When are you too old to start Nursing school?

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I have been in Advertising and design my whole life (I am 46) and I am now planning to go back to school to become a nurse. Are there any others out there in my shoes? Will anyone hire a nearly 50 new grad.?

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Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

I graduated 3 yrs ago. Our oldest grade was 65yrs old and is working full time in hospice. :)

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Thanks Wavewatcher, How is is the job market for new grads these days in general?

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Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

Well I am in the south....new grads are having a really hard time finding jobs right out of the gate. There is NOT a nursing shortage....don't believe it. Since the economy tanked several years ago the nurses who would have like to retire or did retire are now back in the working arena. There are way too many experienced/seasoned nurses looking for jobs right now and the new grad really has to work hard to slide into an open spot. BUT nothing is impossible, once you graduate the economy and nursing field could very easily have shifted.

I wish you all the best!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

New grads in general are having a hard time finding jobs, not just the elder new grads ;)But the tide will no doubt turn soon.

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Thank You. Good to know.

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How physically fit are you? Can you be on your feet for 12+ hours? How good are your study techniques? Do you want to work shifts, stat holidays and be at the bottom of the vacation list?

Everyone here will tell you that you can do it. And yes, if you can get accepted into a university, you probably can. But do you really have your eyes open to what nursing is?

I graduated aged 42. I'm feeling the fatigue more now that I am in my 50s. Back hurts, feet (well the arches dropped and Orthotics saved me) can and do hurt and many patients don't mind standing on their nurse's feet. Shoulders and wrist hurt. There are days compassion fatigue is very evident on my unit (we are all 50+).

You will hear stories here on how you can do anything after you graduate, well maybe in great labour markets but the reality is without hsopital experience the other jobs just aren't there.

Only you know if you want to do this.

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Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

Oh, I meant to add....I am 41yrs old. :-) I work as a school nurse and love my job. I worked nights on the floor and could not do it. After a year of floor nursing I bailed! Not for me.

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All nurses are having a hard time finding a job. I've got 5 years and have been looking for MONTHS with no luck. Anyway, when I went to nursing school I was 29 and the second-youngest in my class. Most of my classmates were in their 40s and even had one in her 50s. You're never too old to do anything you set your mind to!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

This is not the time to be trying to get into nursing. I know someone who left 60k per year job just to go into nursing. Unwise...And this goes to everyone not just people of a certain age.

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Don't worry about finding a job..you haven't even started school yet and there are jobs out there that are not 12 hrs/hospital though that may be the route you want to take. If this is something you want to do, just do it. Seriously. It's never too late, your never too old and because there are going to be a fair amount of nurses leaving the profession in the next 5-10 years jobs will be there.

As far as other posters re: someone leaving higher paying jobs to go into nursing being unwise..well, I politely disagree..I left a 74K job (nursing) because it was soul sucking and the manager was unlike any I had ever experienced. Yes, it was a lot of money, but no, it was not worth the upset - not to me anyway - you can make a lot of money in nursing or a little - a lot depends on the life style you wish to lead and where your happiness lies - for me, happiness isn't spending $400/mo on a souped up cell phone or $300 on hair and nails, mine is living happy w/family, my pets and getting what I can afford and we have everything and then some we need - this may comes as a shock to some on here but life/work is more than just a paycheck - or it should be because most of us spend a lot of our lives working and living the routine of the day. So make it count for the right reasons - not just the green back ones.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

I wonder how happy that person would be not being able to find a job and being in a crap load of debt. And that is the reality for too many new grads.And don't worry about a job? Are you kidding me?

Don't worry about finding a job..you haven't even started school yet and there are jobs out there that are not 12 hrs/hospital though that may be the route you want to take. If this is something you want to do, just do it. Seriously. It's never too late, your never too old and because there are going to be a fair amount of nurses leaving the profession in the next 5-10 years jobs will be there. As far as other posters re: someone leaving higher paying jobs to go into nursing being unwise..well, I politely disagree..I left a 74K job (nursing) because it was soul sucking and the manager was unlike any I had ever experienced. Yes, it was a lot of money, but no, it was not worth the upset - not to me anyway - you can make a lot of money in nursing or a little - a lot depends on the life style you wish to lead and where your happiness lies - for me, happiness isn't spending $400/mo on a souped up cell phone or $300 on hair and nails, mine is living happy w/family, my pets and getting what I can afford and we have everything and then some we need - this may comes as a shock to some on here but life/work is more than just a paycheck - or it should be because most of us spend a lot of our lives working and living the routine of the day. So make it count for the right reasons - not just the green back ones.
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