18 y/o RN!

[PMFB-RN]

Last week while at work I met a very bright young woman. I noticed how young she looked and that her name badge said RN so I had to ask.

She is 18 years old. She graduated at age 17 from a 2 year LPN program her high school had. She then went directly to one of Wisconsin's technical colleges and got her ADN in 9 months. She currently works in a critical care unit of a large hospital and tells me she is enrolled in an online RN to BSN program. She wants to become a travel nurse after she gets a couple years in critical care and her BSN. By then she should be the ripe old age of 20 with a BSN and two years critical care experience! Her long term goal is to become a CRNA or FNP.

I admire her ambition and wish I had had my act so together at such a young age.

[Gennaver, MSN]

Last week while at work I met a very bright young woman. I noticed how young she looked and that her name badge said RN so I had to ask.

She is 18 years old. She graduated at age 17 from a 2 year LPN program her high school had. She then went directly to one of Wisconsin's technical colleges and got her ADN in 9 months. She currently works in a critical care unit of a large hospital and tells me she is enrolled in an online RN to BSN program. She wants to become a travel nurse after she gets a couple years in critical care and her BSN. By then she should be the ripe old age of 20 with a BSN and two years critical care experience! Her long term goal is to become a CRNA or FNP.

I admire her ambition and wish I had had my act so together at such a young age.

Hello,

Isn't that something. When I first heard that the one/some of the Chicago Public High Schools were graduating LPNs it was something to wrap my thougths around.

Eighteen, wow, the sure grow up MUCH quicker than I did. Oh, sure I was a CNA pretty young but, wowsa. More power to em.

Gen- a super late bloomer, took me till 40!

[Gennaver, MSN]

*** I forgot to mention that this young woman looks (at least to my 36 year old eyes) to be too young to be 18. She is about 4'11 and 95#, I would estimate ,with bright red hair and blue eyes. She mentioned that it's almost a relief when she cares for intubated and sedated patients, no "so how old are you?" questions :)

:) As a late bloomer, I feel for her for those questions. Patients didn't stop asking me that until just this last year.

In hindsight I realize now that those questions on age are probably a compliment on maturity.

Gen

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

I can relate to the nurse the OP described. I am 4ft 11in..barely and a whopping 93#'s. I have always been thought of as "young" no matter what my age was. (I do look younger than most my age but not THAT much younger) I think mostly due to my stature and weight people perceive me as a kid, since the average 10-11 yr old is my height and weight . I will be 38 next week and I am still always asked..are you old enough to be a nurse (I'm not a nurse yet..still have some months to go). My 15 yr old daughters teachers have always asked if I were her sister. I don't feel I look that young but again, its the height thing. :)

Good for that young lady! Its nice to hear a teen that has her head screwed on correctly and values an education!

[Annointed_RNStudent]

I will be graduating and will become an RN @ 19, and that is going straight into the program, without any high school help, and I am going to work L&D! Hopefully the babies wont' ask me any age questions :-)

[DoubleblessedRN, ADN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-P]

Good for her. I hope she is mature fore her age and doesn't party too hard! I know of a few young nurses (21-24) who frequently go out clubbing and doing some wild stuff. When I was 14 I was pretty sure I wanted to be a nurse. I was 18 when the show ER premiered and I loved it. I wanted to work emergency. I thought becoming an EMT and Paramedic would be a good stepping stone, and it was. I don't think I could have EVER made it this far without the knowledge I have from it. But then I liked it so much and had fun I continued to work EMS and kept procrastinating nursing prerequisites. Now, I may FINALLY graduate this fall if everything goes as planned. (I'm 31)

[TraumaICURN]

I am 20 w/ a BSN. I just graduated in December. I have pt's family asking me all the time how old I am....I used to tell them, but now I just brush the question off.

[sockmonkey70]

If I would have stuck with Nursing when I first started college instead of chickening out and changing majors, I would have finished at 19. But now looks like I should be finishing up and starting as an RN at 23 (with an unrelated Bachelor's degree under my belt as well) and I feel like a partial failure for finishing it so late.. If I had been determined enough the first time I would be done by now..

Some of us aren't as worried about partying as getting an education. I personally just love learning. I have gone to college every summer since my junior year of HS. Of course I have the occasional girls night out..But who doesn't?

[mim-o]

I love this!! It is so refreshing to hear positive things about our youth. She will be an excellent role model for other young people considering nursing. Lord knows we could use some more, good nurses. I, like many others on here, wish I would have had my crap togethor enough to even think of doing something like that at 18.

[WorkofHeart8]

Yeah that could've been me...had a daughter at 15, got my GED in 10th grade to go to college, then crazy stuff happened and now I won't be going till next year when I'm 20.

[Cattitude]

I wish MORE yong women would be so focused at that age, including my 18 yr old sister .

I think it's great. As long as one has the maturity to do it, why not?

[MedSurgeNewbie]

Good on her! wish I was so with it so young, refreshing to hear!!

[RN BSN 2009]

being young is great!