Young Nurses

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Are you young and a nurse or know someone who is young and is a nurse, share your experiences and thoughts, thanx!

Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.

nurses!;) :nurse: , i'm glad we do what we do no matter what our ages! but of course i love being a nurse at my tender age, and wouldn't trade it for da world, no matter what anyone thinks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in emergency surgery.

Hi Viva, - I know exactly how you feel! I am 23 also and people still think i am 16!! When I buy alcohol, I get asked for I.D nearly everytime, and we can buy it at 16 here!!! Lol, I am always told I will be grateful when I am older!! It is even more frustrating when I get I.D'd when I am in uniform - I feel like saying 'how old do you think you have to be to be a qualified nurse?!!' Most of my experiences with patients have been fine tho, they see young age in a nurse as an achievement rather than intimidation. Angie.x

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU.

I graduated ADN nursing school 3 months after I turned 20 and have been practicing for I guess 4 months now. I expected to run into some discrimination, but it hasn't happened. It helps that I look much older than I am, but my co-workers mostly know that I'm the baby of the group by now. Even with the cat out of the bag, nobody seems to hold it against me; I've had a few tell me that I work as a professional and they never would have guessed.

I can identify with the drug thing, though. I enjoy telling people that in the great state of Texas, I can push all kinds of narcotics directly into someone's blood stream, but I can't buy alcohol!

Oh, and I hear you, too, Dolce. In the unit, I still feel like I'm the kid and all of the other nurses are my parents!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm not a nurse yet but I encountered this in my last career. I graduated college a year early, am blonde and look like I'm 16. One of my first days on the new job, an elderly man and I were chatting and I told him I had recently graduated. "Oh, that's great! Are you planning to go on to college?", he asked. :lol2:

I always strived to have a poised demeanor and dressed conservatively but some clients and even coworkers gave me grief at first because I looked so young. Usually once they saw I knew what I was doing, and actually knew policy and procedure better than my managers because I was up to date on everything, they became very loyal and didn't care. You just have to keep your head up, show 'em what you know, and don't let the little comments get to you. As annoying as it is, it's also a form of flattery.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I was getting ready to respond, then realized that 28 doesn't qualify as "young" for this forum. Sigh.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in acute care.

hi there! did you study your lpn in hs? if so, which hs did you go to? my sister had an lpn course offered in her hs (hillcrest) but chose not to study because it meant she would have to stay back an extra year...now that she is struggling to find a nursing school years later, i'm sure she regrets not taking the opportunity :o

nurses!;) :nurse: , i'm glad we do what we do no matter what our ages! but of course i love being a nurse at my tender age, and wouldn't trade it for da world, no matter what anyone thinks!
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I know what you all mean. I am 25, a wife and a mother and I start my pre-req's this summer. When I went to take the placement test and I told the administrator what my major was, he looked at me and said how old are you 17. I looked at him and said sir, you are holding my id in your hands. Take a look. At first I was offended, but then I found it to be funny.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey all i know what u feel like i agree with the lady above me i am 22 and people think i am around 16-18 one of my clients thought i was 12, i work with all older work collegues, who range from aged 24 thats one girl to there 40-50s, and they are always so nice to me i am they youngest one in where i work so its good, to be the youngest, i absolutely love how they make me feel so special, although its all female origentated, and only one man what young girl dosnt like the attention.

signed honey22

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.
hi there! did you study your lpn in hs? if so, which hs did you go to? my sister had an lpn course offered in her hs (hillcrest) but chose not to study because it meant she would have to stay back an extra year...now that she is struggling to find a nursing school years later, i'm sure she regrets not taking the opportunity :o

yes, i did attend hillcrest's nursing program.;) now i'm an lpn:lol2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Student Nurse.

Personally, I don't think I look young for my age (25), but when i'm on my clinical placements, the staff and patients disagree with me...it seems the older the person, the younger they estimate my age to be.

I was once taking the observations of an elderly lady, when she said to me, "it's nice that you young teenagers are helping in here, rather than hanging around on street corners". I've no idea what she was thinking, but just agreed with her and was on my way! :imbar

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in acute care.
yes, i did attend hillcrest's nursing program.;) now i'm an lpn:lol2:

you go to liu, now, right? i'll will be starting there this fall as a transfer student, so i hope they accept alot of my credits...i'm going to my academic advisor on monday to register

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.
you go to liu, now, right? i'll will be starting there this fall as a transfer student, so i hope they accept alot of my credits...i'm going to my academic advisor on monday to register

yes i attend liu, will u be transfering right into the nrsg program? good luck and tell me how the program is if you are starting it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment