Hi everyone. My name is Lindsay. I am 37 years old and I am married with 3 kids, boy/girl/boy ages 4, 10, 14.
3 years ago I decided I wanted to be a nurse. I began upgrading at my local college and took the required Math, Chemistry, English, Biology courses. It was a lot of work! Anyway, I got an offer a few months ago at a great college and am so excited! I accepted the offer and will be starting school in September.
The thing is, I wish I would have done this right out of high school while I was young. But back then, I wasn't serious about a career. I just wanted to get married and have kids. It wasn't until 3 years ago that I began desiring to go back to school and have my own career. It's just that I'm feeling kind of embarrassed to start at age 37...anyone else start nursing school in their 30's-40's? #justwondering
You might be one of the eldest in the class. Teach them some life experience to help traditional students through clinicals.
Example:
When I did my psych rotation, it was the first clinical I ever had where all the other students were traditional students at the facility. We had to go in pairs. We had to utilize therapeutic communication with one client. We selected a young guy, and he was showing us card tricks. He asked us if we knew how to play Texas Hold Em, I said I do - he grabbed poker chips from the cabinet and my classmate had no clue what to do. I asked him, "Do you know how to play poker?" He said no.
The next week we went down to the activity room for clients to come down and mingle with us. There was a nice pool table in the rec room. I start buffing the cue sticks and asked my classmates if anyone knew how to shoot pool. DEAD SILENCE. When the clients came down, I was there shooting pool with them.
Traditional students today do not have these type of life experiences. Some might ask so what that these students didn't know how to do these things? Well, you have to learn to meet people where they are, engage in THEIR world, be a part of them. These little things really matter to patients. Now obviously on a hospital floor you do not have these things. But guess what? I was taking care of a person around your age once and before leaving I was asked if I could play a couple hands of poker while she was waiting. Patient also asked if I could pray with them - which I did, because I used to be a pastor as well.
You have a lot of life experiences to go by as you go forward, and you can be a mentor to traditional students. Especially with 3 kids - I cannot tell you how many female nurses talk to their patients about each other's kids! I cannot really do that because I have no kids, but I can listen to them. Sometimes they even ask me if I have any kids and I usually say, "If you want to count my two cats and my pomeranian"
So don't let age deter you. You can be a mentor to these younglings. :)
Thank you for sharing! I agree with you. And hahaha (2 cats and pomeranian)
I agree with the other posters. I've had many students start their nursing careers at your age and older and do well in both class and clinical. Older students bring a maturity and life experience that I appreciate and also makes for a very good nurse.
35 here and not even accepted into a school program yet. I hope to go on after ASN to get BSN, then I hope CRNA. There's a long path ahead, and I'm not even through the main gates yet to start. Second career, but hopefully one with a better long term future. It's heartening to hear there are so many in my age group just getting started with me. Good luck to all of us.
LindsayRadun
52 Posts
Wow, good for you!! And thank you so much for your encouragement! :)