Greetings! Just found this site and I am surprised by the concern over age. I have spent over 26 years in performing arts management, and just started my general studies pre-nursing courses. I plan to graduate in 2009 at the age of 57! I find the coursework very stimulating and challenging, and I am getting excellent grades - it's like I've been reborn!
Anyway, good to know this board is here, and I look forward to learning more from all of you.
What kind of nursing do you want to do??
I have been taking classes too after a long relapse and if i get into the program i want i will finish in 2008 at the age of 47. This is not something i want to do, it is something i need to do. I just applied to a program last week and they sent me an email saying my application was complete and i would be notified in march. I hope i get in!
anyway, lets try to liven up this place!
We all sometimes find ourselves in a situation where we make the choise to change our professions. I am in my second semester of a 5 semester ADN program. At the age of 56, I am the oldest in the class. And with a little bit of luck, will graduate in May 2006. So never think age is a bad thing. Have found it to be more of a benefit. Good luck to you both and let me know how things are going.
Have A Great Day
Jerry
greetings gentlemen! good luck to all of you while in school. Keeps us updated with how things are going!
I am also starting out to be a nurse as a mid-40's guy. For me, it's a retirement plan. After I finish working at my current career, I want to be able to travel A LOT, and live in many different places. I would like have a very portable job, that's in demand, and can have a flexable schedule. I have always had an interest in health care, so it seems perfect for me.
I'm almost finished with the Pre-requisites (some courses I'm re-taking...that I took 20 years ago). It's actually fun being in school again. There is a big difference being in class because I want to be there, and not have to be there. The plans are to take actual nursing courses starting next semester...
Thanks for all the great messages in this forum.
I am leaning pretty heavily towards taking an early retirement after close to 25 years in the air traffic field. I too am interested in job portability, and want a career where I can ramp down when I decide to "really" retire. The health professions have always interested me, and save for unusual circumstances (i.e. a president firing 15,000 controllers), I may have gone that way 25 years ago. Although I seriously considered staying in my current profession--albeit as a consultant--I finally decided that life is too short. It's time to do something completely different.
That said, does anyone here have any experience with the second degree BSN programs? I currently have a BA in Economics, but heavily tilted towards the hard sciences as a result of a major change halfway through college. What type of prerequisites are usually required? Are the 18-24 month programs substantially different from an 18-24 month Associates program?
Thanks in advance for your time.
Hello Karl,
For nursing programs, I'd visit http://www.allnursingschools.com
They have comprehensive listings of all the programs that are out there. The prerequisites are pretty uniform. Most require psychology, sociology, math for pharmacology, anatomy & physiology, biology and chemistry among others.
For job security, nursing is a pretty sure bet with a 30 year nursing shortage already in progress. Like a plumber though, you will work for your money.
I'd suggest that you read a few nurses opinions (both positive and negative) on the profession.
Nurses Views of The Nursing Profession
http://www.nursefriendly.com/views
I feel it's usually best to know what you're getting into. These articles will give you a clear idea of what to expect.
Hope they are helpful.
Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com
I thought also I was too old for the profession but then all the students in my classwere older too. I was very close to graduate from an LPN program, but decided to quit for different reasons. First,I think it is overkilled, eventually there will be enough nurses to go around and with that wages will no longer be an attractive trait! Second (no offense to anyone please), the women that were part of my class went back to teen age hood and playing games, tellatale etc , and that was a big turnoff... third it is very very expensive my last semester,would have cost me, if I would have attended, another 5000 dollars!! So now I have 53 credits and looking in another direction.
Hello Toto,
You're entitled to your opinions and your own reasons.
However, with a nursing shortage like we've never experienced before on the horizon, it will be decades before there are "enough nurses" to go around. Wages will only go up for the next 20 years.
Nurse training is more expensive than most college degree programs. It also pays more off the bat than most college graduates will make too. Working a 40 hour week as an LPN, you'd make $35-40,000 in the North East your first year out. So had you completed that last semester, gotten licensed and worked in the field, you would have made back that $5,000 in approximately two months.
Granted, if you're in it only for the money, I wouldn't recommend nursing. For those that go into nursing to help others and be of service, it does help pay the bills and support a family.
Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com
Hi. Like many of you, I'm about to be 40. I have 31 college credit but haven't taken any sciences classes yet; I will be starting next semester. I really want to pursue nursing, but I'm concerned about having 2 children under the age of 4. I would like to get an RN first, which would be two years. Does anyone have any advice on trying to attend school with small children? Would it be too difficult? My husband can help out, but is that enough? I do plan on having ALL of the core and science classes taken before I apply and hopefully start the program.
Thanks!
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