Older Students - 40 +

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We are all nursing students, but some of us have come to this as a second or third career. Looking for age-peers. This forum is not a place to complain about, judge or idealize people of any age going to nursing school. Just to share experiences if you are a minority age (older) group in your class.

Hi everyone, so glad I found this thread.... I’m 43 just finished my pre-reqs, put in my applications and I’m awaiting a response to enter nursing school. This has been a concern of mine since I started this journey, I constantly question my age “am I too old to do this”, but my will is definitely stronger then my doubts (and honestly my age is the only thing that worries me, academically I’m pretty good) I’ve given it my all and I am proud of what I have accomplished so far. Seeing this thread and knowing that at an older age it can and has been done is so encouraging, thanks everyone hope you can understand how good i feel this very moment to know I am not alone and that it has been done and could be done... so ready and excited to start this new chapter in my life.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
On 3/1/2015 at 4:34 PM, rob4546 said:

The only thing that I had a problem with was staying up past 10:00 to study.

LOL. YES. I'm 33 (34 next month) and most nights I barely make it past 9-9:30pm. But my current job (non nursing) requires me to be up at 4-430am so yeah.....I sometimes wonder how the hell I'm gonna manage if I need to work night shift or an overnight as a nurse.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

In my class I'm kind of the middle of the playing field. Many students are basically fresh outta high school, 19-20 years old, but there are also quite a few in their late 40s some even early 50s.

Approaching my mid 30s and I also feel like I'm late to the party....but nothing wrong with that at all.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Will you be tired? YES.

Can you do it? YES.

I graduated nursing school at age 41. Got my BSN at age 44. Got my MSN at age 46.

The realities of your body are what they are. Eat well and exercise. Seriously. Sleep well too. Nothing drastic, but do what you can to be as capable as possible. At this point in your life the greatest threat to making a go of this is the reality that our stamina and strength start to decline if we aren't mindful of at least maintaining it, if not improving. That's just reality. Good nutrition will help with mental capacity as well. Too many of us have done it for it to be impossible. You got this.

Good luck!

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i'm 41 and just finishing my pre-reqs. i'll be starting a 15 month absn program in the fall. i already have a jd and master's, but am trying to switch careers. have three young kids and work full time. i'm tired, but i love my classes. have had no issues with the age difference in pre-reqs. i've heard the absn program has a wide range of ages so i'm not overly concerned. mostly concerned about a salary cut when i switch careers. ?

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This thread is very encouraging to me. I'll be 50 soon, and beginning an LPN program in August. My starting point as far as education/career is lower than many. I was a wild teenager and dropped out of school to party full-time. At 24 I had my first child, which turned my whole life around, and from there it was about being a mom and making enough $$ to provide for my family. Now, the kids are grown and it's time for me. I've been working as a MAP direct care staff for over 5 years, which has taught me some basic care skills. The physical aspect of being older and keeping up doesn't bother me, because I'm still running around and lifting/transferring residents with the young girls at work. It's simply being older that concerns me a bit. At my age, most nurses are seasoned and secure in their career, whereas I will be a student and then a new nurse. I have no problem being humble and taking direction, but I'm used to being one of the more experienced staff at my job and knowing what I'm doing. I'm just not looking forward to feeling like a bumbling idiot, although that experiences doesn't seem to have any age restrictions ?.

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Specializes in Emergency.

42 and finishing up my first year in an ADN program. I'll graduate at 43!

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Specializes in Bahavioral health.

I'm 60 (don't look it) and will be taking a Nurse Refresher Course beginning next month.. Last time I worked as a nurse was in Mental Health in 2006. I had a very lucrative career in Clinical Research from 1990 to 2016; and left at Director level. My School only requires people my age to pay fees and not the tuition; so it will cost me only $500 to take the Refresher. I'll take the gamble. I'm bored and want to go back to work in Mental Health. I also successfully passed a Refresher with Clinical in 2012, so I know I can do it. The Program Director told me I was NOT to old; and I should be able to find a job when I finish. I don't have to work, so no pressure, but I have to try.

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Specializes in Med-Surg Ortho.

I’ll be returning to this thread periodically to revisit everyone’s stories for encouragement and as a touchstone.

I just turned 48 (how did that happen?!?) and will be applying to an MSN Entry Level program this spring. If/when I get in, I’ll be 51 by the time I’m an RN.

I’d like to eventually pursue some type of advanced training, but I’m too interested and fascinated by the possibilities to know what that might be.

But I do know that I want to use whatever time I have to create an amazing career for myself.

At the same time, I harbor SO many fears, worries, and anxieties about following this path. Any words of encouragement from this who’ve gone before is greatly appreciated!

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Specializes in Clinical Social Worker.

I decided to go for it at 43.

I had been chipping away at prerequisites one at a time over a few years, but got to the point where I had to decide to dive in or not, as half time is the minimum number of credits I could take for the BSN program.

Since my goal is to be a psychNP, I figured I could be 50 and continue to be an LCSW and that would be fine, or I could be 50 and have the option to practice as a nurse/nurse practitioner and that would also be really interesting.

It helps that I arrived at a clear goal of psychNP because of my experience as an LCSW, I think. One of the things I've really enjoyed about being a social worker is the wide array of opportunities available with that training. I suspect nursing will be similar in that respect. The BSN has a lot of options. Specialty training as MSN leading to credentialing as NP is obviously more discrete, but I think the ability to do lots of things is part of what appeals to me.

One of the physicians I work with tried to convince me to go to med school recently. If I were in my 30s, I would abosolutely consider it. But in my 40s, I have to say that I really appreciate my sleep more than credential-based respect.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
4 hours ago, NuggetsHuman said:

I decided to go for it at 43.

I had been chipping away at prerequisites one at a time over a few years, but got to the point where I had to decide to dive in or not, as half time is the minimum number of credits I could take for the BSN program.

Since my goal is to be a psychNP, I figured I could be 50 and continue to be an LCSW and that would be fine, or I could be 50 and have the option to practice as a nurse/nurse practitioner and that would also be really interesting.

It helps that I arrived at a clear goal of psychNP because of my experience as an LCSW, I think. One of the things I've really enjoyed about being a social worker is the wide array of opportunities available with that training. I suspect nursing will be similar in that respect. The BSN has a lot of options. Specialty training as MSN leading to credentialing as NP is obviously more discrete, but I think the ability to do lots of things is part of what appeals to me.

One of the physicians I work with tried to convince me to go to med school recently. If I were in my 30s, I would abosolutely consider it. But in my 40s, I have to say that I really appreciate my sleep more than credential-based respect.

You definitely should go for Direct-Entry PMHNP with a program that can be done in 3 years full time.

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Specializes in Clinical Social Worker.

One definitely can take the direct entry route, and it would be much more time efficient.

Unfortunately I’m not in a position where I can stop my full time job to attend school full time.

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