too old to be a nurse....

lots_of_luv · Jul 25, 2006

are there any nurses now in the us that are from the philippines and started their nursing career there in there mid 30s... please share your experience, i will be 35 when i graduate.

NaomieRN · Jul 25, 2006

34 is very young. There is a 46 years old woman in my class just starting out and still not too old.

Lil123 · Jul 25, 2006

I just became a CNA this Dec. I'm 50! I think age makes us better. Don't sweat it. You'll by pass the young ones by when you get promotions! Go for it! Lots of luck!

BROOK9960 · Jul 25, 2006

I am 34 and will 35 at the end of August and I am just starting school in August. My sister is 37 and she will be 38 in September and she is just starting. Our Mother graduated from Nursing school when she was 51, so you are never too old to try something new and start a new career. You and I still have time to build a retirement up and I am even hoping to eventually become a CRNA, which I am looking at about another 5 years after I graduate from nursing school! I don't know about you, but I have wanted to be in the medical field since I was a child and never fulfilled that dream until now............so I definitely don't think it's too late, so you shouldn't either!

tantrum · Jul 25, 2006

My wife is 37 and will be 38 when she gets her degree. She'll be 39 by the time she gets her RN license. She was inspired to go back to school when she was a CNA and she had a 50 year-old instructor who is an LPN planning to be an RN. I'm in a different field but I'm planning to go back to school for fun when I'm retired or semi-retired.

pyrolady · Jul 25, 2006

When I started on my BSN I was 38 years old, most of the people in my class were in their 30's and either divorced or or getting one (?) One of my classmates had NINE children and drove more than an hour each way everyday. On the other end of the spectrum, a classmate gave birth to twins during our last semester. NEVER too old to do ANYTHING - I know a teacher who just retired at age 84!!! I love to jetski and I'm in my 50's - there are no rules anymore ! GO US !!

polo_loco · Nov 22, 2007

lets put it this way....you'll reach 37 years old anyways whether or not you take up nursing at age 34. The only thing important is that time is of the essence to pick a choice: to be or not to be a nurse when youre 37 years old.

RNHawaii34 · Nov 23, 2007

lets put it this way....you'll reach 37 years old anyways whether or not you take up nursing at age 34. the only thing important is that time is of the essence to pick a choice: to be or not to be a nurse when youre 37 years old.

i totally agree with polo_loco. i graduated in nursing school when i was 33. i thought i was too "old" because my classmates was in their early 20's. but you know what? i felt much, much better when i was in my 30s, i was able to focus more on my studies. i was not bothered, or worried about a lot of stuff around me, like if i was gonna fit in the group or not. only in the philippines, that people make a big deal about age. if you're over 30 and you live there, your done! in america, being in your 30s is like you're just in your 20s. and the bottomline is, just like what polo_loco said, everybody will end up getting old, so what? you did something better than other people who just did the "talking", just tell yourself, when i turn 37, i will be through with my bsn degree !!! trust me, it will pay off later on.

Hoss · Nov 23, 2007

Another great benefit to being "older" as a student; not all that a teacher says is taken as "gospel". My 42 yr old wife/BSN student has taken 2 teachers to task in the past couple of years at school because of very poor teaching performance. She is not shy about letting a poor performance by a teaching professor go un-challenged. She is very respectful, but demands professional level teaching out of her professors for the money she and other students are spending.

This not only insures her own education is being handled properly, but her fellow "young" nursing students get a better classroom/clincal education as well because she dares to speak up when not all is right in the teachers performance.

When dealing with the lives of patients, I would gladly listen to an older nurse make a suggestion that may result in a much better outcome for a patient. Old age I believe starts around 75 or 80....but even THEN its best to sit down a LISTEN to that font of wisdom that may be advising you from decades of experience.

Finally "Youth, beauty and enthusiasm can always be overcome with old age and treachery" !!! L O L!!

Hoss