Who is the oldest Nursing Student here?

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I am 47, have NO experience in helah-care, but I am thinking ofgoing into nursing school, with the ultimate goal to ne a Nurse Practitioner.

By the time I finish all the pre-requisites (while working), a may be 50 by the time I can apply to schools.

Anyone else come to the party this late in life with no healthcare background?

I need reassurance!

You guys make me feel like a babe in arms!

I am 35 and am starting an Accelerated BSN program January 2012.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Rehab.

For sure I am not the oldest, turned 55 and will be 56 when I sit for the NCLEX. I am the oldest in the class though.

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i just turned 49 in oct.....doing A & P 2 now,micro next and hopefully gaining a spot int he ADN program for fall of 12.....i will have ALL co-reqs done so it will be just the program!!

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I am 46 and I am presently in my 2nd semester of nursing school. I work full time and was hoping to find someone in my predicament. I am by far the oldest student in my class. I hope to graduate in June 2013.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

I'm 54 & I've been an LPN for a while. I'm currently in a BSN program. I'll be 56 (almost) when I. Graduate

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I'm 42 and will be graduating in a couple of weeks.

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I am 46 and just starting out. I am taking pre-req's now. I ask myself everyday if I am to old for this. I guess I am not the only one going back to school at an older age.

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my oldest student was 62. she had been married for 40 years to an abusive sob (and that's not "short of breath":d) who always told her she was stupid and worthless and didn't allow her to do anything. so when he died she took the insurance money and went to nursing school.

she was great, not because she was outstanding in the psychomotor skills (those tasks everybody wrongly thinks is all or most of nursing is); she was a good solid average at those. she was outstanding because had so much life experience. she could relate to people of all ages so much better than her 18-year-old-just-outta-high-school-chickie classmates; she took time to listen, and patients trusted her. god bless her.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

Probably the oldest member of this site still practicing as a LPN or RN. Just because you graduated and passed the NCLEX doesn't mean you are done learning or being a student of nursing. In fact the day you show up and think there is nothing left for you to learn that's the day you should hang up your stethoscope and call it a career.

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34 over here.

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.
Probably the oldest member of this site still practicing as a LPN or RN. Just because you graduated and passed the NCLEX doesn't mean you are done learning or being a student of nursing. In fact the day you show up and think there is nothing left for you to learn that's the day you should hang up your stethoscope and call it a career.

What Scott said!

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GO FOR IT! Please don't let your age hold you back!! Someone wise once told me: you won't stop learning until the day you die! You're never "too old" to learn anything!

In my class, it seems like the majority of the students are older; married, kids, second (or first later in life) careers. There are fewer 19-late 20's students (more late 20's than early!), and no students (that are left lol) straight out of HS.

I wanted to kick myself for not entering nursing school at 18, but I know now I wasn't mature enough to handle such a big, time consuming responsibility (I started @ 20). The students in my class take it more seriously than I think an 18 year old would (like 18 y/o me!). And let me tell you, mature classmates make the best classmates! No drama, no chit chatting, back stabbing, immaturity!

I have many students in my class in their late 20's to late (49) 40's. Some of the older students came for a second career, or after raising their children.

I used to be JEALOUS of the older students (even though the majority have no health care experience) because they have more valuable life experience than I do and seemed more educated!!! Until an older student (in her late 40's, whose 20 y/o daughter is also in our class!!!) told me she was JEALOUS of ME, because I've never taken '20 years' off of getting my education, and she felt it was hard to get back into the swing of things (she is a great student, btw). It all depends on how you look at it! I still envy the older students at times because they do so well (most have the best grades in the class)! It may be due to life experience (w/o medical backgrounds) or maybe because they take the experience much more seriously, which I don't think I did in the beginning.

Hope you go for it and don't let anything hold you back! Best of luck!

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