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Hx: I am male, graduated from high school in 1962, my favorite aunt was an RN, and I wanted to go to nursing school. Unfortunately my guidance counselor convinced my parents that nursing was for females and I should go for medical school and be a physician. Instead I went into engineering. Fast forward to 2006: I retired and decided to go to nursing school, trained and worked as a CNA, graduated with an ASN in 2011, passed the NCLEX, went to work in psych, entered an RN to BSN program, and graduated with a BSN in 2016. I have experienced both sexism and ageism from the beginning of nursing school, but never on the floor as an RN! In school, during clinicals, all the MDs seemed fascinated and would ask "what's your story." They never asked that of any other student in my clinical group. During my Maternal/Child health semester I was fortunate to have a clinical instructor who was my age, and she saw to it that I got very chance the other students got; I never had a problem with patients in the L&D unit. I have worked psych, home health, long-term care, and hospice without ever having a problem with floor staff or patients. When discrimination came it was from instructors, older charge nurses, MDs, and nurse managers. Yes it is there, you just have to work through it by showing your competence. As for dealing with female patients: I questioned my clinical instructor in CNA training at a long-term care facility as to how to know if a female would accept care from a male CNA. She replied: "It's simple. Ask them, and they'll tell you." That's always worked for me.

I also like Alabama Shakes "Don't Wanna Fight," but...Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, S.O.B., more or less ends my day, enjoy: .Cheers to all us hard-working, under-paid, and under-appreciated nurses. Have one on me.

The U.S. health care "system" is broken beyond repair; this is just one ragged edge. Nurses need to organize and join National Nurses United! Solidarity is the only way we can make changes.

I have no advice regarding studying. Each person has unique methods of learning and absorbing information. I studied much differently than others in my class and it appeared that they all studied differently. The key is understanding multiple choice questions (MCQ). I would recommend a book that was required by my RN program: Test Success, ISBN: 978-0-8036-1894-7, by Patricia Nugent and Barbara Vitale. Understanding MCQs is more important than anything else if you're going to survive. It's the questions that will kill you!

Just graduated from nursing school, 3 weeks before my 67th birthday. You can do anything you set your mind to. Good luck.

If you want it, you can get it. I'll be 66 when I graduate in May, 67 when I take the NCLEX in June. Is it easy? ...sure

I graduate next May (2011) and when I take, and pass, the NCLEX in June, 2011, I'll be 67. I'm a CNA now and never have a problem finding work, and don't expect to have any problem as an RN. I work per diem, don't require health insurance, never call out, show up when scheduled, and do whatever is required on my shift. Employers love older nurses for all of those reasons. I work long-term care, home health care, and psychiatric care, specializing in Alzheimer's and other dementias: all areas that younger nurses and aides shun. How long will I work? As long as I want, as long as it interests me, and as long as I continue to love life.

Don't worry about your age, just do it and have fun. I'm in my 2d semester (Med-Surg), and set to graduate in May, 2011. Social Security is helping me pay the way - I'm 65, will be 66 when I graduate. As Satchel Paige used to say: "Don't look back; they may be gaining on you." Good luck!

Thanks for the encouragement, Robin!

EMCC would probably be my first choice. The problem is time. I've been told EMCC has a 4 semester waiting list and I don't have that kind of time. I'm still researching the options and intend to visit EMCC next week to confirm the waiting time. I'm also visiting UMO and Husson. I want to start in the summer of 2007 and with CLEPs maybe finish in 3 years. I want to do ELC, palliative care and hospice; I figure I've only got another 15 -20 working years left and don't want to waste it waiting to get into a program.

Hello, and thanks for the reply. Yes, Husson is the more expensive school. I'm applying to both; the attraction of Husson is smaller classes (you're not just a number). Neither school has stellar pass rates on the NCLEX; EMCC has the best pass rate, but does not have a BSN program. I'm still investigating and any information will be appreciated.

Hello, I'm new to nursing, currently studying to be a CNA (complete in March) and I'm looking at RN programs at Husson College and UMO. Any information on either program would be greatly appreciated as I am currently filling out the apps and writing the essays. Thanks.