Older students after graduation

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I see many posts about older nursing students. I don't see much about what happens to these students after graduation. I am preparing for my second career as my kids grow up and leave the house. I do not think my age will be a factor in nursing school but do any of you have a feel for how much of a factor it might be when I start working? Do you see first year older nurses hired along with the younger ones?

I was 42 when I graduated as a LPN. I worked on a LTC floor doing patient care assigments a few days a week and passed meds the rest. I have to admit my body was killing me at first, but I adjusted and did just fine. I am now 47 and just graduated with my associates.

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

I graduated at 48 (did a direct-entry MSN program). I was the oldest student in my program, but also had one of the highest GPAs. In some ways I wish I had done the career change when I was younger, but I think having the years of work/life experience were definitely in my favor. I had no trouble getting a job when I graduated, despite my "advanced age".

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I see many posts about older nursing students. I don't see much about what happens to these students after graduation. I am preparing for my second career as my kids grow up and leave the house. I do not think my age will be a factor in nursing school but do any of you have a feel for how much of a factor it might be when I start working? Do you see first year older nurses hired along with the younger ones?

Honey, age is nothing but a number! *LOL*

If your health is good, as well as stamina go for it and don't look back.

There is an old saying that "youth is wasted on the young", and to some extent that is true. How many of us have said "if I knew then what I know now.....". In short life experiences can more than make up for "age", if that is a problem, and I for one don't believe it for one minute.

Many employers value older workers because they have much different mindset than twenty-somethings. One is no longer a "boy crazy" youth, with hormones raging and all that goes along. But rather someone who can see the big picture, and brings good work habits and ethics to the table.

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As an older person changing to a career in nursing, I have encountered age discrimination. Some have even come out and bluntly questioned me about my age and lack of experience at the time. The employer expects someone who is older to have X number of years experience. More than my age, they have questioned the LVN license instead of RN license. I just tell them the truth. Either they offer me a job, or I move on to the next prospective employer. I have found, though, that more employers are more concerned with getting another employee than with questioning the employee's "lack" of qualifications, including being young. Don't let your age stop you. A wise employer will know that a mature employee is a reliable employee (generally).

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Specializes in progressive care telemetry.

This came up during a presentation given by a local nurse recruiter at my nursing school. She said they like older new grads, life experience counts for a lot as well as already having a work history so they have a better idea about the kind of employee the person is going to be.

I'm hoping she's right, I turn 41 this summer and will graduate right before that!

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Okay, I am 42 and just graduated with my BSN, and I interviewed at a hospital who had 100's of applicants for very few positions. I didn't get hired, but I was realistic about my chances as there were employees of the hospital trying for the same positions, but several of us have noted that all the people that did get hired were all in their 20's. I graduated magna cum laude, but didn't even come close to getting hired. Also there were employees of the hospital that had been employees 20+ years and had recommendations and the hospital even paid for their nursing school degrees who didn't get jobs. They hired people with no work experience over their own employees, so I think there is some ageism that occurs. I realize this is my first experience job hunting and it certainly cannot be applied generally, but it does happen.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

I'm an older recent grad. The main problem I've encountered can be summed up by something my charge nurse said to me the other day: "Sometimes I forget you're a brand new nurse."

I ask why, and she says "Because of your age, your gray hair...the way you carry yourself. It's as if you've been doing this for years."

I appreciated the compliment, but at the same time, I think it has compromised my new hire orientation due to them frequently assigning me patients and tasks that are above my level of skill and with only minimal observation by my preceptor. Several times, I've had to remind them that the assignments were not safe and were not appropriate (for example...10 days into my career, I was assigned to catch a baby at a c-section...uh, no. Not yet).

A conversation with my director and my charges have corrected this course of action, and things are going well and I am learning a lot.

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Thank you.

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I graduated at 48 (did a direct-entry MSN program). I was the oldest student in my program, but also had one of the highest GPAs. In some ways I wish I had done the career change when I was younger, but I think having the years of work/life experience were definitely in my favor. I had no trouble getting a job when I graduated, despite my "advanced age".

THANK YOU! I am currently attempting to do a career change. I feel the same way----wish I had done it younger, BUT life happens when it happens. I was encouraged by your comments.

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