Where are all the young nurses?

tokmom, BSN, RN · May 1, 2012

I worked with one so young the other day that she had no clue what a rolladex (sp) was!

martymoose, BSN, RN · May 1, 2012

lol- i had a tech who didnt know what a record was haha

back to original post , hopefully they have learned that this is not a good career ( lol, career???) to get into, and have gone on to study for a real job somewhere else.

mellieann · May 1, 2012

I am nearing my one year anniversary and I have worked on two med-surgical floors and had the complete opposite experience. The one I am on now is all younger new nurses with a couple older nurses. We could use some more seasoned nurses to give us some of their knowledge!! I think it just depends on where you are...our floor has a lot of turnover because its kind of a stepping stone floor to ICU/ER and other specialties. They hire new nurses and they get the experience they need and move on. I agree with danarooo, a lot of places require the one year experience and us new grads are struggling to get on somewhere. Luckily I am going to be past that soon!!

mellieann · May 1, 2012

Nursing is a stressful career but it is definitely better than my original bachelors in journalism. I know I always have a job, make decent pay. I try to remember why I got in this field for the patients and let that be my guiding force. :)

Jasel, BSN, RN · May 1, 2012

I had a supervisor who became an LPN at 18 (she's an RN now). She's a year younger than me and I became an LPN when I was 25 (and I'm 27 now working on my RN). We're out there :)

Oedgar · May 1, 2012

I turned 21 the week I started my first job (pedi/Adolescent pulmonary floor). I was an LVN, and my shift was full of new grad RN's who were mid-twenties. Looking back on it, I am not sure having so many new nurses on one shift was the best idea!

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · May 1, 2012

no need to fear, the nursing schools are brewing them as we speak there are plenty of young nurses finishing their program, and many others looking for jobs. therefore, if young blood is what you're after trust me it's coming your way faster than you can say "sphygmomanometer" :cool:

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · May 1, 2012

When we discussed this at work, we speculated that the young people are getting in, finding out what it's like, and getting out fast.

Nah, we are toughing it out on all the very difficult, high turnover jobs until we can get settled into a more stable gig and they can chew up some new RNs at our old jobs.

- An Old New Nurse

MissRN7 · May 1, 2012

Speaking as a new RN grad, the young nurses are looking for work and not getting it! Everyone wants 1 year acute care experience now. I have been graduated for over a year and have nothing to show but frustration and student loands I can't pay because no one will hire me! I'm not exactly young (in my 30's, young yes but not like the author probably means), but I am a "new" nurse. They are out there, looking for work just like me!

I totally agree.

bmcstudentnurse · May 1, 2012

Well I know where I live it is extremely hard to get into nursing programs most schools have a 200 - 300 person waiting list. I didn't even want to try until I decided to go to a technical college. I was originally told april but a spot opened up in Jan and I have been going strong ever since. I have my graduation date scheduled as of Dec 4th and I am going to be walking across that stage as an LPN (keeping my fingers crossed)

I have worked as an LPN for nine years. I have always been the youngest nurse on staff. Now, I am 32 years old and still the youngest among the LPNs, RNs, and NAs on my floor(that's about 45 people). Where are all the young nurses? Who is going to be working with me when all the older nurses retire? When we discussed this at work, we speculated that the young people are getting in, finding out what it's like, and getting out fast.

fizzlepop, BSN, MSN, NP · May 1, 2012

I'm 25 and the youngest on my floor by around 15 years. Even the nursing students doing clinical rotations are older. I think it definitely has to do with the job shortage for new grads.

qestout, ASN, RN · May 1, 2012

I'm older, but a newer RN, and the hospitals don't even give a look w/o experience. LTC is not for me, but I'm doing it. Why don't they consider clinicals as experience, when we learn their charting, know where everything is on the floor, as experience?