Nursing school at age 50

Published

Hi, after many years in the health care field I am considering going back to school to become an RN. I am 50 and in very good health, how ever I worry that because of my age insturctors, and nurses training me will automatically have doubts on my ability to do the job. I also worry about getting hired as a new nurse because of my age. I would really appreciate honest opinions and concerns. It is something I would really like to do and hope that my age will not be an issue.

thank you maddy50

Having completed the prereqs., submitting NS application this month.

Recognized before beginning prep courses, the possibilities of not getting admitted, not passing the physical exam, not graduating, and not finding work for a while after graduation; altho I'm so nontraditional a student that very untraditional work would be just fine.

Since I'm older than anyone else who has commented here so far, I've mostly been ignored by the students in prereq. courses, & I haven't been bothered about it in the least. Focusing on coursework has been easy.

And I have a decade of EMT, Paramedic, ER Tech, CNA experience.

Really looking forward to NS. Not planning to "retire" until & unless forced to.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Public Health Nurse.

And I have a decade of EMT, Paramedic, ER Tech, CNA experience.

.

Gosh, you would be an asset in a study group Chorkle. Those students are missing out on your knowledge. A study group is very helpful, as long as it is small - 4 tops, and you can contribute. I would have loved to have studied. We were mostly two of us studying together while in nursing school, until the end of the second to last semester even, but before an exam four of us got together and we exchanged what we knew and clarified what we did not.

Good luck on your acceptance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

SB in FL--

Thank you; I'll keep that in mind. I'm pretty sure study groups w/b emphasized by the NS folks. It h/n/b my sort of 'thing,' but I adapt easily (by now) to many new situations.

Well, they said the ratio of applicants to accepteds was about 2 to 1, and I thought, I can handle those odds. Of course, I could be wrong, too. "BT, DT"

And profound congratulations upon your progress & success!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Public Health Nurse.
SB in FL--

Thank you; I'll keep that in mind. I'm pretty sure study groups w/b emphasized by the NS folks. It h/n/b my sort of 'thing,' but I adapt easily (by now) to many new situations.

Well, they said the ratio of applicants to accepteds was about 2 to 1, and I thought, I can handle those odds. Of course, I could be wrong, too. "BT, DT"

And profound congratulations upon your progress & success!

Chorkle, I am not sure why your abbreviations mean....LOL..... all I can say is stay positive, if this is a community college that has reasonable tuition and they have a good reputation and your are paying your way, is worth the wait, just take classes that are pre-requisites for the BSN....if you have the grades and do well on the TEAS you will make it. When will you know?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You'se kids....

I'm 56 ( and male) in my last semester of pre-reqs, hoping to be admitted to an ADN program in Winter of 2013.

I gave some thought to my age before I enrolled but I haven't looked back since day 1 of class 1.

I'm going to be the same age with or without going to school. I'm at a point in my life where I can finally go for a goal I've had all of my life. All of the instructors I've encountered so far have been great!

Go for it....you are only as old as you allow yourself to be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

You are awesome, absolutely go for it!!! Good luck and study hard! :-)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm 50 and just got accepted for the fall RN. When taking prereqs, I was among the oldest ones in the class and if, anything, it is an advantage. As a group, I would say that older students don't stress out about classes the way the 20 something 'kids' do. We also tend to be less intimidated by the profs, as we know they are working a job as anyone else. We would tend to ask far more questions of the profs than the younger set would and profs like questions cuz it shows you are engaged and learning. It was also noticed the profs also tend to treat mature students a bit more like peers than some other kid passing through their class. I had a discussion with a prof one day about these observations and his comments were interesting. His experience was that 'mature' students were much more motivated and did not expect to be 'spoon fed' the material, but younger students tend to expect this. Come class or lab time they were also much more prepared and are seldom absent. My experience. It's been good being a 'mature' student.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Maddy, I only ready through a few of the replies to your post, but would like to share a few of my "life rules" if you will. Keep in mind that I'll be 40 very VERY soon, I was in the service for over 10 years, and have literally been around the world twice.

Age......is just a number and wisdom counts for everything. Before deciding to leave my current career and pursue nursing, I asked anyone and everyone I knew, whether they were in the mdeical field or not, if I was making a mistake. The most common answer.....no. Traditionally any type of med student starts right out of high school. It's never too late and keep telling yourself exactly that. As far as your worries about instructors and such having doubts, I would put that behind you. From Advisors to currently practicing physicians have all told me basically the same thing. New students with real world experience (not just health care experience) are far more likely to be able to handle the real world situations.

You keep your goals and dreams in your sights and if you should ever feel yourself faulter or start having reservations, look me up on here and I'll give you all the reassurance you can handle, because you deserve it....and just as important, the medical field and patients deserve the best care that they can get.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi, after many years in the health care field I am considering going back to school to become an RN. I am 50 and in very good health, how ever I worry that because of my age insturctors, and nurses training me will automatically have doubts on my ability to do the job. I also worry about getting hired as a new nurse because of my age. I would really appreciate honest opinions and concerns. It is something I would really like to do and hope that my age will not be an issue.

thank you maddy50

I think its a wonderful idea that you want to go back to school I wish you the best!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think its a wonderful idea that you want to go back to school! I wish you the best of luck on your journey1

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm starting nursing school at the end of this month. I'll be 50 myself in November. For the most part, the young kids that have been my classmates have been very accepting. You will be their favorite study partner, but definitely not their favorite hangout partner (lol). Go get 'em girl! I plan to! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Vikki--

If you have "many years in the health care field" and if you are "50," erase all doubts.

Can't guess about hiring situations, post-NCLEX; but you will be a great resource for most of the rest of your class who aren't afraid to ask ANYONE who might tell them smth useful.

I'm not in NS yet, but I can tell you that your maturity, life knowledge, and wisdom will get you instant status among many who are teaching you. Not all, mind.*

You know already that you can do the job, so it shouldn't be hard to show many others that you can.

*It takes all kinds, many like to say. I disagree, observing that there merely are all kinds. (Many might not be all that necessary--maybe even me.)

And as to whether I might get admitted to NS, well, you know, my first hospital job was before oxygen had been discovered.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion