pjgal2000

Go for it!! I did (starting nursing school pre reqs at age 55) and I'm so happy I didn't let anyone persuade me not to!! I was one of the first in my class to be hired (a week BEFORE I graduated : ) and at the job I wanted in the hospital where I wanted to work and doing exactly what I wanted to do my entire life, be a nurse!! You are welcome to contact me anytime. I read an article my third semester of nursing school that convinced me I would NEVER get a job at my age. I hate I ever read that because my age in school or getting a job has never been an issue. If you know in your heart you were meant to be nurse, don't let anything get in your way, especially a "number". I worked hard, graduated with honors and had scholarships along the way. Yes, there are scholarships especially designed for women over 35! I graduated debt free with no student loans from my community college. You CAN do this!! Please don't let the naysayers convince you otherwise!! I'm so proud of you for taking this on, even the idea of it. I hope to follow your journey through nursing school and on to working nurse!!

Please don't let "Debbie Downer" discourage you! I started nursing school at 55! I'm a working nurse now who just graduated with my RN ASN degree in May of this year! I was one of the first in my class to be hired (and by far the oldest) I was offered a job the week before I graduated at the hospital where I wanted to work on the floor that I wanted to be on! I passed my NCLEX on my first try in 75 questions and I'm Loving every day on the job!! I just started volunteering as "Camp Nurse" at Camp Twin Lakes for children with disabilities this past weekend after working three 12 hour shifts in a row Mon, Tues and Wed, then packed and headed right off to camp MDA Walk n' Roll on Thurs staying in the med lodge 24/7 where the kids were amazing!! You can do all this and then some at any age if you take care of yourself and refuse to let a number define you! I plan to have a nice long career! LIVING MY DREAMS!! #liveunlimited

Started nursing school at 55! Working nurse just graduated with my RN ASN degree in May. Got a job a week before I graduated at the hospital where I wanted to work on the floor that I wanted to be on. Passed my NCLEX first try in 75 questions. Loving every day on the job!! Just started volunteering as "Camp Nurse" at Camp Twin Lakes for children with disabilities. Worked three 12 hour shifts in a row last week, packed and headed to camp MDA Walk n' Roll 24/7 where the kids were amazing!! You can do this at any age if you take care of yourself and refuse to let a number define you! LIVING MY DREAMS!! #liveunlimited

I feel EXACTLY the same! Congratulations! Yesterday was my last day of nursing school and I'm so ready to start work as a nurse. Good luck on your NCLEX. We just finished a week of intensive Kaplan training. I will finish their course and practice all the questions I can get my hands on. I've waited so long to be a nurse I want to be ready to pass the NCLEX on the first try. I can't believe my pinning is almost here, April 30th and Graduation May 2nd. It's been quite a ride!! All the best to you!!

Loved your post!! And it's true it's never too late! I started my second career path to nursing school at age 55 (yes!) and I will be PINNED ON APRIL 30th! and GRADUATE MAY 2nd!! It hasn't been easy but I can now say I DID IT!! I am very active too and play on not one but two tennis leagues, ALTA and USTA and we won our division last season! The 13 hr shifts (no such thing as a 12 hr shift) I've just completed 191 hours of were exhausting but I never stopped, it was never "too much" for me and with a good nights sleep I was ready for another shift the next day and then play tennis early mornings on my days off. Those of you in your 40s and up you CAN do this!! I am so excited about my new career. I am already in the job market putting in new grad applications. I will let you know how that goes.

Thank you, love this post and what you said is what I have believed going into this process at age 55. I will graduate next May having just turned 60. I'm healthy, have no kids at home and ready to work!

Thank you SO MUCH for this post!! I started college for the first time at 55 and have worked my butt off to get into my RN program and excel. I am a senior nursing student now and will be 60 when I graduate next May. I knew there would be some ageism to overcome but never let that stop me as I worked to reach by goal of becoming a nurse. All these comments have been so negative. I am a positive person and I plan to work many many years. I am on two tennis teams ALTA and USTA and I am accustomed to playing three sets in the hot Georgia summer sun against opponents half my age, with no problem. I pray that after I graduate, I will find a place where my age and experience will be appreciated. You give me hope!!

Awesome! Thank you for your service! I'm a rising senior in nursing school as a second career "calling" I will graduate May 2016 Nurse On!!

I wish you best of luck in your job hunt! At the hospital where I have just finished my clinicals, they are hiring nursing graduates right out of school so perhaps it depends on the area. I have one year to go and am hopeful this is still the case when i graduate next May.

YAY for you!!

I am so glad you posted this. I am heartbroken over this sad and tragic situation. As a fellow nursing student, also a junior and having just finished carpooling to my last clinical over one hour from my school, this has hit home and hit hard. My prayers go out to you and all your fellow classmates and also to the families and friends of these young ladies. I have been following this tragedy on the news and have shed many tears for all of you. I do think your school is a "class act" in their handling of this situation. From what I understand, the school has added a single tear to your school's eagle logo as a memorial in honor of these students, how fitting! And today, every flag in our state government is at half mast in their honor. One thing I have been lacking in the news coverage is the condition of the other two students injured in the accident. You said they are critical. I know there are privacy laws but would appreciate hearing how they are if you know. God Bless all of you, you will remain in my thoughts and prayers. Pam

Your research sounds amazing! Please keep me posted

Your research sounds amazing! Please keep me posted

Thank you! :) I see your specialty is Geriatrics, dementia and hospice. God Bless you! I worked last summer between semesters as a caretaker for a 98 year old Alzheimer's patient. It was challenging at times but I feel in love with her! Wonderful work, so rewarding and I learned so much from her.

Thank you! That is so encouraging. My husbands favorite nurse in the burn center was 77 working full time with no plans to retire. His admit nurse was 55 like me when he started nursing school so while there it didn't seem what I was choosing to do was too out of the ordinary. In the real world I know it is but there are a couple of grayish heads in my class and my young buddies in their late 20s have been more than accepting of me as an equal. I warned my husband when we married he was stuck with me because women in my family live a long time, my grandmother passed away just before my father and she was 98 living in her own home until a fall and hip break. Mother is 83 and still doing great in her own home. I stay very active. I'm on two tennis teams ALTA and USTA and my ALTA team is in first place right now! I plan on working as many years as I can and hope to make a difference in every life I touch even if it's in a small way like a smile and letting them know I care, patient, family, co worker, etc. I loved my observation time in the OR as it brought my A & P textbooks to life! I loved my clinicals because I'm all about hands on patient care. I loved my time shadowing in the ER and am leaning that way right now. And I'm still entertaining the idea of being a burn nurse but that entails a long commute since I live in such a rural area. My main worry is the application process, will they look at my age and total lack of experience and pass me over, without even an interview? That's a real fear. I won't let it stop me though, I'm all in!!