virgogirl

I’ve applied to graduate school and in March I’ll find out if I’m accepted. If so, I’ll start in May and by the time I graduate I’ll be 61 ys old! I was on the fence for awhile but retirement isn’t in my future unless my mind or body gives out! I say go for it! Good luck! ?

There was a girl in my BSN program whose grade fell below a B average in one class and they asked her to leave the program. She went before the board and jumped through all the hoops and she was accepted into the cohort behind mine. She was still friendly with some of the students from my cohort and she asked someone to critique a paper for her and they did...the instructor ran it through “turn it in” and she got dinged for plagiarism...game over! She then applied and got accepted into an LPN program with the hope of bridging to RN and was doing very well (she knew a lot from previous classes). A fellow student in that program reported she was cheating, and the woman who reported her said she threatened her and was afraid, once again this girl ended up getting kicked out. Now she is starting an ADN program...if things would have worked out in the first place she would’ve been working as a nurse for almost four years now! I applaud her tenacity, don’t know all the details but trying to be successful and get through nursing school is no joke! It could always be worse! Good luck!?

Go for it! I went back at 49yrs old, graduated with a BSN at 54 and now four years later I'm starting graduate school in 2019...I currently have no plans to retire anytime soon! My hope is that my brain and body will hold out! 👍

When I was getting my BSN in 2015 I realized there were lots things about nursing I didn't like ...I'm very old though...I worked in a mental hospital the last 2 years of my BSN program as a mental health tech. I really liked it until I almost got clobbered by an unpredictable male who I was assigned to as a 1:1...Anyway, I quit because it scared me. My first nursing job was assisted living/memory care. I to listened to others and thought I should try working in a hospital and I got hired for an OR residency...after 2 months they told me I wasn't working out! I said I haven't even finished the residency maybe I just need a little more time and they allowed me to finish but I have never been treated so poorly in my life! Now I'm a psych nurse and really like it most days but it does take a toll, patience is key...Next year I hope to start an ARNP program for mental health...my thought is I will be less likely to get clobbered if I'm a provider...best of luck to you!

To make a long story short, follow your heart...instructors can be discouraging even after you're in the program!

During junior year of my BSN program my clinical professor told me I should leave the program and get a Masters in Psych...I told her no, that I was committed to completing my nursing program and I would find my place as a nurse...ugh, she was a retired ER nurse and was looking at everyone through an ER lense...that's not me...luckily she didn't flunk me as she did with others. In that moment I realized one person could stop me in my tracks and after all the years of hard work it could be over. It was a rough year...but I got through it! And now I'm starting graduate school next year!

I got dizzy reading everything you did! Well done, congrats to you and your family!

I've been a psychiatric nurse for a year and a half...it's more mentally exhausting because psychotic people, manic people, or people with Alzheimer's absolutely won't leave you alone. There is a high rate of injury as patients are combative. I work on Geropsych, Voluntary and ITA units...thinking about getting my ARNP to get out of the milieu, nursing staff and MHT's also double as security where I work and we have to physically "take patients down." Over the last year and a half there's been at least 6 times when I wanted to leave on my lunch break and never go back...you should try it and see what you think! Sometimes it can almost be fun and it's never boring!

Public health, psychiatric nursing (age doesn't seem to be an issue) and the shifts are usually 8 hrs, addiction medicine (methadone clinic), temp job (they are usually a 13 week commitment) if you love it you got your foot in the door and if you hate it 13 weeks isn't to long...Travel nursing might be a great option if you are freed up to do that? Fill out a resume on Indeed.com I get job opportunities via email almost daily! Anyway, best of luck!

I'm older...got my BSN at 54 and now I'm 58 and thinking about getting a masters! I'm a psychiatric nurse. I've also worked in the OR and assisted living/memory care...As a CNA I worked with the elderly and at a psychiatric hospital...I knew in school I never wanted to be a bedside nurse. I get jobs in my inbox and text messages daily from indeed, recruiters and the state. What about school nursing, doctors office, wellness nurse, addiction medicine (methadone clinic), flu shot clinic, home health, or hospice. Hang in there and good luck!

Very thoughtful answer...thank you!

Thank you!

I've really been on the fence...I'm 58yrs old and have only had my BSN since 2015. I would really like to become a mental health nurse practitioner but I'm concerned about the cost and age discrimination. I really haven't seen age discrimination much in psych but perhaps as a nurse practitioner it might be different. I don't plan on retiring until I'm at least 70yrs old! I would appreciate some advice...thanks!

There are lots of things about nursing that can be a turn off...in my junior year my clinical professor told me she thought I should leave the program and get a masters in psych. I told her NO! I was hesitant at times in all my clinicals and her back ground was as a retired ER nurse and she looked at me and all her students through that lense...in that moment I realized one person could stop me in my tracks and ruin everything I'd worked so hard for! I told her eventually I would find a place and fit in and I did. Thankfully she didn't flunk me but it was close! Nursing affords options, there is a place for you out there somewhere! I'm currently a psych nurse. I would never work in the regular hospital. I tried the OR and they chewed me up and spit me out! There is always occupational therapy, speech therapy or social work...I thought of these while in school but I was to old to change majors and needed to get a job ASAP...best of luck on your journey!

I think travel nursing might be fun. If you're not tied down at home. I thought it would be a good way to scope out potential places to retire. If you own a place, you could offer it up as a rental and maybe the agency could place a couple of nurses there while you're away and you could make money that way too and you wouldn't have to leave your home vacant...also we had a 70 yr old travel nurse come to the psychiatric hospital that I work in and I'm sure they would hire her back!