Question: Is it too late for me to go to nursing school in my mid 40s?

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I am thinking about doing a career change and going to nursing school in my mid 40s. Do you think this is too late? I also have some health issues. What do you experts think? Can I make it?

OK to be honest I didn't read any of the post but when I was in nursing school we had a 20 something daughter and her mom in our nursing school class and a 60 something year old engineer who had retired from motorola and this was going to be his second career. So no your not too old at all

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Quick answer. No age is too old to begin a new life and a new career.

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Specializes in home health, LTC, assisted living.
I am thinking about doing a career change and going to nursing school in my mid 40s. Do you think this is too late? I also have some health issues. What do you experts think? Can I make it?

Charity: Just do it! a lot of us write in and ask the same thing (are we too old?) :nurse:. I was 46 when I graduated. Good luck.

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Charity, do try to get a handle on your migraines, at least before you start your clinicals, as in the school that I am attending, the school will FAIL you(for the quarter) if you miss a SINGLE day of your clinicals due to ANYTHING.

And no, you aren't too old. I am older than you, and my migraines mostly ended when I started HRT.

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I used to think I had it all figured. I worked out of high school for two years, started college when I was 20. (ok, not very young but I felt ancient to these pampered spoiled 17/18 year olds!) I sorta had a lot of "life experience" so I thought I would be more mature than a lot of the young students. (you know the drill, I was broke, self sufficient, broken home, everyone has a sob story :crying2: )

So, anyway, my strategy was to sit and study with the older people in the class. It was great in one class. Every sunday I would meet with three people decades older than I and we would study until we had more room left in our brains lol. :idea:

Then I went to another class, did the same thing, coordinated the study groups and nobody showed up! 45 year olds were giving me worse excuses for missing the study groups than you could imagine.

Finally I was like.. dang! My age discrimination isn't working!! I actually have to start studying with people based on conversations and intelligence! :confused:

I joke about it, but I say if you wanna do it, do it! What do you have to lose? Just really focus, programs are getting harder and harder to get into!

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

I graduated at 48, turned 49 during orientation. Juggling school and work was tough. Learning a new job has been tough. Frankly, if waiting until I got younger would make it a little easier, I would do that.

Do try to arrange to get a decent night's sleep most nights, be careful with your diet, and budget some time for excercise and/or relaxation. Or you can do what I did--get into a two-year program and hope you live long enough to graduate.

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Thank you everyone. You are all angels. I feel very encouraged.

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I say go for it!!!!! You are never to old to learn. Just think about all of the valuable life experience that you will bring to your career. I read somewhere that the average nurse student is in their 30s. Keep us posted on your decision :)

I am thinking about doing a career change and going to nursing school in my mid 40s. Do you think this is too late? I also have some health issues. What do you experts think? Can I make it?
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