Too young to be a nurse?

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I'm 19 years old and I'm halfway through nursing school, by the time I graduate, I'll will be 22 years old and with my BSN. When I've spoken to nurses in the hospital they've always been very encouraging and think that the fact that I am young will actually help me more because I'll have more patience. One of my nursing classmates who is a CNA and somewhere in her 30's I would say flat out told me "this isn't a profession for young people" and "you should do something else and then go for nursing later on" and I know the average age of a nurse is about 30 or 40 but still. I know some people don't realize how hard nursing is but I've studied this program inside out, I've read up on the classes and clinical rotations and the type of things you have to do so I am very serious about it.

Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I think a lot of the issues I had being young in school, was due to my lack of obligations. A lot of the older students would make comments that I had good grades, b/c I didn't have a full-time job or children and husband to care for on top of school. Um, yeah, I chose to do it (nursing school) young for a reason. :p We all make our own decisions in life, for the most part. I chose to delay getting married and starting a family so I could focus on school first. It really worked to my advantage in school! But now, it is harder, trying to combine nursing with young kids. Now I get eye rolls about having obligations other than work, when the older nurses kids are beyond the age of needing sitters/daycare while they work. Yes, being mandated sucks, but it REALLY sucks when your dh HAS to be at work and is waiting on you to take the kids, and you are still at work! It is a trade off. I am still not sorry I chose to do it this way! I would rather work less around dh's schedule now, than to have my kids driving me nuts while I try to study and find time to work and go to class.

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Don't let anyone get you down!! If you are serious and put the work into it you will do great, age doesn't matter!! But.. I will say that many of the young girls we've seen in my program are not serious and don't work as hard so many might expect you to NOT be serious! Prove them wrong by being serious, professional and a super hard worker =)

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Specializes in HCA, Physch, WC, Management.

I have noticed a marked level of immaturity in the much younger students the earlier you are in the process of the nursing school curriculum. In my very early prerequisite classes I had a lot of distracting, loud, immature, and annoying younger students. Amazingly, they seemed to drop like flies as we got farther into the program. The younger classmates of mine that are left (ages as young as 17 to around 23 or so?) are much more mature and serious about what they are doing. Nursing school has it's own way of weeding out those who are not going to make it in the long-haul anyway. I don't think it's age as much as maturity and knowing just how serious your career as a nurse is that effects whether it's the right thing for you to do right now or not. If you understand the implications of what your actions or lack of actions have on your patients, are mature enough to handle the responsibilities and nature of the job, I think you'll be fine. Believe me when I say there are a couple almost-40-year-olds in my class who are much less mature and ready for this career than the 20 year olds! Good luck to you. :)

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

I think if any one says you are too young they are just jealous that you have your stuff together at such a young age! You go girl!:yeah:

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Specializes in US Army.

My friend was an RN at 19. We used to tease her that even though she could push IV narcotics all day long, she was not allowed to purchase a beer after work.

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Specializes in neurotrauma ICU.

if you can make it through the he** that is nursing school then you are old enough to be a nurse! good for you!

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I think it has alot to do with how you carry yourself. If you act young, then it's going to be more difficult for you. I've always worked in medicine (since I was 15) & Ive treated everyone respectfully. Most of my patients couldnt believe I was 18/19 years old. Now Im 24 in nursing school & other students have told me they couldnt believe I was 24 because I carried myself more maturely. Not only that but age really is just a number. Ive seen plenty of 30-40 year olds who have no common sense and still act like a goof.

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There is a guy on my 1st semester ADN program who is 17. He will be 19 when he graduates with his RN. GO FOR IT!

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I'll be 19 with my RN this year... I kind of like being the baby of the class. =P But yeah, don't let people run over you because of your age. Just think... the earlier we start the more we can learn! =)

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There are so many threads about being older around here, its nice to have a thread I can finally relate to! Ill be 22 when I graduate in December.. GO US!

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No, most definitely not! I'll finish my BSN when I'm 20, I'm halfway through my first semester of nursing classes and thus far I'm doing well. Keep at it! You'll be just fine as long as you don't make a point of 'acting your age'. Be professional.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

The people who are telling you that you are too young are idiots and just plain nuts. There was a time when you couldn't get into nursing school unless you were young like yourself. Young women had to hide the fact that they were married to get into nursing school because they were turned away! Can you believe that? People will say anything because they are ignorant or jealous.

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