This is my first post, but I am curious....When I finish nursing school (if I even get in) I will be 62 years old. Is there anyone out there in the same situation? I am currently struggling through Physiology, and am not sure I can get the required B, but I don't have a lot of time to waste taking it again. Do you find learning is harder because you are older?
This is my final dream, to become a nurse. Done everything else I have ever wanted to achieve, but this just might be not possible.
You'll be amazed how fast two years of school goes by. Study hard and learn as much as you can. A two year program crams an awful lot into a short time, but it is all necessary learning...there's no fluff. You've persevered this far and already have the makings of a damn good nurse!
I admire all the people who persevere through adversity -- breast cancer and chemo have to be in a class of their own -- and that is truly inspiring. But the other things on this thread are, too. The years of doing things you don't love to pay the bills, the struggles to find funds for tuition and books and to carve out time for study as an adult.
One hopes that it pays off in the end, but sometimes it's hard to find the job that fits. I'm still working on that one. The good part is that my nursing degree has made it easier to stay employed and when I'm earning a full paycheck, I can even put some into savings. I've tried the private duty home care nursing with one client in a family setting. It has had its reward and I often enjoy it a lot when the family, kids, grandkids, and helpers are all around and I'm juggling making supper, keeping my client comfortable, giving her treatments, charting, letting the dog in and out... I've tried a busy challenging floor job in the hospital with 12 hour shifts...also tough in its own way. I've been a flu clinic nurse and enjoyed working with kids, babies, moms and pops, business people and factory workers...especially liked the autonomy. I'd get my assignment, collect my large bin at the clinic, then head out to a school or place of business and start giving injections and nasal sprays. When I was out of nursing work for awhile I did medical records field tech work, earning enough to pay the bills each month. Also got that job on the strength of my nursing education.
Of course, I'm still paying off the student loans. That's another drawback of late life education, unless you have the funds to pay without loans. I'll be paying them off till I croak, prob'ly.:)
Yes! That is one of my biggest goals--in addition to attaining my lifelong dream career of becoming a nurse, I will also have the income that will take me into retirement. I have twin grandsons that are 9 months old. It will be nice to have the cushion to splurge more than I can now. I figure if I can work till 75ish, then will retire. I am from a family of long-livers, so, hopefully, I will still enjoy some retirement. I have always worked, so not sure if I would even enjoy retiring completely. And, I will be paying off my student loans until infinity also! P.S: I give you so much credit for all you have accomplished! I love your story...
Hey there fellow folks of a certain age: Felt the need to chime in again after a long while: I graduated a BSN program at South Dakota State University when I was 58. If anyone is being discouraged by waiting lists or tuition for BSN vs. ADN, I recommend you check them out. I had a great experience there with the majority of the faculty and classmates too! The West River program is the one I attended in Rapid City. It was challenging but I held my own. The hardest part at this age for me was the fact that so much is based on memorization. I don't memorize like I used to but once I can connect new information to life experience, it stays with me. Once you get past the rote memorization and into the application of information to scenarios, it makes a lot more sense. "Thinking like a nurse" is the main thing to keep in mind. Once you make that transition, things fall into place better.
I'm now on my second job 2 years later, the first being charge nurse at a clinic. I am currently a hospice nurse (which was my goal all along) and I'm loving it. Demanding but good. I still wonder if I should work in acute care for a certain time to get the breadth of experience to be had there but it isn't a huge stumbling block. I'm tickled to death that I finally decided to see this through and I encourage anyone who wants to to do the same. It's not too late until you're dead.
That is great news, and full of encouragement! Thank you for sharing your story. BTW, my brother has lived in Rapid City for almost 40 years. God's country out there. I visited, and got to see the Badlands, Black Hills, Mt. Rushmore, and a rodeo! It is so beautiful out there. I will update throughout my school semesters. I have 20 months straight through.
Hello, I am in my 1st med surg class of a ASN program. I am 55. I am going to be honest (at least in regard to my experience /feelings). Nursing school is very difficult .My 1st exam i did not do well. I have my next exam this Tuesday and I'm not sure how well I will do. You are required to know a huge amount of material and regurgitate it every 4 weeks in the form of an exam . ITs just not the disease, but understanding the pathophysiology, nursing intervention, the treatments, the drugs for the treatment and then the side effects and on and on and on. And then there's the reading, and the clinicals and the labs. ITS A LOT! On top of all that (and I am speaking only with the experience pertaining to the program that I am in) IT IS SELF TAUGHT. With regards to age, I study at least 3 hours a day, everyday for one class. I think consistently going over the material may help retain it in the long term memory. This is my newest tatic. It's hard to find someone for me to study with. There's not alot in common. Iam rreally struggling. I'm wondering if i can do this. .My home situation is not good either. BUt just because lm having a hard time does not mean you will. If its what you really want you can do it. Whatever your happiness is I hope you obtain it. Peace
I just wanted to see how you're doing. I am in specialties now. I have 3 more and then my last semester is 7 weeks of school & the last 7 weeks is our preceptorship. I graduate December 7. I turned 62 in December.
Hi, I am 55 and starting nursing school in Aug. I will be close to 60 when I finish. I have wanted to go back to school since I was in my twenties but of course life got in the way. Now that my daughters are grown and I no longer have family responsibilities I'm going for it!! Don't let anyone discourage you. You can do this
I so appreciate reading about all of you ladies in later years struggling and succeeding. I currently am waiting to find out if I got accepted into a local ADN program. I am 43, a mother of 1 sweet girl... A wife... I have taken required prerequisites for months and months... I have given 150% and am terrified it wasn't enough!! If I don't get in I already have a back up plan though.. ..A few more weeks and I will find out! It's very nice reading these stories though. Congrats to you all for having the motivation, grit, & gumption to do it. At 43 competing with young 20 somethings and in some cases under 20 year olds has been eye opening.
I found at 35 when I started my pre reqs, only in 2 classes out of 12 was I the oldest, but also younger students will gravitate towards you for help or what not.
I'm 57 and entering an accelerated 2nd Bac program in May, 2017. You can do it, too. The pre-reqs were tough, but I took mine at a community college. Small classes, great profs, and I loved it. The life experience you have can't be taught in a classroom, so I think you have an advantage in terms of patient interaction. And make friends with your younger classmates. They are smart and amazing with technology. Study together. They will learn from you, too. Synergy is better than going solo. YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
Flatlander
249 Posts
You'll be amazed how fast two years of school goes by. Study hard and learn as much as you can. A two year program crams an awful lot into a short time, but it is all necessary learning...there's no fluff. You've persevered this far and already have the makings of a damn good nurse!
I admire all the people who persevere through adversity -- breast cancer and chemo have to be in a class of their own -- and that is truly inspiring. But the other things on this thread are, too. The years of doing things you don't love to pay the bills, the struggles to find funds for tuition and books and to carve out time for study as an adult.
One hopes that it pays off in the end, but sometimes it's hard to find the job that fits. I'm still working on that one. The good part is that my nursing degree has made it easier to stay employed and when I'm earning a full paycheck, I can even put some into savings. I've tried the private duty home care nursing with one client in a family setting. It has had its reward and I often enjoy it a lot when the family, kids, grandkids, and helpers are all around and I'm juggling making supper, keeping my client comfortable, giving her treatments, charting, letting the dog in and out... I've tried a busy challenging floor job in the hospital with 12 hour shifts...also tough in its own way. I've been a flu clinic nurse and enjoyed working with kids, babies, moms and pops, business people and factory workers...especially liked the autonomy. I'd get my assignment, collect my large bin at the clinic, then head out to a school or place of business and start giving injections and nasal sprays. When I was out of nursing work for awhile I did medical records field tech work, earning enough to pay the bills each month. Also got that job on the strength of my nursing education.
Of course, I'm still paying off the student loans. That's another drawback of late life education, unless you have the funds to pay without loans. I'll be paying them off till I croak, prob'ly.:)