a year full time and decided to go back to school in 2005 to get my Masters degree part time to be an Adult Nurse Practitioner. I worked part time as an RN and went to class part time (now I go as needed due to the increase in papers, quizzes, tests, clinicals). Lord willing, I should graduate in December with a MS degree in Nursing after I take one more class and clinical.
I have no regrets about going into nursing. I believe in my state the average age of an RN is 46. Before I started college to get my nursing degree I counted 150 RN positions in our local paper one Sunday. There was much fewer job openings for Speech Pathologist. I wanted to get a degree where I would be able to find a job when I graduated. As an RN, you will always be able to find a job... And since my teens are now college age, the extra money comes in handy. :)