does it really make a difference?

Nurses General Nursing

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As students some of us are young, straight out of highschool and others go back later in life. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Nurses, during clinicals do you think there is a difference between the younger and older students?if so, do you prefer working with and teaching young students 18/19/20 or older students?

Im curious because in my class, us who came straight out of school work hard but also don't have the same responsibilities of a family etc as an older student would. We get to spend this extra time doing sports and hanging out with friends and just enjoying the college experience. However the older students don't have this luxury and I have the utmost respect for that and how hard they work. From what I could see in our class ( obviously I cant be sure) but I think we all generally did well.I was wondering if its the same on clinicals? or do we have different advantages and disadvantages depending on how old we are. Personally, I could see that older students were more confident and weren't shy at all.

what do you think?

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Since I'm 44 and just starting the journey of nursing school, I guess I'm considered an older student. ;) I think there are pros and cons to both age groups. As a mother of 2 boys and early childhood teacher for 20+ years, I've had my fair share of puke, vomit, diarhhea, broken bones, bloody noses, ear aches, stitches, etc. I can handle it all and never hesitate to jump in. I've watched grandparents die and have witnessed babies being born. I have life experiences that no 18 year old would have.

On the flip side, I haven't been a full-time student in over 2 decades. My study skills are rusty (luckily my time management skills are solid!). I have to manage a household that consists of my husband, one son who is a junior in college and another who is a senior in high school, and 2 dogs. I'm in early onset menopause and am dealing with horrible night sweats and insomnia almost every single night.:sleep: I'm also a runner who is usually in training for something (currently a half marathon) so I'll need to squeeze in time for that as well.

I don't think either group has it easier or harder than the other. Hopefully we can learn from each other!

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

I find the older students bring more confidence from their life experience. They develop a faster rapport with patients and handle themselves more professionally. Seem more dedicated to their purpose...

Just an observation

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I find the older students bring more confidence from their life experience. They develop a faster rapport with patients and handle themselves more professionally. Seem more dedicated to their purpose...

Just an observation

And I've observed the opposite. Generalization ahead: The older second career students are so timid, it drives me batty. Perhaps it's the recklessness of youth, but the younger students I've had always seem more willing to take more initiative. I can say, "Hey, go in there and get vitals and listen to their chest and I'll be in there in a minute." The older students tend to want me to tell them every single step of every single thing I want them to do. Like, "Walk into the room, you'll have to push the latch, then walk around to the left side of the bed by the monitor. Next you're going to take the stethoscope from around your neck, and then you're going to put it in your ears. Then you'll take the bell and set it on their chest..." I just want to scream, "You're not going to kill the patient by just being in the room, so we can pretty safely let you spend 2-3 minutes in the room without me!!"

(Ironically, I was an older student, and that same way, and one of my preceptors pretty much did scream that at me. Well, actually it was more hinted it to me and I was luckily astute enough to catch on. I learned a lot more once I got over my need to be spoon fed.)

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