New RN Age

[Kooper48]

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

[nursel56]

On 4/26/2021 at 4:24 PM, SmilingBluEyes said:

no.

I concur. 

[marienm, RN, CCRN]

I started in an ICU at 34. There are days I feel my age (so much back pain!) but honestly I move faster than some of my younger co-workers! (I've always been a fast walker...maybe not as fast as NurseSpeedy though!). I work 12-hour night shifts and always have.

Consider, though, that your preceptor and even manager may be younger than you...maybe by a lot! Not only will they be teaching you the nuts and bolts of the job, they'll be teaching you the "norms" of your hospital and your unit. If the thought of a 22-year-old telling you how to answer the phone correctly or coaching you on therapeutic communication gives you hesitation, pay attention to that feeling! You're not wrong or right to have that feeling, but you need to be aware of it, do some introspection about where it's coming from, and not let it get in the way of learning your job an interacting with your co-workers.  [Full disclosure: I am posting this because this was a process that I myself needed to go through! I came from a semi-academic setting where I was used to telling the 18-22-year-olds what to do, not the other way around!]

[2BS Nurse, BSN]

I was older when I graduated from nursing school. It was the lifting that deterred me from the inpatient setting. I am very aerobically fit, but my upper body is not physically strong. I figured I'd need my spine for the rest of my life. That being said, if any facility around me had employed a lift team, I would have gone for it!

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

I went to nursing school with a woman in her 50's. She could run circles around some of us younger people!

[PsychNurse24, BSN, RN]

No.  I went to nursing school when I was 51.