You can retire whenever. It is tough work and I leave some nights so drained I do not know what end is up. Would not do anything else.

Thanks for the feed back. Good to know!

hey cutie. Did not know that. I am going to check that out

Let me rephrase my answer before. The average age is to become a RN is 45.2.

I too wish that I had done it years ago bb. I could be retired from the service now if I had done what I wanted when I was 18. I got some bum advice from adults. Would have saved me some heartache had I done what I wanted. Sometimes adults are far more ignorant than kids .

Juliana I am trying the same thing. I got divorced at 48 and decided to fulfill a life dream. Both of my sons are grown and believe it or not, it was my youngest son (23) that made me think hard about fulfilling this dream. I also work midnights at a nursing home as a cna..omg at 50 I started doing that work. I do worry sometimes that this hard work will take it's toll on me by the time I do finish school. I have met all my prerequisites, have been assigned to a core RN program, but it's two years off. In the meantime I only have A&P I, II and microbiology to finish. Then it will only be the core program. I do get ribbed by the younger nurses at work, and sometimes it does shake my self confidence.... I am too old, etc. Yes, I wish I could have done this when I was younger, but as the saying goes..... s*** happens. I will toot my own horn and say I can't believe I am on the Dean's List! I suppose I can thank my youngest son for spurring me on.

.juliana: I am a nurse and I always wanted to be an Interior Decorator. What would make you not want to do that anymore? I'm curious. nursecranny51: You go, girl! You're doing what you want to do and don't let anybody stand in your way. Congrats on making the Dean's List-I know you put in alot of hard work. Keep it up and good luck to you on your new adventure. And it is an adventure!)

Thanks cuttie! and by the way, has anyone ever worked or know of someone that has worked as a nurse in Saudi? I have an RN friend in Florida that has suggested this to me when I become an RN. I've visited sites, and it really doesn't seem all that bad actually. Having come from a big military family (father, brothers, son and nephews), I am extremely interested in working for VA. Is it tough to get hired there? Exactly what is the protocol to get hired? Be interested in anything anyone has to inform me about that. For right now, I think I want to work at VA in the psych field. All three of my brothers served in the US Navy. At the ages of 45 and 46 respectively, two of my brothers re-enlisted after 9/11. One brother was in Kuwait and the other was with an MP unit in Bagdad training the Iraqi police. The one that was in Bagdad spent 15 months there, and now is 100% disabled from PTSD. I have always been interested in psych, but what has transpired with my brother makes me even more determined to help other Vets in some capacity as an RN.

Congratulations, Sheila!! Welcome to the wonderful world of nursing:) Best of luck to you!!!!!!

oldnurse said:

Just do it! Go with general med surge at first. You could get into critical care right away but it would be overwhelming. Even the new young ones have a hard time.
I will be 55 in April. I have 30 years experience, most of it in critical care. I am in the process of changing jobs. Clinic, hospice, home care....I don't know yet. The most important thing to me is it's not about the money. At our age you want to wake up and want to go to work! Good luck!

cuttie said:

I went to a website here, that tested your abilty to be a nurse. The test said, that most nurses begin their careers at 44 1/2. you can go to that website at http:/www.learnandbecome.com.

nursecranny thanks and congrads on the deans list.

Charlita- When you are in art all your life as me you have to work for yourself. I have my own business but I think it would be nice to leave work at work and get a regular paycheck. The other optiontion to not not being self employed is maybe working for a furniture store as an interior designer and your limited creatively and pays little.

I don't want to hand out drugs all day to people and feel that working in physical therapy would be more holistic. Are there nursing specialties in that area? It looked on line like you had to have a PHD .

It's nice to see all the comments about age and nursing. I too have put off my nursing career due to life happening. But the dream has always been there. My dtr will graduate from high school next year and Iwe are actuallying considering relocating to a different area where I might have a better chance of getting into nursing school. I still need to retake my A and P classes (since it's been more the 5 years) - which I will be doing this year - but I have all the othe prereqs for a BSN. I'm 38 now so I probably be 40 before I get into Nursing School. Great to see I won't be alone. :)
Cas

boy, this sounds exactly like me!! I am 40 years old and have spent the last 21 years raising my kids! I have wanted to be a nurse since I was a small child, but decided to get married and have children young so that I could still be pretty young when they were grown! I have continued some college over the last few years ( phlebotomy,ekg tech,and got registered as a pharmacy technician), but I just won't be satisfied until I have a nursing degree!! Age is only a number...If you were blessed with the compassion, patience, and drive to be a nurse, you should do it no matter what!