34 yr old starting out...help

katylady22 · May 9, 2016

In Houston, BSN is pretty much the requirement for any hospital jobs, but there are ADN opportunities everywhere else. LVNs are mainly employed in LTC, LTAC, Home Care & clinic settings. Due to the ongoing competition, area nursing school enrollments remain very competitive.
My advice? Investigate programs to determine what pre-requisites are required & which ones need to be repeated. Math & science courses usually 'expire' at 5 years. Take those classes at a CC - we're lucky to have a lot of really good ones in this area. Make stellar grades in all those classes

Hello fellow Houstonian :) thanks for the reply! Do you happen to know about any of the cc in the area? I had my credits from UT but I live near Sugar Land. Thanks for your support!

LupeRN, MSN · May 9, 2016

In my opinion OP , first off it is never to late to start school. I decided to do LVN first and bridge over to an RN program, that way I could work as LVN while attending school. I was able to find a job in nursing homes not really hospitals. But I was able to at least begin to accumulate healthcare experience. Once I became an RN, I was chosen out of many new grads into the ER due to my LVN background. Now I am pursuing my BSN, graduating Spring 2017 to open doors and opportunities in the future.

bakingem · May 10, 2016

I'm in a very similar situation. I'm 33 and just started taking prereqs to do an accelerated 2nd Degree BSN program. I would look at all the programs in your area and find the fastest way to end up being an RN. I looked at a local program to for an Associate's degree and it was going to take basically as long as to finish that as to the accelerated BSN program through Texas Tech. My bachelor's degree didn't involve anything other than basic biologies, so I have a bunch of science classes to take first. If you're interested in getting some kind of advanced practice degree at some point, it seems smarter to just go for your BSN. The math for time and money just adds up too way more if you keep going back for more and more. At least, that's what my math on all the programs around here indicated. As for us being "old" going back, I was whining to my husband about how I wouldn't be finished with all the schooling I want to do until I'm 40 . . . and he sweetly pointed out, that I'm free to work for another 25 or 30 years after the age of 40! Point being, we have plenty of time to start over and have a long, fulfilling career! I say go for it! :)

Joanne1212 · May 10, 2016

I've been in school since 2007, for me that's when I was 28 (took a 3 year break after my youngest son was born). I am now 37 and will be graduating 2 weeks before my 38th birthday :confused: . I was lucky and found a 3 year part time program near me and I've been able to stay home and homeschool my kids throughout nursing school. I understand how you feel as I feel old myself, but you're not. I have a classmate in his 40s starting a new career at this point and I'm also not the oldest in my class.

I would definitely narrow your search down to 2 or 3 schools you're interested in and get their prereq requirements so that you can get those done. I actually pulled the trigger and applied to nursing school when I realized that A&P expire here and the schools I was interested in had a 5 year requirement. My first A&P expired and I had to retake it to even apply.

Considering that I took the majority of my prereqs while I was pregnant and had awful pregnant brain on top of having to pay for them out of pocket, I decided to just go ahead and apply and get in somewhere so all my hard work and money wouldn't go down the drain.

So to answer your question, no you're not too old, but time that passes does count. On top of entrance exams that take some time to schedule and need to be taken by certain deadlines, I would say the clock is ticking depending on when you would like to start nursing school and when you'd like to be done. Once I chose the schools I would apply to, I had to wait a month to take my entrance exam, and I had to wait a whole two semesters before starting so I could finish up the 7-8 classes I needed before starting. I actually ended up only applying to one school because the two schools required different entrance exams and I was too overwhelmed to bother. Thankfully I got in and now it's almost over!

I want to be a midwife so after this I plan to work for a few years and get an MSN/DNP. At that point im going to feel pretty old lol!

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · May 10, 2016

The age part isn't even a concern. The concern is getting classes done. Talk with the school where you want to attend and come up with a game plan for taking classes. Sitting around worrying about it won't get you any closer. You may as well go for BSN as it tends to open more doors and is required if at any point you want to attend grad school.

You will need many pre reqs so find out from the school what you need and sign up for classes!

Nurse2BeCam, ADN · May 10, 2016

I'm in Houston too! I'm almost done with my pre reqs for the bsn program and I'll be applying to UTMB in Galveston, UTHSC in Houston, and TWU in Houston this fall. I have young kids and I'm currently pregnant. I'm at San Jac CC right now finishing up my pre reqs. (: The 3 universities I listed above all have really good stats when it comes to NCLEX pass rates.

Larry2016 · May 11, 2016

Hi- I'm late in the game at 34 yrs old. My kids are finally in school all day and I want to finish my dream of becoming a nurse. What is the best way for me to do this at my age?
Should I start as an lvn and get experience then go into nursing school and then possibly A masters?
(Or am I too old for a masters now :-/ )
should I go directly into a BSN program?
should I start in an ADN program then BSN if I want a masters?
my previous college classes are all 13-16 yrs old so Will I have to retake everything?
Thanks! If this falls through or I am too old, my dream of being a nurse will have to be forgotten and I guess I'll try to get an office job (like a paralegal). *Sigh*
time please slow down!!
im in Houston, TX!!! (So if you are here in Houston and know of good schools please share them with me) I've heard prairie view wasn't a good choice for some.

"Too old, yes, that's it - too old to start the training is he..." - YODA

You are not too old! Are you crazy? Maybe a little- many nurses have to have a little crazy to survive the world of health care - I mean c'mon - look at our sense of humor when dealing with patient output on our units or the things we see or the way we see patients getting themselves in situations we would never think possible.

I started at 39. Just jumped right into a BSN program right after my pre-requisites. Graduating with honors Saturday and pinning tonight. You got this!

lesleydiaz · May 11, 2016

You are never too old! I'm 35 and start my nursing program in August (ADN). I spent a couple years knocking out prereqs while working. I chose a community college ADN program because it felt a little more doable to get in (versus an accelerated BSN program due toy previous bachelor's), costs significantly less, and after 2 years I can be working as a nurse and then take online classes towards my BSN. My advice would be to look into your local community college & start tackling prereqs and save as much money as you can for when you're in school and can't work as much. Good luck in whatever you choose!! You can do it and are definitely not too old!! :)

Devon Rex, ADN, BSN · May 12, 2016

Hello!

Oh my goodness!! When are planning on retiring? At 40? :sarcastic:

No, it is NOT too late! I graduated from nursing school at 43 and at 46 with my BSN. And... there were other people older than me realizing their dreams, just like you and I.

However, before you take the plunge, I suggest you do some homework.

1) Research the Scope of Practice of LPNs, LVNs, & RNs by googling your state's "Nurse's Scope of Practice". This will give you a better understanding of their differences and which role you want to assume. The higher the education, the higher salary, but it carries greater responsibilities.

2) Research what kind of employers are hiring for those positions. Where would you want to work? At a ... hospital, long-term care facility, clinic, doctor's office, corrections (jails), school system, public health, behavioral health, etc. This is another tool to determine which level/license you want to pursue.

3) Research ACCREDITED schools. Community colleges are usually less expensive, probably more competitive to get in (for that reason $$$), and some might have waiting lists (depends on your area). Private schools tend to be expensive, shorter or no waiting period, and drive you through the program at a faster pace. Accredited schools are those endorsed by Search ACEN Accredited Nursing Programs

If you get to the BSN level... check accreditation through this website:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing | Find Accredited Programs

4) Ensure you have family support !!! Nursing school is NO PICNIC, but it is worth it (if it's your call/vocation) !!

Best wishes !!!!!!

wannabmidwife · May 22, 2016

I completed a ASN program at 36. Am currently completing my BSN and will be starting an MSN program to become a midwife. I'm 40, pregnant with my fifth child. You can do it!! Never too old to chase those dreams ðŸ˜‰

jjmm RN,BSN · May 22, 2016

I became a nurse at 39, so it's not too late! I did an accelerated BSN in 1 year, but I had to do roughly 2 years of prereqs before I could apply to that program. You will have to take all the sciences again if they are more than 5 years old most places. As far as the ADN goes I think it depends on the area. I could have done that here but there are so many BSN graduates where I live my job options would have been limited. Some hospitals only hire BSN prepared nurses depending on where you live. If this isn't the case where you are you can get an ADN cheaper then RN to BSN if you choose. I never thought about being an LPN because my RN program was the same length, and LPNs where I am mostly work in long term care and I did that as a CNA and didn't want to go back. Good luck in whatever you choose.