This ancient acrobat just got into Nursing school !

gotgifts3 · Mar 31, 2016

Wow!!!! I needed that this morning. I'm 46 and applying in the fall. You are very inspiring. I have AP2 left and micro. I have kept an average of 3.89. I went through an awful divorce and almost lost my teen daughter. We just have to keep pushing through, no matter how hard it is. Good luck and thanks for sharing.

Toastedpeanut · Apr 1, 2016

On my previous unit, we had many "ancient" nurses, and they were the best ones. The younger ones always went to them for advice, they handled tough situations well, and they were the most popular among the patients. This one nurse in her early 70's used to commute 2 hours, get a hotel room, work night shifts for 6 days, and then she was off for 8 days (I think she still does this). I think you'll do well - you sound bubbly. Good luck in school!

pjgal2000 · Apr 1, 2016

Loved your post!! And it's true it's never too late! I started my second career path to nursing school at age 55 (yes!) and I will be PINNED ON APRIL 30th! and GRADUATE MAY 2nd!! It hasn't been easy but I can now say I DID IT!! I am very active too and play on not one but two tennis leagues, ALTA and USTA and we won our division last season! The 13 hr shifts (no such thing as a 12 hr shift) I've just completed 191 hours of were exhausting but I never stopped, it was never "too much" for me and with a good nights sleep I was ready for another shift the next day and then play tennis early mornings on my days off. Those of you in your 40s and up you CAN do this!! I am so excited about my new career. I am already in the job market putting in new grad applications. I will let you know how that goes. :yes:

PeggySue · Apr 1, 2016

I'm 48, about to turn 49 this summer, and I am in my 6th semester of Nursing school. I will be 49 when I graduate. Age is a number in my humble opinion. Your prereq grades sound very good and nursing school admission is competitive, but you've got an edge with that GPA. I am in an accelerated program, which means we graduate in 20 months with a BSN. It's for students who already have a baccaleurate in another field. Most people in my cohort are doing great, but tons of people dropped out the first semester, and I had to go part-time after the first semester due to some personal things that were going on at the time. I've learned that I am not the person who can handle all kinds of stress and keep on "keepin on." And that's ok; I know my limitations and that's a good thing. But I'm going back to full time this Fall '16, and will be done May 2017. Getting into Nursing school is an accomplishment at any age. And it's a tough program, so be prepared to work hard. You sound like you have a great personality and energy, and you've experienced loss so your compassion alone will make you a great nurse. I love this field. Because I came to it late is not an issue, and I love comforting people who suffer. Sometimes I just sit and talk to our patients; they tend to get really scared or tired of fighting. At times they need someone to just listen to their fears, and really HEAR them. Most of us come into their room, give them a med or service, and rush off to the next patient. You'll be overworked and stressed out, but it's all worth it. Congrats, and most importantly don't give up.

Lrodrig1089 · Apr 1, 2016

Ha ! They suggested I use a "catchy title" so there it is ! I just turned 49 (GULP) AND got my acceptance letter yesterday ! I'm not actually an "acrobat" either but have taken Dance and gymnastics my whole life, so can still do cartwheels into splits, put my legs behind my head and am in excellent shape. I just wanted to confront the stereotype that all 20 somethings are better suited for this physical job than we 40 somethings and tell anyone who might be going through the " Am I too old thing ?" to GO FOR IT !
My stats are : I had all the English and social science stuff from forever ago so I just had to do math and the hard sciences. 'Just" Ha ! I started with my teen daughter in 2010 but she passed away so I stopped. I figured it was "our" thing and I couldn't do it without her. Then I met a 95 yr old former RN who became one of my closest friends. She is one of the smartest women I have EVER met, and she encouraged me to go for it despite my age, despite my lingering sadness over my daughter. I started feeling like it was the path I should be on once again.
SO, last semester I took A&P I, Microbiology and Algebra, all with labs, all 4 credits, and I kicked butt ! My averages were around 98, so I had a 4.0 for that semester and a 3.7 from back in 2010 when I took Gen Bio, Chemistry, Medical terminology and stats.
The TEAS was a challenge as if you read the opening chapter in the prep book it says that they are testing you on general knowledge from grades 7-12. HA ! I only had a month and knew I couldn't reteach myself chem and earth science and actually some of the easier maths which I had long forgotten in that time frame, so I only got a 79, but for the program I was going for, it was worth one point, pass or fail, and pass was only a 65.
I had gotten a CNA licence from a college in SC where I stayed with some friends after my husband died in 2009 but never worked as one, as the pay in the south was around $8 an hour and I could make a lot more with one of my other skill sets. I think the certificate may have helped though.
I had not and have not taken A&P II yet and will have to take it in my first semester along with with my nursing courses, eek ! It all came pretty naturally to me and I have an excellent memory so I'm not too worried as long as I put the time in.
They said they usually get about 400 applicants for 40 spots, so it was hardly a lock. There are 2 other programs in my medium sized city and ALL three are very well respected, but the other two were private and between 12k and 24k a year ( for tuition only) so I ONLY applied to the community college program where I took my pre-reqs which will be more like 6k a year. That's my ONE concession to my age : I didn't want a high loan amount ! Their NCLEX pass rates were 90% last I checked: equal to the 24k a year school and the 12K one was only 79% in the last reported year.
Last semester I unofficially tutored a lot of my much younger classmates, and with my life experience I really don't feel at ALL like they have any advantages except maybe on paper. I hope that while doing clinicals I will make connections, so that I will be judged by my energy, intelligence and ability and not the number on my birth certificate. I'm hoping a 40 something head nurse might rather hire a tough, smart peer than someone her kids age ? Maybe ?
Also, at my age, my nurse friends are RUNNING departments and centers, so I may have an advantage there.
Well, I know I have been stalking these pages for years and am always curious to hear other peoples stories, so here is mine :)
I actually have no worries about the academic portion but DO wonder what if I just can't give injections, or hear heartbeats, or place catheters or the more technical stuff ??? Guess I'll find out !
BTW: My parents are still working and have crazy energy at 73, and 80 respectively, and my husband of nearly 5 years is 25 yrs old
It's been a hell of a ride and I can't wait to learn more !! What's YOUR story ?
PS. When I signed up years ago I had no idea I would be staying so I used my dogs name (which was bestowed by my daughter when she was 8). I TRULY am NOT that flowery of a person and wish I could change it but oh well, LOL !

OMG !!!! You are such an inspirational story!! Mines a bit similar to yours except im 26 years old and i lost my mom when I was in the middle of my first year in college, I wa19 back then!!! Who would have known that susuch event would change my life forever! I definitely felt like I lost everything along with her since she was my only support system and I mean her and only her! Long story short I dropped out of college and decided to learn the hard way..in other words got married, still am which hasn't been an easy journey in my case, in many many aspects. Now I am about to give birth to my second child and also trying to go back to school this coming fall for my ASN pre reqs...and just reading your story helps me in many ways to not give up and get motivated to get bback ont track by wanting to be someone successful in life. It is now that I realize how hard it is to finish what I could have when I was fresh outta high school and with no other responsibilities and obligations other than myself to care for and feed!! Sometimes especially these days that I'm so close to having g my second baby I feel so discouraged about going to school as you might know things will get even harder for me since having a newborn at home and all that comes with it won't make it any easier at all!! Which makes me just wanna quit just because failure often times crosses my mind even though my desire to be successful this time is stronger!!!!! To make this even a harder situation sometimes I doubt about my own capabilities due to many issues including failure in the past when I tried to get my CNA and once again dropped out never finished something I regret nOw,also the lack of support in my family just by the fact that I ended up pregnant again there's been several members telling me that if I weren't able to make it with one child my chances of graduating are almost none now with another baby, lastly I have been reviewING the TEAS V study guide lately trying to test myself n see if I recall any of the math material and science and its done nothing but disappoint me because im having a very difficult time remembering all the skills I used to have!!! Makes me so sad and angry at the same time because I regret so much all the time I wasted when my mind was still fresh on all the subjects I was great at especially in math and science!!! Well this is my story now I hope I am able to make it this time around!! Im thankful that I ran into your story since it will work as a HUGE motivation to keep going and stay strong besides all the negative circumstances Ive had and will throughout these following years...THANK YOU thank you!!wish me luck and God hopes I finish this time and take advantage of my not so youth years now before I waste any more time!! Since one thing Ive learned is that you only live once!and!! It depends on ourselves to make life worth the try!!!!

DahliaDaisy, RN · Apr 1, 2016

WOW ! I needed to step back to read and really think about each of your stories; so much life experience here ! I think one thing we all can agree on is if you work your butt off, and if you want it, and you refuse to let the hard, sad, bad times get you down, anything is possible.

I hadn't been in college since 2010 and one is usually not allowed to take micro until they had been through at least A &P I , but I got my bio teachers endorsement. We cried together about my daughter Harpers death as she and I were two of her favorite students. At first micro boggled my my mind.The prof was the bio chair and pretty much wanted us CDC prepared by the time we were done with his class, lol. I've never taken the NCLEX obviously but all of his questions were " trick questions" and then you had to write four, page long essays on the fly at the end of each exam. For lab we had to write a 12 page paper on 2 unknown bacteria samples he gave us that we had to define by doing a series of tests. Basically it was a biological bootcamp !

So, I took it as a challenge and went to him for help when I felt I needed it. He appreciated that I cared so much The second test I basically called him a jackhole, so when he returned it with my 103 grade ( there were 2 extra credit questions) he also wrote on it " Sorry this exam was so tricky Dahlia" with a smiley face ! That's when I knew I was psyching MYSELF out !

As I mentioned, I lost a husband in 2009 and my only child in 2013 and now my current marriage is not going so well. He seems to have developed a drug problem and I just can't go through that again : The lying, the stealing of money so we can't pay our bills, etc. But I will not let that deter me from my goal, my dream, my excitement about my acceptance after all these years !

You ladies have some amazing stories too and they all come down to strength. I am not a nurse yet, but I'm guessing being a strong person who can handle whatever comes their way is a defining characteristic of a good nurse ! I'm not sure if you can " friend" people on here like FB but I would love to continue to hear about your journey's long after this thread dies out !

And thanks Farawyn, I much prefer the Double D though I am far from one Cheers all, We can DO THIS !!!!!

joe a. · Apr 1, 2016

Congrats. Nurses aren't made, they're born to nurse. You'll be a fine addition to the profession.

Dyvinite, RN · Apr 2, 2016

I think it's great there are so many that have gone to school at an older age. I'm 32 and I'm getting into the nursing field now. After having my kids at a young age it put my education on hold. Now that they are a little older I can concentrate on me and my education. I think that I am more mature and ready now then I would have been coming straight out of high school at 17 and going to college.

WSMom · Apr 4, 2016

I enjoyed reading your post! I actually have a big smile plastered on my face right now:woot:. Age is just a number! I will be 38 when I start the nursing program. I should be done with my prereqs this summer and ready to apply this July since I should have more than enough points by then. I have an active 5 year old boy and a husband who loves to work out! SO yeah, I work out to keep up with them.

preacherswife00 · Apr 6, 2016

Congratulations and Thank you for this article. I turned 50 last August, left my job at GM and decided to finish this thing. I'm so afraid to take the Kaplan in August. I took A&P I&II 8 years ago. Current GPA is 3.57 but I am so nervious about this exam. If I could just pass this exam and get excepted I know i well do well going forward.

tbird88 · Apr 6, 2016

Congratulations and Thank you for this article. I turned 50 last August, left my job at GM and decided to finish this thing. I'm so afraid to take the Kaplan in August. I took A&P I&II 8 years ago. Current GPA is 3.57 but I am so nervious about this exam. If I could just pass this exam and get excepted I know i well do well going forward.

I hope you do well on your exam! I know how stressful these tests can be. I took the TEAS V test in January, 2016 to apply for the nursing program and it was a challenge! I was real nervous when I got to the testing center and the proctor told me it will be okay, just relax. So I told myself to calm down and took a deep breath and that help alleviate the stress. So try hard to stay calm and be confident about the test because that can make all the difference.

bettybleu · Apr 7, 2016

These are all amazing stories!! I agree with the comment: "nurses aren't made, they're born to nurse". Thanks for that joe a. I have had it in my heart to be a nurse for many years. My children are mostly through college and into their careers and now it's time for me to follow my dream :) I am a bit older than most/ALL of my classmates, (58+) but I am so hyped about learning and becoming all that I was meant to be. I am still in pre-nursing completing pre-reqs and will be applying for the Spring 2017 session of the ADN program. I will be taking Micro in the Fall to get a head start. I am in good physical shape as well and intend on staying that way!

I just want to encourage preacherswife00 regarding the KAPLAN exam. I took it this spring passing with flying colors. I prepared by spending several hours online with sample tests ... there are several sites offering free practice tests. Take some deep breaths, hydrate, and chew some gum! You will do fine :)

This is my first posting and I am so glad to have found you all :). I will be turning 60 my first semester of nursing school and am determined to succeed! I will keep you all posted. I will be applying this summer, prayers appreciated.