Getting around the 18 y.o requirement

[npaar]

My 14 y.o daughter has 21 college credits and is currently enrolled full time in a community college. She would very much like to be a nurse but does not want to start an Associates degree in nursing at 18. ( All AS nursing degrees require you to be 18 to start clinicals) We know she can complete the handful of non clinical classes before 18 but is there a beneficial avenue in which she can complete a bachelor's degree before 18 and go back for a limited time after 18 to get the nursing done?

What is the best bachelors that will let her transfer to a BSN easily or is there another method to best utilize her time in college before she turns 18?

[anchorRN, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I don't see any way of getting around the 18 y.o. requirement. We as nurses not only make critical decisions regarding patient care, but we also administer controlled narcotics. Although not 100% sure, I would reasonably think a minor would not be permitted to handle controlled substances. I would think the DEA would have issue with a minor having access to narcs. I am speculating here so my word is not gospel.

[Extra Pickles]

Every place I've worked has not allowed students younger than 18 to have any patient care or direct patient care responsibilities such as one would have as a nursing student. It has to do with liability and depending on the type of interactions, HIPAA (you can't enter into a contract with a minor, so their signatures on forms means nothing). Breaking it down into a nutshell no facility is going to accept the responsibility for a minor in patient care/infection-exposure situations and they can't enforce contracts because the minor can't be held accountable so forget having a minor in a nursing program. They won't be accepted onto clinical sites for all of the above reasons so enrollment in a nursing program is out until she reaches the status of legal adult. Doesn't matter if she's smart and motivated, she's fourteen. A child placed in a situation of handling adult interactions, diseases and disorders is a child out of place.

[SCSTxRN]

It might behoove her to get her CNA at 16, but I believe that is the minimum age for that program.

She may find that nursing isn't exactly what she thought it would be, and she has plenty of time to look at other fields that are just as academically challenging.

Otherwise, as many others have suggested - working towards a bachelor's in science - chemistry, biology, or the likes, is likely to help her most in terms of fulfilling academic requirements and maintaining personal growth.

One other caveat - you can only get financial aid in the form of grants or subsidized loans for a higher degree; so once you have an associate's degree, you can't get that type of financial aid for another associate's degree.. same for bachelor's and master's. I'm not sure if this is a consideration for your family or not, but it is something of which to be aware.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

My family has had some academically gifted students and my sister was an elementary school teacher with a special interest in gifted children. Here is what they/we have done: focused on using those high school years to develop "well-roundedness" and emotional maturity. So my gifted niece (who has always been a math and science whiz) participates in sports and paints. Her younger brother (with an even higher IQ) played in Little League to develop social skills and is now entering beginning high school with a plan to try out for the tennis team as a means to develop his body as well as his social skills.

The goal is not to push through to PhD as fast as possible with a narrow range of experiences that warp the genius's perspective to just science and math. The goal is to happy, productive adults who are healthy in every way -- emotionally, socially, spiritually, and academically.

I suggest the OP first make sure that her daughter is involved in activities outside of academics so that she develops well in all dimensions, not just science and math. I'd also encourage her to take courses in the social sciences and humanities to develop those areas of her mind. Regardless of her eventual career path, understanding people and all that human life involves will enrich her career and her personal life. Things like art, music, literature, etc. can engage her daughters mind and help her develop into all that she can be in every aspect of intellectual life. Physical activity and a social life will also help her live a full life.

Then, look for a good university that has a great honors program for gifted students.

Good points about filling out her development/education with non science classes as well.

[Asystole RN]

I don't see any way of getting around the 18 y.o. requirement. We as nurses not only make critical decisions regarding patient care, but we also administer controlled narcotics. Although not 100% sure, I would reasonably think a minor would not be permitted to handle controlled substances. I would think the DEA would have issue with a minor having access to narcs. I am speculating here so my word is not gospel.

I know a nurse who was licensed at 18, as in she graduated BEFORE she turned 18.

Super wicked-smart nurse.

I do not remember getting my DEA license to handle narcotics, did you get one?

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I don't believe there is any law about starting nursing school at a given age. It is likely school policy and facility policy for clinicals. Maybe the OP's mother could appeal to the given school if they are that determined.

This young woman attended nursing school at a very young age:

They didn't even know if it was legal. But the only Arizona law they found was that you have to be 16 to administer narcotics. Coincidentally, I turned 16 the week I had to administer narcotics.”

College grad at 15, nurse at 17, Gilbert wunderkind reaching for Miss Arizona crown | Gilbert | eastvalleytribune.com

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

There may be less restrictions on the academic side than on the clinical site side. For some nursing programs, she will just have to be 18. It was a requirement of where I went to school and our youngest classmate was 19. Some LPN classes allow under 18, but they are affiliated with the high schools and there aren't many of these programs now.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

OP, I would personally look at the schools in question around your area and ask them their thoughts. A lot of schools, like others have said, have their own personal policies RE: clinical etc and one school may differ than another. Best to speak with them directly, and go from there.

[anchorRN, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I do not remember getting my DEA license to handle narcotics, did you get one?

They hand them out like candy, right?! .... I never implied an RN held a DEA license. However the DEA does monitor a hospital's dispensing of narcotics. A 14 year old with access to Morphine, Dilaudid, etc??? I would assume there is some policy against this practice, however again, as I stated TWICE in my reply.... I'm not 100% sure and my word isn't gospel.

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

ADMIN REQUEST

Several off-topic posts have been removed as such comments serve no purpose other than to derail the thread. Please keep your comments on topic.

[Emergent, RN]

They hand them out like candy, right?! .... I never implied an RN held a DEA license. However the DEA does monitor a hospital's dispensing of narcotics. A 14 year old with access to Morphine, Dilaudid, etc??? I would assume there is some policy against this practice, however again, as I stated TWICE in my reply.... I'm not 100% sure and my word isn't gospel.

You have to be 18 to serve alcohol in a restaurant...

[Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN]

Working as a minor in an acute care hospital is very possible. There are several young people that have or are currently working in my ICU as CNAs at 16 or 17 years old. It's a extension of their 'Volunteen' program they all began right as they turned 16. Yes, they are legitimately employed staff, with special accomodations for work hours, and placed by way of a specific program, but they very much exist.