Older Nursing Students

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I am 50 years old and I am doing my prerequisites. I will be 51 if I get into the nursing program and 52 when I become a LPN. I took care of my mother for 10 years until she passed away in August of 2010 and I decided to go for my LPN. Am I Crazy or should I go for it.

Anyone else did this and was successful?

I think you should pursue you goals no matter what age. Go for it!

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I am thinking to work until I am 68 years old. With how Social Security you need all the savings you can get.

I don't think I will mind working that long because I love nursing.

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faithful: sorry about your mum. You are never too old, so go for it! I started my prereq's at 43...I'm 45 and I just got accepted into an ADN program....so I will be approaching 47 when I get my RN! Never too late, darlin'!

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I will be 40 when I sit for NCLEX. I feel like a spring chicken with all of you. :cheeky: I'm so happy to read that I'll have some peers through school. During my pre-reqs, I made study partners (and friends) with 1 who was 10 years older than me and 2 who were 10 years younger but acted MY age. I think the life experiences and maturity we bring to the field are an asset and one the HS grads won't have. They can't help what they don't know so I don't fault them for being young, but likewise, people can't fault us for being older.

I hope to work bedside for 10 years or so and am seriously considering going for NP so I can work in a clinic and have more routine patients when I'm approaching 60 and likely won't have the stamina for bedside nursing anymore. Then again, I may be selling myself short because I've seen some grey-haired nurses who've been doing this forever and I do believe they have enough energy to run circles around me. Maybe I'll aspire to be like them. :nurse:

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I know I'm not necessarily classified as an "older student," as I am only 30, but compared to the girls in my program (I attend a Women's College), I am. The way I look at it is the fact you are in school because think of it this way- there are people out there who are our age (regardless of how old we are) who have never taken a single college class. You're already way ahead of them!

Good luck!

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I am 50 years old and I am doing my prerequisites. I will be 51 if I get into the nursing program and 52 when I become a LPN. I took care of my mother for 10 years until she passed away in August of 2010 and I decided to go for my LPN. Am I Crazy or should I go for it.

Anyone else did this and was successful?

Go for it! my mom was older then you when she went back to school.

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Hey. I just graduated with my ADN at 51. I was glad to do it. I found that this time around I had a totally different perspective. I understood the fruits of my hardwork would pay off later, so I worked hard at conceptually understanding things. I also savored the friendships, long study hours, fast food, and all else that went along with it. In the end, not only did I get a nursing degree, but a new perspective about people and life. That is priceless.

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I will be 45 by the time I graduate; I start the ADN program this fall. I do agree with swansonplace and 1fiestymama. I believe that our life experiences can only help us in the nursing field. I also can attest to the fact that I have a totally different perspective on learning in general than when I was younger. I really want to understand what I am learning to be able to apply that knowledge in life.

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Seems like 60 is the new 40 and a lot of people I meet do not appear as old to me as my parents did to me at the same age. Seniors are no longer giving up on doing new things and often when they end one career they start another. I hope you will enjoy your journey. The nicest thing about doing this later in life is knowing you don't have to be in such a big hurry as you were following after your first career. You know you can achieve and succeed as you have done so in your life all ready. Now take the things you know and excell in and apply those talents to where you going. Best wishes.

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I am 50 years old and I am doing my prerequisites. I will be 51 if I get into the nursing program and 52 when I become a LPN. I took care of my mother for 10 years until she passed away in August of 2010 and I decided to go for my LPN. Am I Crazy or should I go for it.

Anyone else did this and was successful?

Such an amazing person you are! You are far from crazy! What does age matter? You seem passionate about it (as am I) and you deserve to be a nurse! Good luck!

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I was just north of 45 when I got my RN license.

Age is meaningless - energy, intellect, motivation, work ethic... those count. If you've got 'em, go for it.

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Never too old to learn and start another chapter of your life/career! Good luck!

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