Too young to be an RN ?!

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Specializes in ICU.

Hi! there is a similar thread to this in the Philippine nursing forum, but its the opposite. I posted it here so that more people from different countries can comment on this.

I am just 22 years old. i have been working as an ICU nurse over the past 15months here in the philippines. I will be leaving, hopefully next month, for the US to work as an RN. i dont consider myself young for the job, but i am afraid that my patients in the US will. Has anybody experienced some problems in the delivery of care just because of this matter? any comment will be appreciated. thanx.:uhoh3:

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If you train in the US, you can get an RN license with just a two year program. And you used to be able to go in directly out of high school. There were many RNs that I used to work with that started when they were 18 or 19.

You definitely will not be thought of as too young. I have also worked with physicians that were younger than you.

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Specializes in Nephro, ICU, LTC and counting.
Hi! there is a similar thread to this in the Philippine nursing forum, but its the opposite. I posted it here so that more people from different countries can comment on this.

I am just 22 years old. i have been working as an ICU nurse over the past 15months here in the philippines. I will be leaving, hopefully next month, for the US to work as an RN. i dont consider myself young for the job, but i am afraid that my patients in the US will. Has anybody experienced some problems in the delivery of care just because of this matter? any comment will be appreciated. thanx.:uhoh3:

I was just 18 when I started to work as a Registered Nurse in ICU, in my country. Not all but few of the patients and relatives asked my age. I used to say- old enough to become a nurse.

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Specializes in Case management, Peds, ICU, Med/Surg.

Its really common in our country to start working in young age..becoz we have to pass 10th grade and directly enrolled in the nursing programme after passing entrance exam.

So..dun worry about what other ppl think....go ahead;) ;) in the line of ur duty..eheheheh

Sunzzi

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I am 27 and some people think I am too young to be a nurse. I look my age. I don't think people stop saying that until you are into your 30's. (or atleast look like you are in your 30's.)

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I had a classmate who was 20 when he obtained his RN - that meant that in Texas - he could push morphine, but he couldn't buy a beer! LOL

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Specializes in ICU.
. I used to say- old enough to become a nurse.

haha! good idea! i have heard stories about older patients who refuse to cooperate just because he thinks his nurse is too young to make him do something. hope this wont happen to me...:o

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Specializes in Nephro, ICU, LTC and counting.
haha! good idea! i have heard stories about older patients who refuse to cooperate just because he thinks his nurse is too young to make him do something. hope this wont happen to me...:o

It is not uncommon for the patients to be skeptical in the beginining(especially if you look less confident)..but once they develop trust on you, they don't care whether you are young or old.

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It is not uncommon for the patients to be skeptical in the beginining(especially if you look less confident)..but once they develop trust on you, they don't care whether you are young or old.

I was 27 when I started my nursing career in Canada but I look young for my age, some of my patient are really skeptical, they thought I just finished High School. Anyway, once they see that you are confident of what your doing they will feel safe and everything will be ok.

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