I am 50 and I've always wanted to be a nurse but as it sometimes does life got in the way of my dreams.  I have successfully raised four sons and I can now concentrate on what I really want to do.  So it is never too late to go into Nursing or any other profession. Actually the older we are the more time we have to commit to our jobs since we have already done the family raising part of our lives.

I am 40 and just graduated in May and took (passed) my RN boards in August. You are Never to old to learn anything, when I went back to school I assumed I would be one of the oldest people but i was suprised that over half of my class was near my age or older, we had a 72 yr young woman in out class. she graduated at the top of out class with honors and I just learned that she passed the boards as well. Us older students have an advantage over many of the younger ones, we have life experiences which in the nursing or even teaching fields goes a long way. We also have common sense even if we dont have book smarts. Yes you need book smarts in Nursing but as a instructor once told us "I would rather have a C student be my nurse than an A student" her reasoning was that "from her experience" the A students had the book smarts which is good for school but they (not all) lack common sense to understand and know that not all patients, in fact most patients dont have "text book" symptoms, or progression, of there illness. ALL patients are individual's and each and everyone is different. A person with common since understands this and has no problem treating each person as an individual.. before everyone gets upset with me remember one of my instructors said this.. yes i agree to an extent, we had some very "book smart" people in our class who just about had a panic attack because they had patients who didnt do as the "books" said they should. Such as laughing instead of crying "which would be normal" when took a nail gun to his Knee (shot a roofing nail into his knee with a nail gun), MOST people would be crying, passed out ect if they did this, but this person was laughing, only way could tell was in pain was because his BP and P. were sky high.. but this student nurse could not understand why he was reacting this way. Now granted that is an extreme but true story but just trying to say that sometimes us older folks (even if get lower grades) make better Nurses because of our life experiences which inturn gives us our common sense. Book smarts are great we need that to, but if your like me I have to study 3times as much as the younger ones to even remember something, but after awhile I stopped trying to learn like the younger crowd and did it my way, yes used my books but applied my common sense and life experience when I just couldnt remember certain things. Evidently it worked for me...lol

Each of us just has to figure out what is best for us, what we want, and then how to get it. WE are never ever to old to learn something new. If we want something NEVER let our age deter us from going after it. And do or work toward what makes us HAPPY in life..

I'm 50 and just starting Nursing school so I feel it is never to late to start into Nursing if that is what you really want to do. If your like most of us we have put our lives on hold until our children are grown, so now it's our turn....Go Late Bloomers!!!!!!

At 49, I found myself divorced and decided to pursue a lifelong dream.  I went and got my CNA at 49 and started the prerequisite classes for my RN.  Yes, I work hard and 3-12s at a crack.  I am now 53 years old and just entered the core RN program.  All my hard work will pay off in May of 2011.  If you want it badly enough, you can do it.  It is the desire that keeps you going!  It kept me going.

I have a neice that graduated 5 years back, and she was 22 at the time.  She called me one day and said not to worry about being too old, she had just trained a new nurse of the floor that was 56 and she had it all over the younger nurses, as she was more confident, and used her life experiences to do her job well.  So, sometimes being a bit older can be to one's advantage!

I started the RN program when I was 57, I will be 62 in Nov. it hasn't been easy for me, but part of the hard part was related to the school not wanting me to attend, they have a dumb idea that LPN can't be good RN's that set me back almost 1 year, but I only have 3 more classed to go until I finish. If I can do it, maybe one is never too old. Sometimes where one goes to school has more to due with how well one does, how much they learn, then their age. I can tell you that Casper College IS NOT a good school for any LPN to attend.

I am 60 yrs old and just finished LPN school a few weeks ago. Guess you really are never too old. Class started with 52 (about 4 over 40) and ended with 24 (2 over 40), so....just shows ya that us 'old folks' can buckle down and do it. Passed state boards 1st attempt. Now job searching. (by the way, the 2 over 40's who didn't finish dropped out b/c of family things, most of the young ones flunked out)

I'm turning 52 next week and hope to graduate in May and take the NCLEX-RN shortly after that!

I am glad to find this site, I have lost my job after 21 yrs. and have recieved the trade act where i can go to school for two yrs and all will be paid for, the only thing holding me back is I am 56 yrs. old,but not ready to go back to the factory work I used to do. I have always thought I wanted to go in to healthcare, but just got stuck in the rut of a factory, making good money and good benefits, now that it is gone, I find myself trying to decide where to start and which area to go in, my daughter is a R.N, she has told me that I should consider L.P.N. At my age , I am so afraid of starting over, but then again I am not ready to sit back and do nothing, so I am glad I found this site, look forward to all the support I can get.

ptennant says ...

I don't believe you are ever too old. I am 43 and in nursing school, and I would still do it if I were 53.

Go for it and good luck.  You may just love it.

Cheers - Tim, R.N.

Hi all,

I will turn 51 Oct 21, and decided to go after my dream.   Signing up for the prereqs. in January 2010.    WE CAN DO IT. ...  It's our life and our dreams we create them........   NO REGRETS~  

MrBrown says ...

From a real old goat - by now you older students will have figured out a lot more about life than the young'uns. You can use your experience to handle situations that they are having to sort out for the first time! I mean that.

Good luck to all of you.

 

       Your certainly right about that Mr. Brown as it does come in handy more than a few times a day.  Youth is always better physically, but I don't think I would trade it for the experiences I have for reference from the many lessons I've worked through.

 

Cheers and hats off to ya Sir - Tim, R.N.

Hello Everyone;

Well..........I'm a silly waitress.........still...........at age.........gulp....age 46. oops...forgot to go get real I guess.

I'd have to pretty much start commuity college from scratch...........

Lets see.........that would mean I'd get a BA  in..........? say 4 years from now?.............gulp.

46 +  4 =........Too old? :(

Will I get hired? Just because I LOOK younger is probably not going to help I suppose, eh? ha..h.a...

I'd like to have job security and make great money......

At this age....would I even get hired?

Seriously......help?!!!!!!!!!! panic!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the advice!!!

Noodlz

Ladybug please don't let age get in the way of your dreams. You can do anything you put your mind to. I have been an RN for 25 years plus and was released from my PACU position in July, after nine yrs. of service. Since August I have been actively seeking employment. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and angry with the job hunting process I decided to take advantage of the time on my hands and enroll in an RN-BSN program. I had always intended to further my education but the time just never seemed right. I am 51 yrs. young and having a blast in the online classroom setting. Advanced age in the nursing profession appears to be a double-edged sword. I can't help but think that ageism is alive and well in the recruitment process. Hopefully the situation will improve soon. I believe I was placed on this earth to administer nursing to those in need. It is my calling, my life's work, I have no choice but to continue to hope for the chance to complete my mission!

HI Guys, I returned to school approximately five years ago with a dream of becoming a nurse. I am 52 yrs.old and just finished my LPN .

I took the Utah PN NCLEX to and I feel all my hard work was just flushed down the toilet. It's been a pretty rough day !!! Not too sure what to do

now ??. I have sacrificed everything for this and now I am having second thoughts . Feeling like a failure but tomorrows another day ,right 

Thanks for listening  

Im 43 and I just finish my prerequisite at MCCC, I just missed the petition date for getting into the nursing program, and I will need to petition this sept. I believe that people should strive harder to reach their goals. I cannot look back and say that " I should have or could have, I can only go forward and push to get into it. Im also having challenges along the way, I pray and hope to get there before another prerequisite is added into the program. "knock and it shall be opened, ask and you shall receive," mathew 7. .... This link is a really good link... it has given me a renewed courage to strive harder... thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences...God Bless!