Nursing..a middle age career?

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So just recently, I read a statistic that I found to be somewhat startling. Less than 10% of all nurses are under the age of 30. The average age of a nurse is 46.8 years old.

So, I was wondering, why is nursing, a profession that sometimes requires some heavy lifting, an "older" field? Are there benefits to being older? And are younger nurses (under the age of 25) at a disadvantage?

Thanks.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

The statistic is correct. Many of the nurses who are 'older' say 46-60 have been there since they were 20 but many came to the profession (as I did) as a second career. Sure it's physically demanding, but many people stay in shape and active even at the ripe old age of 46!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

Oh and as to 'middle age', I'd say it's getting older all the time. As the population ages and life expectancy changes the 'middle' goes up too. Heck, in my job at LTC they all call me the kid because I'm 53! There's folks there who are in their 90's and still can have meaningful days. So I'm saying 50 is the middle.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

I contribute to that statistic greatly. Started studying for nursing when I was younger, went on to landscaping until I was 30 then went back to school and entered nursing.

I look back and I know this as a fact: Before, when I was younger, I WAS NOT ready for nursing. The "me" that I remember would not have endured what I put up with during my 5 years in nursing. I would have been fired and lost my license for giving some doctor a shiner or I just would have quit in the middle of a shift.

Not saying anyone younger can't do nursing, but the younger "me" couldn't have. I don't think I am unique in that aspect either. Face it, nursing is a lifestyle, not a career or job. Younger people are not more focused on their personal lives than nursing allows one to be.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

Ooops.

Meant to say "younger people are more focused on".

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I'm 24 and just graduated LPN school. The majority of my classmates were second career-ers, mostly over the age of 35. I think with the economy the way it is and people getting laid off, you're going to see a lot of "older" people (and by older, I mean Generation X and upwards, not necessarily grey and wrinkled :-P) coming into nursing.

Younger people are more focused on their personal lives than nursing allows one to be.

Not necessarily true. Of course you have those twenty-somethings that might need to do a little more "growing up" before buckling down and going to nursing school (which takes up a LOT of time and requires a LOT of self-discipline). Depending on what kind of shifts a nurse works, they may still have plenty of free time during the week to pursue hobbies or have a social life.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
Oh and as to 'middle age', I'd say it's getting older all the time. As the population ages and life expectancy changes the 'middle' goes up too. Heck, in my job at LTC they all call me the kid because I'm 53! There's folks there who are in their 90's and still can have meaningful days. So I'm saying 50 is the middle.

Well, when you hit 90 or so, anything under 60 starts to look young. ;)

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Well, when you hit 90 or so, anything under 60 starts to look young. ;)

Well, we had a family member who lived to 102. She lived alone until age 100

and was alert, oriented and had a fabulous memory. In a review for her

housing, nursing assessment agreed she was able to live alone as

she could care for herself. Her son and neighbors checked on her often.

She would call her son to take her once a month to

a casino 2 hours away. They would have a lovely lunch, hit the casino

and drive home..She moved into her sons home at age 100.

She was a delight, and her sons theory was to allow her to continue with

her daily activities as long as she could. she walked daily outside which

she had always done for exercise. Her chief complaint at 100, was that

it was disappointing she could not still drive but she understood.

This was in contrast to her sister (my grandmother) who died of metastatic

cancer in her early 60s.

So, please be careful when you reference what an "older" person can or not

do for themselves. You need to consider a wider point of view and not

make an assumption due to the age of the individual.

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Not saying anyone younger can't do nursing, but the younger "me" couldn't have. I don't think I am unique in that aspect either. Face it, nursing is a lifestyle, not a career or job. Younger people are more focused on their personal lives than nursing allows one to be.

Keep in mind, though, that until comparatively recently (the last 25-30 years), people entering nursing school were almost entirely girls fresh out of high school, in their late teens, and graduating in their early 20s. They got through school just fine, and made excellent nurses. It's only recently that this idea that young people aren't up to (or interested in) the challenges and demands of nursing school has started floating around.

Just to keep the discussion in perspective, I'll repeat that the average age of the US nursing population was higher, in the 51-52 year old range, as I recall, 30 years ago when I was nursing school, when almost all people going into nursing were in their early 20s, than it is now, when older students are flooding into nursing and are a majority in some programs. The large influx of older students isn't raising the average age -- the average is coming down during the time that large numbers of people have started going into nursing at an older age.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
The average age of a nurse is 46.8 years old.

OP, a career in any field (other than being a professional athlete) spans roughly ages 20 - 60. Or 25-65. Or whatever other tweak of a few years either way that you want to assume.

So if you take the "average" age in any industry ... guess what you're going to get. ;)

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I had a dear sweet friend who was an RN for 60 years. She "retired" from ortho late in life but came back and worked a couple shifts a week with us in SICU. Couldn't take the vents at first but she transitioned well. Patients loved her and the extra attention she gave them. She worked circles around us middle-aged nurses! When she died at 82 she was doing private care for church members and still teaching CPR. They don't make nurses like her anymore sorry to say!

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I am in LPN school at the age of 41. and I am not the only person my age in our class (male and female). I think it might have a little to do with the lay-offs of people our age that are having to start over and are looking for a more stable career. So that also adds to the "older" nurses.

JMO

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Keep in mind, though, that until comparatively recently (the last 25-30 years), people entering nursing school were almost entirely girls fresh out of high school, in their late teens, and graduating in their early 20s. They got through school just fine, and made excellent nurses. It's only recently that this idea that young people aren't up to (or interested in) the challenges and demands of nursing school has started floating around.

I think it's because us under-30-somethings are thought to have been coddled moreso than previous generations. While I will say I was somewhat spoiled growing up and never really wanted for anything, I don't mind doing hard work - I actually prefer physical work, running around on my feet as opposed to sitting at a desk all day (check back with me in 30-40 years and see if I still say the same.. haha).

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