Related: Age, Male Nurse, New Nurse, Second Career Nursing

In the last 10 years I have been down-sized, laid off, and company went out of business. At 52 I want to become an RN.
What are the prospects for a new 55 y/o male nurse?
Am I too old??

Related: Fear, Feelings, New Nurse, Perfect Nurse, Second Career Nursing

I am a new graduate Dec 2009, 51 yr old RN. I am working on a tele floor and to be perfectly honest feel like I don't know crap. My preceptor is awesome and a great teacher but with 6 and 7 patients I feel like I am doing but not understanding why I am doing. I am looking at lab results and don't understand [...]

Related: Attitude, Career, Job Search, Learning, Mindset, New Grad, New Nurse Tips, Nursing Jobs, Second Career Nursing

I know that it is frustrating trying to find a nursing job right now for new graduates. I've been looking for over a year now.

I graduated in 2007 with my BSN and passed the NCLEX. I had a few job offers before I graduated from school, but the effects of the economy eliminated those opportunities. I haven't been picky looking for opportunities. I have been [...]

Related: Anxiety, Confidence, Failure, Fear, Mistake, Morale, New Grad, Orientee, Second Career Nursing, Stress, Weaknesses

I am a second career nurse—53 years old and a new grad.

I landed a job at a teaching hospital because I love to learn and felt it would be a good place for me. But I feel like I have bitten off more than I can chew.

Every day I make at least one mistake. I’ve already made two medication errors which resulted in my having [...]

Related: Attitude, Career, Doctor-Nurse Relationships, Doctors, Handmaidens, Male Nurse, Second Career Nursing, Stereotypes

From my observations, men below the age of 25 are reluctant to enter the field of nursing. The trend remains that more men between the ages 25 and 30, who have been working in other fields, are filling the ranks.

Unfortunately, male nurses entering the field have to deal with the press' portrayal of them - that all male nurses want is a "free show." But, [...]

Related: Career, Expectations, Second Career Nursing, Truth

Why did you become a nurse? Why would you recommend the profession to someone else? Was the schooling harder than the actual job?

We've had lots of posts from people thinking about getting into the nursing profession, but uncertain about whether it's really for them or not. They wonder if they're too old. Or smart enough. Or have a strong [...]

Related: Career, Job Search, Learning, New Nurse Tips, Nursing Jobs, Second Career Nursing, Student Nurse, Success

We’re all eager to land our first jobs once we finish nursing school. Maybe too eager.

Last year, when I was a student, we were given the option of working at a variety of hospitals during our clinical rotation. Many students stayed in the same hospital to get familiar with the people and the program. Ultimately, they had their hearts set on working there and there [...]

Related: Balance, Career, Confidence, New Grad, New Nurse, Second Career Nursing, Work-Life Balance

What would prompt a 45-year-old mother of teenagers to pursue a career in nursing?

Delusional thinking, some might say. At times I thought I was mad. How could I keep up with those tireless, technology-savvy twenty-somethings? Still I couldn’t ignore my inner rumbling. I wanted to do something significant with my life.

When I was younger, nursing was my dream. But I wasn’t the student I needed [...]