question about age

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Apr 22, 2015

Go to a professional job coach who can look at your resume, make changes that make it stand out, and then coach you in an interview process.

Acute care is not the be all and end all. Have you ever worked as a nurse? It is a little unclear from your posting.

If you have 6 years of nursing experience, regardless of what kind of experience, with that comes an expectation of a starting salary that is not at a new grad/ 1 or 2 year in nurse salary. So in essence, they could hire 2 of you for what you may think is a fair salary.

You could start getting certifications. ACLS/PALS/NALS that kind of thing. If there is a particular area of acute care you are interested in, you could look into whatever certifications that you might want to get.

You may want to start the process for a masters degree.

Finally, you may want to do urgent care, an MD office, camp or school nursing, outpatient infusion--something that you may enjoy doing, but doesn't have the acute care frenzy to it.

If you are currently in LTC, you may find that by wanting to go into acute care, it is akin to jumping out of the frying pan, into the fire.

Best wishes.

Farawyn · Apr 22, 2015

Everything jade said. Are you willing to work nights?

Jules A, MSN · Apr 22, 2015

Are you working in a hospital with an Acute care unit now? If so in addition to offering to get on their float pool I'd be sure to make myself known to both the nurse manager and also the key players on the unit. Ask everyone you know if they know someone connected to that unit and start to slowly and subtly insinuate your self into the inner circle. It has been my experience that in this field it is largely about who you know. My entire life has been a calculated strategy not that it always works out the way I plan but in this regard I made it my business to know everyone who might be important to my career goals and it has paid off royally. Good luck.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 22, 2015

My first job was rehab in a ltc that gave me experience enough to get a job at an acute care facility. I was 47 when I graduated; 48 when I got my hospital job.

Libby1987 · Apr 22, 2015

I'm 50 myself and I hope it's okay to ask since your question is about age, do you appear to be aging? I work with nurses in their 60's+ so 46 seems relatively young to me, especially if you appear in good health with comparable energy.

Some of our staff are in their 40's and work out/run and literally appear younger by their health and fitness than our younger staff, I don't think anyone would think their laugh lines would affect their ability to perform on the floor but it's pretty scary if they would.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Apr 23, 2015

many hospital nursing directors do not see LTC experience relating to acute care experience. I doubt your age has anything to do with it as most nurses are baby boomers still. I do not have an answer unless you talk to someone in HR and ask what it is they are looking for in a candidate.

NursesRmofun, ASN, RN · Apr 23, 2015

I'm 50 myself and I hope it's okay to ask since your question is about age, do you appear to be aging? I work with nurses in their 60's+ so 46 seems relatively young to me, especially if you appear in good health with comparable energy.
Some of our staff are in their 40's and work out/run and literally appear younger by their health and fitness than our younger staff, I don't think anyone would think their laugh lines would affect their ability to perform on the floor but it's pretty scary if they would.

That is an interesting question. I feel like I have aged some since menopause, a MVA last year, and a couple other issues. I often wonder if that plays a role in the jobs I don't get although the interviews seem to go well enough. Gets me a little down. I always do put on my best attitude for the interviews and show my spunk....but my age shows, of course.

Momma1RN, MSN, RN, APRN · Apr 23, 2015

Are you willing to work nights?

Jules A, MSN · Apr 23, 2015

That is an interesting question. I feel like I have aged some since menopause, a MVA last year, and a couple other issues. I often wonder if that plays a role in the jobs I don't get although the interviews seem to go well enough. Gets me a little down. I always do put on my best attitude for the interviews and show my spunk....but my age shows, of course.

I'm still physically fit and high energy but if my job weren't in such high demand I guarantee I'd get passed over for the younger gals. All cries of ageism aside it is probably something we would benefit from accepting as part of the aging process and life experience. I wish it wasn't this way but then again I also wish I could still wear tiny tank tops and look cute but sadly that ain't happening either.

I think it happens on both ends of the spectrum for the really young looking nurses as well as the older looking ones. Personally if I were hiring, credentials were comparable and both people were pleasant I would probably hire a 30 something over a 50 something and I am a 50 something. :sorry:

Libby1987 · Apr 23, 2015

I'm still physically fit and high energy but if my job weren't in such high demand I guarantee I'd get passed over for the younger gals. All cries of ageism aside it is probably something we would benefit from accepting as part of the aging process and life experience. I wish it wasn't this way but then again I also wish I could still wear tiny tank tops and look cute but sadly that ain't happening either.
I think it happens on both ends of the spectrum for the really young looking nurses as well as the older looking ones. Personally if I were hiring, credentials were comparable and both people were pleasant I would probably hire a 30 something over a 50 something and I am a 50 something.

I see 30 yr old and I think maternity/kids. I see 50 (if they look up to the job) and think kids out of the house with more energy for work.

That may be entirely off base but that's how it worked for me personally.

Jules A, MSN · Apr 23, 2015

I see 30 yr old and I think kids. I see 50 (if they look up to the job) and think kids out of the house with more energy for work.
That may be entirely off base but that's how it worked for me personally.

Good point. So I'll be accused of ageism and you will be accused of being anti-mommy,lol.