newlife09

Thank you for your childrens' service to our country! Much gratitude!

No I don't think so, I was 55 when I graduated from my BSN program and then took the NCLEX for licensing. Had 3 job offers and now work as a Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist for a major medical center in Central California (past 5 years). To go back to school and become an RN over 50 was the best decision I ever made.

I was a secretary at a K-8 school for 15 years, and I have seen all sorts of "abuse" of sending the child to see the nurse. Which oftentimes she was so overworked, no seats left in the nurses office that the duties fell to me. Our school district implemented a charting system, each child had a chart created, which was a piece of cardstock, labeled with demographics and then filed alphabetically in the nurses office, this record followed the child, if they changed school within the district, went to jr. high and high school, hence a complete record of their nurse office visits. We charted when they came in, the problem, our action, followup and time they left. When there was a problem with a certain child's constant office visits, we could inform the teacher with a verificable record of how many times they were sending a child to the office for frivolous things. Oftentimes when we informed and showed the parent, the parents were flabbergasted at how many times their child kept going to the nurses office, often times it was attention seeking, not all, but oftentimes. Of course there were true emergencies, med dispensing, etc. and these were obviously warranted. What I found a lot of the times though is that a child had a stomach ache during math class or right before PE. Also, what we found is that if a child came in for headache, stomachache which are very subjective symptoms, I would keep the child to "rest in the office" through their recess time. Once the word got out, if you went to the office you might miss recess, that cut the visits enormously for those reasons. If a child was truly ill, they didn't mind resting in the office through their recess anyway! Good luck!

This could have been me writing this original post, I just resigned from my position in an acute care mental health facility (we do not call them "psych" hospitals in California because of stigma associated with it..), after only 4 months. My goal on a daily basis was to get done with my shift without being physically assaulted by the patients. The goal of the administration was to keep the beds filled and monies rolling in. There was not thought as to the type of patient that was being admitted. My favorites were the ones coming from the prison, this was a fast ticket out of jail to us if they stated they were having "thoughts to hurt themselves". Many times these patients were paranoid, and extremely violent. It was unsafe for staff and other patients. Nursing management was a joke. When I was first hired there was only an interim and she only stayed 3 weeks. When a permanent one was hired, she felt her role was to task nurses with more work, and what I mean, is filling out stupid forms, double and triple charting. Absolutely ridiculous. I always did what was best for my patients but could not give them the total attention I would have wished. I would run a therapeutic group BUT the paperwork afterwards to document every single thing would weigh us down so much that we often skipped doing the group, because we knew we could not complete the charting in a timely manner and NOT have to work overtime, which was a big NO-NO! The unit was full of behavior problems, NOT true psych patients. The behavior problems, drug seekers were very scary to work with as they knew the system and they knew how to get the staff in trouble. The last straw for me was when I had a patient have a seizure, who had no history of seizures. While we were tending to this patient, and calling EMT for an emergency room admit, 3 other "behavior" patients, decided to throw themselves to the floor, writhing and banging their heads on the wall, yelling.."is this what I have to do to get attention around here!"...and their idea of attention was receiving their constant diet of Norco, SOMAs, Vicodin, etc, etc...It was high stress. The patient that had the seizure is all right, but then our nurse manager asked me...What could I have DONE BETTER to prevent the other patients from acting out...SERIOUSLY??? you want me to control their bad drug seeking behavior. Also, psychiatrists who as ME how the patient is doing and then bill the patient for a visit without ever really talking to the patient. Saw that all the time. I am so lucky as I am also a PHN and have a new job as a case manager in the county health department where I live helping families find medical services for their children that need help. I start that job on Monday and I could not be happier. By the way, I am 55 and nursing was my second career. I loved psych nursing and was VERY GOOD at it and very effective, BUT, management was the downfall, and I figured they will never be pleased. I took a pay cut to take the job I have now, but it will be worth it. My advice, if you feel UNSAFE search for something else, do not put yourself through that, it is not worth it.

Thank you resilientnurse for the pep talk. You would think that someone my age wouldn't need such a thing, but I SO do. Your story is very inspiring!! Trying to get to the nurse recruiters is what I am finding difficult. I wish I would have been able to work while I was in the nursing program, but I was not able to, I may have fallen out of the loop. Well, I will just keep on trying, keep on looking, and pray and hope that someone gives me a chance. I know that if they do, they will not regret it! Thanks also poopprincess!! (I would love to know how you came about that name!)

I also am 55 and just finished and graduated with my BSN and passed the NCLEX last week! My elation and joy after a week has quickly plummeted to depression. I keep wondering if I have made a huge mistake. I keep hearing how difficult it is to land that first RN job, and now I can say, I understand that completely. Every job I have applied for, filling out those online applications that take forever, and writing that perfect cover letter, have all been rejected. In fact, it happens so fast I wonder if the positions truly exist. I always thought that my age, maturity, life experiences in dealing with the public (I was an office manager for a school for 20 years) would be an advantage, but now I am not so sure. I feel out of the loop, out of my league, and I keep wondering, what in the world could I have been thinking!! People ask me what am I interested in. At this point, that does not matter, I just need to be employed as the student loans were a debt I never would have assumed had I really known it would have been this difficult 3 years later to find employment to at least pay them off. I guess what I am asking, is when should I truly be discouraged, and begin to look for employment in a different field.

:specs:I just wanted to let you know that I just finished my first semester in my BSN program and am 52 years young! To be a nurse was a dream of mine but with family circumstances, kids, moves, husband's employment, it was a dream for myself that I was always putting to the side. I started my prerequisites at night in 2005 (working full time during the day) at the local community college and after 4 years was able to apply to the university for the RN program. I was accepted and was ecstatic. I am the oldest one in my class (next in line to me is 36), but I feel absolutely no negativity from any of my fellow nursing classmates, in fact, there is an energy that makes me feel younger than my years. My professors respect me and and are extrememly encouraging. I am looking forward to my second semester to start in August. The only down side for me is that even though I am always included with the younger crowd I wish I had someone closer to my age in my class who I could relate to regarding, husbands, children, grandchildren and menopause! All of the "mature" crowd can be a great support for each other on this message board. We will be successful and will be wonderful nurses!!

To all who posted and offered their wisdom: Thank you! What a wonderful support group. I feel so blessed. YES, I mailed my signed acceptance letter in yesterday. I feel now there is no turning back. I guess there are times when I am my own worst enemy. Again, than you all for the wonderful support.

My gut tells me to drop the letter in the mail today. I feel much better this morning, and you are right about having had quite a few other nerve wracking experiences to chalk up on my resume! Thanks.

Thank you, you are so right about loyalty regarding employment issues! I think it is the "caretaker" issue in women that sometimes makes us want to make it alright for everyone else, but then we forget about ourselves and our own needs. I will let you know when I drop that letter in the mail! My gut tells me to put it in the box today.

I have been reading other posts relative to the age of students in nursing school. You see, I will be 52 on my next birthday, and have just been accepted into the Spring of 09 nursing program at the University for a BSN. My husband and I have worked all of our life to put all 3 or our children through college and one through graduate school. I have been working full time while going to school at night for the past 4 years to take all of my pre-req classes and other general ed classes (all taken at the local community college). I applied to the university in August (as I have finished my last pre-req of Micro) and got an acceptance letter almost immediately. The signed letter is to be in the director's office by October 24th! I have been waiting for this moment forever and I cannot get my hand to hold the pen and sign that letter! I am absolutely petrified. Petrified about my age, if I can do the physical work, and even afraid to give my notice at work! (I just don't want to deal with all of that about quitting a job). Right now I am the office manager/registrar for a K through 8 school with over 500 students and 40 staff members, so I know a bit about multitasking, but I feel this may be a daunting undertaking. Am I crazy? Please let me know.