47yrs old in 4days and starting class

Nursing Students General Students

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Well here I go, I'm almost 47 and I start classes toward my RN tomorrow. I'M scared, nervous, I feel like crying. Why GOD did I wait so long? I just feel Too Old. I just feel like I waited too long, but I also feel like I cant give up. Why Am I soo Emotional.

:cry:

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Good luck!!!! While I'm on the young spectrum of new nurses I can tell you there were many "older" (you guys are seriously not old but compared to the 20 year old population) people who were in the program as well so don't feel discouraged!! Just the other day my friend was telling me his 55 year old mother was always interested in nursing and I was sitting there saying, "it's never too late!!" ;)

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And to add another personal note to that my mother is in her 50's and is on her second year as a teacher!! It's seriously never too late to pursue your dreams. :)

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I graduated in December with a lady who was in her late 50s. She has always wanted to be a nurse and now that her children were grown, she pursued her dream. Congratulations to you!

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thank you for your encouraging words

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Congrats you got this!

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Congrats on furthering your education and entering the field of nursing! There are some in my program in their 50s and 60s (no, really) so you've got nothing on them. ;) You will do great. And please don't feel awkward. I'm 24 and have no problem studying, going to lunch, or anything, for that matter, with students who are double and almost triple my age. Congrats again!

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Thanks everyone. This feb14th I will have been a Lpn for 10years. Im looking for more job opportunities and know if is the only way for me!

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You will be approximately 50 when you graduate, correct? You are not too old for this. I am an "older" student also. 2nd oldest in my class of 21. I will be 42 in July. The oldest is 56. Why would you want to spend the last 15-20 years of your working career always saying "what if?" You have so much experience under your belt....nursing and life....you will do great in nursing school. In my experience it hasn't been the older students who struggle. It has been the "youngsters." You know how much money and time you have invested and feel you only have this one shot you will put the time and effort into the program to pass with flying colors. You can do it!!

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Don't fret. I am 56yo and started my program last week. I'll be a couple of months shy of 58yo when I graduate. Sit back, enjoy the ride, and learn some new stuff!

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Specializes in hospice.

You will find that you're not alone. I was one of many old broads in my class. We didn't spend our time talking about boys and babies. We just buckled down and got to work.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

You are never too old to pursue your dream! I'm 45 and I'm the second oldest in my class. The oldest is 51. There are 5 of us in our 40s in our class of 64. I've made it through with a 3.93 GPA, too :) Hopefully, I'll be attending my pinning ceremony in May and taking the NCLEX a few weeks later!

I think we older students lend a maturity to our perspective that younger students don't have, particularly in clinicals. We seem to know how to treat others with more dignity & respect. Not saying that younger students are incapable of this, they most certainly are. But the students who struggle with patient interaction are the younger students with little life experience outside of mommy & daddy's house.

You can do this! :D

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