samdombek

I'm an older nurse too, with almost 3 yrs experience, but often wonder about my critical thinking skills, too. Can you give some examples of where they said you were lacking?

Here's something I wish I had done while in nursing school . . . get yourself an NCLEX review book. A previous edition is fine as long as it's fairly current; it doesn't have to be the up-to-the- minute edition.(I used Saunders when studying for my NCLEX, but any of them will do.) These study guides call out and highlight the most important information that is covered in your text. It's really great because even when you're not cramming for tests, you can just read along with the subject matter you're studying in school. If I had used an NCLEX study guide while I was in school, I think I could have saved myself a lot of stress and cut down on my textbook reading significantly. Hope this helps, and good luck!

I agree with the posters who are telling you to save your $$$!! I spent big money on a new Nutrition book from which we had only one reading assignment, then never used it again! We were also told to get the newest edition of a certain medical dictionary--I could have saved myself a lot of money if I had bought a used, older one (how often to the meanings of medical terms change over time?? ) Another good website to try is Bublos.com, you can plug in the ISBN # or the exact title of the book and it will show you which online book site is the cheapest, even after you add in shipping/handling. Good luck!

Erica57, PM me and I'll go into details.

Erica57, To be perfectly honest with you, I am the oldest newbie on my floor at the present time. However, I know of at least one nurse who began on another floor at 51. I have seen a few student nurses in the hospital who are in their late 50's. I don't think (at my hospital, at least) hiring older nurses is a problem. However, I personally have some of my own baggage being an older nurse: I, too, have always been considered smart. I did well in school and probably could have done even better if I didn't have any other obligations (kids, family, etc). But it is important to keep in mind that nursing school, the didactic part and clinical, is NOTHING like real-world floor nursing. Years ago, I was the type of student/person who only had to be told once or shown once and then I'd have it down pat. This is no longer the case! I find that things have to be done or repeated several times now before it all comes together or it all sinks in! It's just taking me so much longer to "get it". This is very difficult for me as it affects my confidence. Because I am older, most people assume that I have been a nurse for many years and I think they assume that I know more than I do. I have high expectations of myself, have more life experience than many of the younger nurses, and tend to be harder on myself when things go wrong than I probably would if I were younger. I have had a hard time "letting things go". Many times, I wonder, "What was I thinking??!!" Finally, there's no getting around it--nursing is a very stressful job. Because of the long and continuous learning curve, I sometimes think to myself, "Do I really need/want this kind of stress at this stage of my life? " Working e/o weekend seems to be a given unless you go into management or administrative types of nursing. I'm not sure I'd want that anyway. I just have an ADRN and I really don't feel like going back to school AGAIN for the third time to pursue a BSN. At this stage of the game I'd like to have weekends off to spend with my family like everybody else, and not have to worry about whether I am or am not going to get the major holidays off that I asked for. Lastly, nursing pays well, but when you think about it there's a disproportionate amount of responsibility for the pay you get. A plumber makes $50 an hour, much more than my friend who's been a nurse for 18 years and an OR nurse for 10. I think sometimes, maybe I ought to just get a job in a bank, where nobody's life is at stake. Life's just too short.

I am 48 y.o. w/ADRN and was hired at a community hospital north of Boston. It does help if you've been an aide; I don't know of any aides who wanted a job here as a staff RN when they graduated/passed NCLEX but were refused. Those who were aides before becoming nurses just seem to have an advantage (even in terms of experience). However, if you want to take the aide route, I would do it early on, as I have heard of hospitals who are reluctant to hire aides with only a year of nursing school left. They don't want to go through the expense/time of training an aide only to have them leave the position in a year's time.

Geez, I, too have trouble getting things done efficiently . . .I LOVE the idea of pulling all of a patient's meds at once and putting them into invidually labeled zip-lock bags--what a tremendous time-saver that would be, but . . .I can't imagine that this practice would be acceptable to the almighty JACHO. I tried looking this up on the JACHO site, but I didn't get anywhere. Does anybody have a definitive answer? thanks!

Hi pamc217-- You gotta be kidding me! I started as a new grad RN at an agency northwest of Boston and I'm only making a little more than HALF of what you're getting!! How are your benefits? And I don't know if you want to reveal what agency you work for, but can you tell me at least what town you're out of? Thanks!

Hi, everyone! I'm a 46 y/o new ADRN grad, Jan 2006, passed NCLEX in March. I have just STARTED looking for a job now. Why the delay?? I DREAD the idea of having to start on an Med/Surg floor, which is where nearly all of my instructors have told us we should begin to learn skills/time mgmt, etc!! It is really home health nursing that was my inspiration (long story)for pursuing nursing as a second career late in my life. I'm no spring chicken, and I'm afraid I'm going to burn out real fast, physically and mentally, if I go the MS route. I've been reading the HH forum and it seems that there are similar MS skills that are done in the HH setting, which is encouraging . . .but on the other hand, if this isn't the case, I'm afraid I'll be pigeonholed into HH without the "REQUIRED" med/surg experience and I won't be marketable anywhere else--I will no longer be considered a "new grad" and won't be able to get into any new grad/preceptorship programs. Any advice on whether HH is an OK place to start for a new grad? I will be forever grateful for any suggestions and advice.

Hi, everyone! I'm a 46 y/o new ADRN grad, Jan 2006, passed NCLEX in March. I have just STARTED looking for a job now. Why the delay?? I DREAD the idea of having to start on an Med/Surg floor, which is where nearly all of my instructors have told us we should begin to learn skills/time mgmt, etc!! It is really home health nursing that was my inspiration (long story)for pursuing nursing as a second career late in my life. I'm no spring chicken, and I'm afraid I'm going to burn out real fast, physically and mentally, if I go the MS route. I've been reading the HH forum and it seems that there are similar MS skills that are done in the HH setting, which is encouraging . . .but on the other hand, if this isn't the case, I'm afraid I'll be pigeonholed into HH without the "REQUIRED" med/surg experience and I won't be marketable anywhere else--I will no longer be considered a "new grad" and won't be able to get into any new grad/preceptorship programs. Any advice on whether HH is an OK place to start for a new grad? I will be forever grateful for any suggestions and advice.

I have just one more week of school before I finish up my ADRN coursework! While I'm excited about beginning this new career in my advanced old age (46) I'm also scared to death because I can forsee that one of my major problems is going to be organization and time management. I intend to start on a med/surg floor where I know those skills will be important. "Daytonite" mentioned a form that she used that helped with organizing things to be done, etc. Is there any way that anyone could somehow supply us "organization-skills-challenged" with such a sheet that they use and find helpful to give us new nurses a head start on the organizing game? Would appreciate it so much!! Thanks!