New RN Age

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Is 36-37 too old to begin my nursing career on the floor? 

Why do you feel too old at 37?  I’m still working ICU nursing in my forties.  There are lots of people older than me.

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Specializes in Oncology.

Finished school and started nursing at 42.  We had several people in their 40s and even early 50s in our class and all found jobs right after graduation. I Work nights on an oncology unit and I love it. Go for it! 

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.

No. I was 42 when I came back to bedside nursing having had time out doing other things. I'm still at it at 57. Yes fatigue is more of an issue as you get older, but I'm still managing (on night duty to boot!) You're not too old. Go for it and good luck.  

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
11 hours ago, gere7404 said:

I was 35 when I started on the floor

I was 38 when I got my degree.

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More than your age, you should consider the state of your health when choosing where to work at any given time.  Even very physically fit athletic types can get worn out by the physicality of running back and forth on a hospital or care facility floor.

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Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.

I posted this a long time ago, but still true.

My oldest student was 63. she had been married for forty years to a man who told her she was stupid and worthless and never let her do anything she wanted to do, least of all nursing school. And when the old b****** died she took the insurance money and went to nursing school, bless her.

She was a typical student in some ways, except although she was new to nursing she was not new to life. In that she was years and years ahead of the 18-year-old chickies fresh out of high school who were her classmates. She had experienced the vicissitudes of life over decades, had raised kids, and so much else, so she could identify stressors and situations in patients, and they trusted her to listen to them more than someone whose hair wasn't already well along on its way to white.

Another friend went to med school at 32. when people said, "You'll be forty by the time you finish!" She said, "I'll be forty anyway." Good attitude.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

I was 38 when I graduated nine years ago. It's worked out great for me. Good luck!

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Specializes in Community health.

Not even close. I was 36 and definitely not the oldest in my graduating class. 

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Specializes in Occupational Health.

As long as the aricept and namenda are working and you have a good supply of adult diapers I say "go for it!"

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LOL, I hear ya, I am starting to realize that nursing has no age limits and definitely no beauty criteria. I am eager and confident to begin my nursing career at the youthful but wise age of 36! I appreciate all the feedback. 

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.
9 hours ago, Kooper48 said:

LOL, I hear ya, I am starting to realize that nursing has no age limits and definitely no beauty criteria. I am eager and confident to begin my nursing career at the youthful but wise age of 36! I appreciate all the feedback. 

I was reading some books from Civil War nursing.. I think it was Dorothea Dix in charge of hiring many of the military nurses. Her requirements were old and ugly.. ?  Young attractive women need not apply since they would distract the patients/soldiers..  And, those civil war wounds and nursing were no joke!

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Short answer-NO-not too old. Age is a number. 
However, you will likely be on your feet all day, running up and down hallways, very busy and little to no time to spare, especially if you work days. My husband is in his mid 60’s and can run around like a monkey on crack. I have seen students in their late teens- early twenties struggling to follow me on the floor so they don’t miss the elevator. I move fast. I have no problem with students, but if they want to learn from me they better learn to hustle on their feet because I’m not slowing down. This is probably why I didn’t ever have to precept anyone- don’t want to scare the new nurse off by exhausting them the first day shadowing. 
So as long as the you can take the physical demands of the job, your age really has nothing to do with it.

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