"YOU'RE my Nurse?!?!?"

Jo Dirt · Jun 16, 2006

I was turned down to buy wine coolers today at Wal-Mart because I didn't have my ID with me.

emeraldjay · Jun 16, 2006

I still enjoy the look of shock when my LTC pts finally get the nerve to ask me how old I am; I'll be 32 next month. I got similar responses from clients when I was working as a cosmetologist and being asked if I was doing it for school. The best one was back in 1999 when a census bureau worker came to my house and asked if my mommie was home. My response was "how should I know, she lives 90 miles away from here."

I'm still going through it when I'm at my clinical sites, I get asked when I will be graduating from high school even though my shirt has "Morrisville State College School of Nursing" embroidered on it. My response is usually something like more than 10 years ago but I still have 2 more years of college. Then we get into the age thing, which leads to the marriage & children conversations provoking a quick exit before they try playing matchmaker. :lol2:

babynursewannab · Jun 16, 2006

I agree that not talking in that "young girly" voice can make all the difference in the world. I am constantly carded, told I look no older than 17 when my hair is wet and cannot tell you how many times I have heard something to the effect of, "well, Honey, when you grow up and have kids someday, you'll understand."

I love flooring those particular people with "Well, I'm 33, have had 3 children and have been married twice!"

They're usually speechless. lol What has helped for me is I usually straighten my hair (makes me look older than my major curls) and make sure I don't "squeek" when I talk. It doesn't take long for the patients to take me seriously once we start talking and they hear I know what I'm talking about.

It will come. Confidence makes all the difference in the world.

ONSnrs · Jun 16, 2006

So you see my dear, at the end of the day it is not your hair color, your hairstyle, your glasses your voice etc. etc. it is the confidence that you have with your patient education.

Many, many years ago before any formal pharmeceuticals were invented, doctors procured patients confidence with them through educated speech, and that is why all anatomical references are to this day in Latin. The patient became more at ease with the physician who was able to talk with education and relaxed with the level of education and trusted through educated pt teaching "speech," with liberal use of Latin.

So whether it be doctor or nurse, with good education and pt teaching before, during and after procedures, your pt will feel more at ease with all that you do.

warmly,'

oncnrs

allnurses Guide · Jun 18, 2006

Well, it isn't always your looks! I'm that national average, age 46. (and I look it too :lol2: )

I've been a nurse longer than some of the nurses I work with have been alive. I've also been asked how long I've been doing this quite a few times in the last few years, maybe they think I should have already retired? I don't think my hands are shaky!

FranRN82 · Jun 21, 2006

I'm 24 and an RN, I always get the questions either "are you a student" (when we wear completely different things to students), and "how long have you been doing this"? Arrgggghhh...ok I'm short and baby faced, but when my paeds patients look older than me (especially some teenagers that are huge) it does make you feel a tiny bit silly. And then this takes the biscuit when I answered the phone the other day from another ward, the nurse said "Oh, I thought one of the kids had answered the phone"!!!! OK, I'll try the speaking lower thing, but when your voice is like that cos of how your genes have made it, it's difficult to "put on" a deep voice all the time. But I totally agree with the "it's all about how you act"....we have some nurses that look their age (if not 10 years older), who fit into the "old style" nursing image, I'd much rather me nursed by someone like me than them if I was the patient!!!

jde8767 · Jun 21, 2006

Don't try to change yourself. Just be confident.

People always think I am a student. They always ask when I will graduate. I just tell them I have been a nurse for 3 years and traveling for 1.5.

The older patients think I am a med student or resident.

Take it as a compliment- you are working as a nurse at a young age.

RNOTODAY, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2006

while I dont get mistaken for underage, I do get the funny looks when I say I have a 10 and a 5 year old, because people think I am about 25, when I am avtually 36. And it never fails, about once every few days, people will call my house and say "hi, can I speak to your mom or dad?" when it is ME who is answering...... makes me wonder how young I really do sound,,,,,

FranRN82 · Jun 21, 2006

I get that too! I hung up on a saleswoman that asked to speak to my "Mummy or daddy"...she had the cheek to ring back!!! sheeesh

southernbeauti7 · Jun 21, 2006

It is okay if you look young. I am 25 and I look 16 years old. Just be very confident and walk with your head high. When you speak to your patients, be very professional and look them in the eye. I also have it bad because I just graduated from FNP and I have a really hard time with patients when they see me come in the room. I just speak with confidence and greet everyone with a big smile (I've learned that smiling puts all patients at ease).

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Jun 21, 2006

I too was a younger looking nurse when I started and I was working in an ALF where all the nurses were over 20 years my senior. Yeah...I was looked at like "sure you are a nurse!". I even had a patient kick me out of his room stating I HAD to be a housekeeper...nurses are more 'matronly' looking!"

Basically I took the razzing in stride and quickly proved myself as a top notch nurse quite quickly! I really listened to pts, and got their probelms taken care of as quickly as possible...and that really blew them away!

I would tease them about being younger and faster! LOL! (I got to know them well...so razzing them back wasn't seen as rude...it was a right of passage there..LOL!). or I would say..."what, you want me to give you an old soap suds enema or this nice newer fleets enema..see sometimes newer is better?" LOL!!!!

It took about 6 months for me to be recognized as a nurse, a year to be a trusted nurse there (they had many a newer nurse quit after 3-6 months...so I think they just didn't believe I would stay and didn't want to get to know me in case I too left...so I had that on my plate as well!).

As far as the pt that kicked me out of his room twice claimng I wasn't a nurse. Well...I told him "well wow, I passed the State Boards for Nursing but can't pass you! Here *showed him my license*...now to tell you the truth, you would truely rather me be your nurse then your housekeeper...I don't do cleaning or cooking well...ask my family if you can find them under the laundry piles! LOL!!!!". He finally giggled and accepted I was a nurse...but oh the stories I can tell about this old grouch! His razzing of me didn't ever stop!!!!

PedsER-RN, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2006

hello everyone! i would like some insight on an issue i am having...i am 22 years old and will be graduating in december with my adn. i have found that within the healthcare setting i am frequently seen as very young-looking (maybe because most of the patients i deal with are elderly). however, i am beginning to think that perhaps i won't be taken seriously? i am afraid that my patients will not trust me. a few patients have asked me if i was "of age" to be "doing this." a few have confused me for being a high school student. i see this as being a potential problem in the future when i am their primary nurse. what does everyone think about this?

i've also run into the same problem, only i was 20 when i graduated from my diploma program. granted, i do look pretty young (put me in a ponytail and i could pass for 14) for my age (i'm 22 now). i've had lots of people ask things like how long i've been a nurse (2 1/2 years), how long did i go to school, am i an rn (yes), etc. one mom told me she thought i was an lvn b/c she knew the lvn program in town is the quickest nursing program and she assumed i had just finished. i just told her that no, i am an rn, and did 2 years of college prereqs before nursing school, which lasted 2 years. she didn't ask anything else.

i don't get nearly as many people asking me age/experience related questions now. i think alot of it has to do with confidence and how you present yourself to patients/families. i've found that if you go in there knowing your stuff and with a confident, professional attitude, they usually don't question your abilities.