Are you among the many wanting to know the answer to this question, Is 55 too old to become a Nurse?
A saying goes thus, it is never too late to pursue your dreams but still, a lot of people in the health field keep asking, is 55 years too old to be a nurse?
Be as it may, people put their lives and career on hold for a lot of reasons.
First, it might be for the family. People make decisions daily that will favor their families and can decide to put even their careers on hold for some time.
Again, people put their careers on hold because of their health. See, a health condition can hamper one’s life and make them put their career on hold. Also, it might be moving to a new location or switching careers.
Whichever it is, you must be sure about the rules guiding such careers and make sure that the age limit is not among the major factors.
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Is 55 too old to become a Nurse?
As a matter of fact, the nursing field is regulated by different rules in different countries and schools.
So, you can not say for sure what determines your getting into the profession if you do not look up the determining factors.
Furthermore, another thing to consider is to know if you can take up the challenges that come with training as a student nurse and working as a nurse as a 55-year-old.
But the good news is, in America, older people in their 50s and 60s enroll in nursing and go-ahead to become practicing registered nurses.
So, whenever someone comes up with the question, “is 55 too old to become a nurse?”, you’ve got to help clear the confusion by giving a positive reply.
Moreover, older people are slightly worried about sitting in class with much younger classmates. Surprisingly, you will meet people your age studying nursing too.
If you are still worried about the question of Is 55 too old to become a Nurse? there are also many accelerated nursing programs you can go for.
Can I train to be a Nurse at 50?
Ultimately, the big 50s for some people is time to think and plan for retirement and parties. However, at 50, some people still begin another phase of their lives and career.
Therefore, if you are already in the health field or switching over to it, or going back to school to study nursing, there is hope.
As it stands, American nursing schools do not have any age limits for anyone that wants to train to be a nurse.
If any other thing can limit you from going back to school to train as a nurse, your age is not one of them. So, instead of asking, can I train to be a nurse at 50, be worried more about meeting up with the many lectures and how to put in your best because, yes, you can train to be a nurse at 50 in America.
Registered Nurse age requirements
As a matter of fact, RN and BSN programs have an older workforce than other workers in other degrees.
Meanwhile, if you think switching from RN to BSN programs will be a bother to you and you are so anxious about your age. The program is majorly handled by the adult learning board. You really do not have anything to worry about.
Registered Nursing does not have any upper age limits, categorically speaking. This is also a welcoming knowledge because of the rising challenges in the health sector.
A study carried out by the National Council of State Board of Nursing (NCSBN) and the National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers gave a clear view of this.
As of 2017, the Registered Nurses in the United States between 65 years and above make up 19% of the workforce. Interestingly, two over three out of the active nurses work full-time.
Registered Nurse requirements in different states
Although the age factor does not hold water in nursing training, different states require different requirements for nurses.
Apparently, you mostly cannot work in another state with the license of your state of residence. This is because they do not have the same rules as your state of residence. So, you must meet certain requirements for you to work in any state you find yourself in.
Some of these requirements are;
- For Colorado
A payment of $88 for the exam application. Also, the candidate must submit fingerprints, consent for a background check, and transcripts that show you graduated from a good school.
$48 for license by endorsement. Importantly, a Registered Nurse license from the state of Colorado Board of Nursing expires every 2 years on 30th Sept.
- For New Jersey
A criminal background check, 30 continuing education credits every 2 years to help you keep your license active, and no serious medical condition.
- For Ohio
First and foremost, any nursing student from Ohio must graduate from only Ohio Board of Nursing approved schools.
Then, pass the criminal background check. Pay a sum of $75 along with your Registered Nurse application. More so, you must renew your license every two years and continuing education credits are required.
- For Rhode Island
A fee must accompany your online processing application. Secondly, official transcripts from a recognized school. 10 hours of continuing education credits.
- For Michigan
Here, graduates from nursing schools in Canada can come to Michigan and register through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs because the two countries share a boundary there. Just like the students in Michigan.
Also, you must submit transcripts from accredited schools. Nurses in Michigan must complete 25 hours of continuing education. Renewal lasts for at least four years.
- Kansas
First, you must pay $75 to the Kansas Board of Nursing and submit your application for your exam. Also, this same Kansas Board of Nursing issues licenses to the successful candidates. Renewal of license can be through online.
Factors to consider before enrolling as an older person
- Strength
Obviously, nursing can be draining because of the activities involved. As an older student, you must find a way to maneuver these challenges and still be clear-headed to tackle exams.
- Money
Ensure you have enough already before you enroll. The idea of running around for your fees and trying to concentrate on your studies might take its toll on your health.
- Time
As a matter of fact, you do not need to have a lot on your plate. You can delegate your other activities to reliable hands.
This will help you have enough time to focus on your nursing career. Combining a lot of activities with your studies may affect your output and grades.
To summarize, it is obvious that the most worrisome part of picking up a registered nursing form is the age factor. But a study showed that the oldest person in a certain nursing school was in their 70s.
This means that there are no written down age limits for anyone that wants to go back to school for a nursing degree.
By the way, the National League of Nurses survey shows that;
An Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) has 2.1% of students who are over the age of 50. And 9% of 41 to 50 years old students.
The Registered Nursing (RN) program has 1.1% of students who are over the age of 50 years. And also, 6.6% of students are 41 to 50 years old.
LVN/LPN program has 2.8% of over 50 years old nursing students.
So, is 55 too old to become a nurse? Absolutely not! For your dreams of becoming a nurse, age is just a number!
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