Is it more of an accomplishment to be a younger nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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I read a lot of the threads and noticed many people express a bit of resentment that they were not able to accomplish nursing school in their early to maybe mid 20s. They are frustrated that they are in their late 20s and beyond and still have a bit of time to go before they are an LPN/RN.

It seems that in this day in age, there's a lot of pressure to do everything fast and when you're really young. I notice that the early 20s seem to have a bit of pride that they accomplished something so young, and even though I am the same age as them I will not be an RN until I am in my late 20s most likely. (Hopefully mid 20s if my program excepts me). I feel a bit jealous that I am not where they are now. I always had this dream of being an RN, and telling people that I am only 23. But most likely that won't happen.

Specializes in ER,ICU,L+D,OR.

I wanted to go to college in a hurry and party up a storm. Studying was secondary almost. God I haad a great time.

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I sometimes feel the same way you do. I'm 28 but (if I get accepted this fall!) I'll be 30 when I graduate. I'm single with no kids and no older parents to take care of, so the only thing I have to worry about is income. I have a lot of education, but I'm not where I want to be in life. I admire mature younger people who know exactly what they want to do in life.

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I sometimes feel the same way you do. I'm 28 but (if I get accepted this fall!) I'll be 30 when I graduate. I'm single with no kids and no older parents to take care of, so the only thing I have to worry about is income. I have a lot of education, but I'm not where I want to be in life. I admire mature younger people who know exactly what they want to do in life.

Hahaha... I am 55 and still not sure what I want to do in life!

I was 50 when I went to nursing school, got BSN at age 52, am now 55, work as a wound and ostomy nurse. I'm working on an MSN (maybe an NP). I think nursing school is an acoomplishment no matter when you do it. The young nurses bring energy and enthusiasm, the older nurses bring wisdom (I hope) and empathy. We all play an important part in helping our patients.

Oldiebutgoodie

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm 23. I've been going to CC all this time because it's what I can afford, and I've decided to apply to nursing school. I work full time and live with my long-term boyfriend. His college is paid for by a rich relative (I don't have any of those!), but he makes crappy money and probably won't have a decent job for a while. I'm still not sure how I'm going to get through nursing school because I'll have to drive, and it will be more expensive, and more time-consuming... I think it would have been easier when I was 18 and still living with my parents, but I don't fault myself for not knowing what I wanted to do then.

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I read a lot of the threads and noticed many people express a bit of resentment that they were not able to accomplish nursing school in their early to maybe mid 20s. They are frustrated that they are in their late 20s and beyond and still have a bit of time to go before they are an LPN/RN.

It seems that in this day in age, there's a lot of pressure to do everything fast and when you're really young. I notice that the early 20s seem to have a bit of pride that they accomplished something so young, and even though I am the same age as them I will not be an RN until I am in my late 20s most likely. (Hopefully mid 20s if my program excepts me). I feel a bit jealous that I am not where they are now. I always had this dream of being an RN, and telling people that I am only 23. But most likely that won't happen.

It's all relative. To me getting in by late 20s still seems young. :)

I do wish that I'd known that nursing was something I could have done right out of high school but on the other hand I've done a lot and seen a lot since high school. I get the impression that some people who have been in nursing for their entire adult lives can get to the point where they are somewhat jaded and resentful because they take their careers for granted not knowing what its like for people who don't have the earning opportunities or stability that people have in health care. But bottom line I don't have any regrets, nor am I resentful but I will be much more motivated and just happy to be in. :)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I agree that it's an accomplishment at any age. I was excited to get my ADN at age 31 and even more when I finally got a BSN at age 48.

However, I had the change when I was 18 to go to college and graduate with a BSN at the age of 21 and regret I didn't do it then.

But it is what it is.

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Specializes in acute care then Home health.

I'm 30 and I'm a new grad (started prereques. at 25yrs.). If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't have done it any earlier. The thought of having this much responsibility at 22 makes me sick. I'm glad I had fun during my early 20's and was NOT in nursing school. :p

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Specializes in ER.

I will graduate at 31. I already have a bachelors in one area and a previous career. Its not that I feel less accomplished but rather that I feel out of place for my peer group. Kids go to college. I am more like in a prolonged job training program (16 months). (Personally, I root for everybody who is getting their first bachelors, especially in nursing because its no easy row to hoe!! I feel more excited for them then I do for me.)

I have friends who have built careers in their fields and are quite accomplished and rising in their organizations. They are building retirement nest eggs, building equity, taking vacations and dating. They have been working for 10+ years in the fields so they should be I guess!

I am studying, broke, and not even considering dating. I have a book bag, sturdy sneakers and a hideous white uniform. I am education saavy. I am here to play the game, an accomplishment in nursing school is an elaborate game of "who got game?"

I know that a lot of them are not as satisfied in their careers and state that they admire me for having the courage to go pursue something else! I know that there are probably new nurses at 21 or 22 who will leave their first career much as I left mine.

Forgive me for saying this but I also am hopeful that my previous career, relative maturity for 30, and my experience as a mother will facilitate career advancement as a nurse. I remember how frustrating it was to start out at 21 and have no one take you seriously or promote you because you were young and inexperienced. This was true for me at least but I think that's changed now.

Guess I am just jaded!

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I'm 25 and have 2 kids under 3 and I probably won't finish nursing school until I'm 29 (if things work out the way I plan). I had plenty of time to finish nursing school straight out of high school before I started having kids. At times you might catch me regretting that I didn't finish school before kids. But the truth is, I didn't know what I wanted back then, I was immature, wanted to party, and changed my career dreams every semester that I was in school (which was off and on). It took me some growing up and experience in a few different jobs to get me to this point. I know so much more about myself now and I am SO much more motivated and passionate about it. I think my experiences will make me a better nurse. I think if nursing would have been my first REAL job, I probably would have quit early on and changed careers anyways, just to see what else is out there. Now that I know what else is out there is what I DON'T want, I might be more open minded when there are stressful times and/or problems in the work place.

I'm not saying that all people who became nurses right out of highschool would be that way, I just think I would have been.

Even though it would have been nice to know 7 years ago, what I know now, I wouldn't change my life choices for the world. Everything happens for a reason.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
But the truth is, I didn't know what I wanted back then, I was immature, wanted to party, and changed my career dreams every semester that I was in school (which was off and on). It took me some growing up and experience in a few different jobs to get me to this point. I know so much more about myself now and I am SO much more motivated and passionate about it. I think my experiences will make me a better nurse. I think if nursing would have been my first REAL job, I probably would have quit early on and changed careers anyways, just to see what else is out there. Now that I know what else is out there is what I DON'T want, I might be more open minded when there are stressful times and/or problems in the work place.

Word. :-) I could have written your post (though it took me until my late 30s to figure it all out!)

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Specializes in Endocrine (Diabetes), Pediatric Psych.

Interesting question - I was an RN at 22, but I admired the 57 y/o in my class that seemed to have accomplished everything, but as he said, was now going after what he really wanted...

It's an accomplishment at any age, IMO... :grad:

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Specializes in Pulmonary med/surg/telemetry.

I'm 28 now and will graduate when I'm 30, and I am one of the very youngest in my class. I will admit that it would have been a lot less stressful to go to nursing school before having children and all that comes along with "adult" life but I don't think that I would have had the same motivation that I have now. I feel that a lot of my experience as a wife and mother makes me more comfortable in my role as a nurse.

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