Woried a Little

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi Everyone,

The first thing I am worried about is that there is no spell checker here! :-)

I am 55 years old and am just in my first year in a fine ADN program. I went back to getting my nursing degree which is somethins I wanted to do a long time ago in my life.

I have a MS in Systems Management and had 15 good years in health care management. However, I have not had a job for sometime. I have had HR and recruiters alike people actually tell me that my age is a problem now. I know!!! That is Illegal, but.....unless they say that in writing or with wittnesses......

Here is my big worry: I have seen conflicting reports here as to what is the job market place really like out there. One of the practical reasons I chose nursing was the "Shortage". Since I am in good health, I felt my age may not be such a major factor when I graduate and try to find a job. Is there going to be a job for me in the Spring of 2004?

I too still have ambition and would like to go on in to an advanced practice; probalbly CRNA. I know that nursing informatics would seem a good choice, but CRNA is something I have considered for many years when I really searched my heart.

Any comments?

Thanks,

SRNJIM

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

That's my girl Youda! Very well said! :kiss

Nighty night all!

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Gracious, you are not too old!!

You will bring your experience and maturity to your new job...your new employers will be getting a bonus!!

It is highly likely you will have to choose among all the job offers you have lined up before you even graduate.

Welcome, SRNJIM

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By all means, GO FOR IT. One of the best nurses I work with is a fairly new nurse (2 years) and she just turned 59. I think she is great, and you will be too.

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I read somewhere that the average age of an RN in Az was 48. You are not much older than that. Good for you!, pursuing your dreams.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm 44, got my RN at 34, and still going strong in large level one trauma center. Nursing is cool!!!

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You can have my job, I plan to be done with it by then :p

seriously, we don't know what the job market will be like next year or two years down the line. All indications would be that there will still be a shortage, and jobs will be available. Concentrate on your studies, and learning to be a good nurse, and you shouldn't have a problem finding a job. To quote my mother's friends when she told them I was going to be a nurse, "You'll always have a job" :rolleyes:

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Hi SRNJIM,

I just wanted to say Best of Luck to You and I think that because you feel it in your heart and if you concentrate on your studies and be the best student nurse you can be you will do just fine.

I used to work for an information technology firm in the recruiting department and the age discrimination was very blatant. We were to not even consider speaking with anyone who was 40 or older. So, I know just what you mean.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Youda, your post says it best to me. Age is what you make it as long as you are healthy, you can do it. Just an anecdote: My aunt is a pediatric nurse with 42 years' seniority; you do the approximate math and you will realize she is well over 60 years old. You would think she would be sick and tired of it; not so......

She tried retirement and it just did not fly. This intelligent and active lady could not handle it, so she is doing perdiem/supplemental work...doing what she loves most in life and making UNBELIEVABLE money doing so! They are always calling her to work because they need help, and her age is never even a consideration. So, GO FOR IT, do NOT let your "age" stop you! And welcome to allnurses; I see you are quite new here. Good luck to you!

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What are you worried about numbers for? Numbers add up to nothing srnjim, when it comes to right now! So whatever society casts on a age group, it still doesn't matter. All that matters is now, and what you aspire to do. I'm sorry :-(

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Specializes in Home Health.

The ONLY problem I can forsee with your age in nursing, is that you are old enough not to be naive, to buy the excuses from management. Some managers may feel threatened by your masters degree too, again, will think you are too smart to manipulate. I think hospitals go for the younger nurses only so they can try to manipulate them. Good luck to you!Not to say younger people are naive at all (Hold the flames new grads) just that as we get older we are mnore confident and willing to stand up for ourselves, at least I am, and wasn't as a "green" nurse.

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Hello Again,

I am a litle new to how this site works, so I do not know to whom I am replying. Mario, no need to be sorry. I am someone who appreciates candor. We can always dea.ql with the truth, even when we do not like it. :-)

Hello Hoolahan,

Thanks to you too. I spent 15 years in LTC managament, too. But I rally am not strating this with an "attitude" Yes, I feel a bit disgusted with not being able to find a job in Healthcare Manage,ent, BUT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I am doing something now that I have wanted to do for a great many years. Regardless of the financial burden I am under at this time, not many 55 year old men (or women) can say they successfully made such a radical career change.

I think when I submit my resume when I graduate, I don't think I will mention my MS.

Thanks again,

Jim C.

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I want to tell you a little story....a little embarrassing for me, but to show you how valuable women/people of your age are.

I am 34 yrs old and in what I thought was fairly good shape . I was working the other night 7p-7a....offered to help the aide lift a very large patient up and over toward me in bed. I could not BUDGE this man. She said, "Oh get over here." And around she came, grabbed the draw sheet and heaved him right where she wanted him to be. :)

Guess how old I found out she is?????

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64 :eek:

Now everytime she's goes to lift a pt, she yells "Hey Kim, can you help me in here?" I will NEVER live that one down!!! :imbar

Good luck and I bet you'll do fine.

By the way, are you close to Portsmouth? There's a certain doctor in the area who practiced law for a quite a few years before going to medical school. He was older than you when he went back I think.

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