Age related

[Pamelaski]

I have been an RN in my first job for a year today. My issue is, what to do about a manager who seems to constantly forget that I am a new nurse because I am older than all the 20 something nurses who started when I did. She forgets I am learning just as they are, and constantly makes comments like I the new nurses to have questions, or they are newer .... I can't seem to get her to accept that I too am new!

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

I wouldn't make an issue out of it. If anything, maybe you present yourself as having your act together and appear confident in your role (even though you may feel just as much like a deer in the headlights as the rest of your peers feel at times). I know a lot of nurses that are in their second career. Age does not define experience. It's just more obvious that someone may not have 20 years of past knowledge to reflect on because 20 years ago they were still drinking from a sippy cup. This is nothing to stress over. If she's asking you to guide someone on something that you don't feel comfortable with yourself, just remind her that your still learning along with everyone else but would be glad to join in on some extra training in that area if it were offered.

[quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN]

My last job, I did remind people that I have only been a nurse for less than 3 years and that I am still learning as a nurse as well as the idiosyncrasies of the facility (it wasn't my first job). Really seemed to help and some of the nurses who were treating me like I should know started treating meat as the new nurse I am and would teach me about things.