Young Nurses?

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Specializes in Geriatric, Medical/Surgical.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has or has had this problem, and can give me any advice!

I'm young (22) and look ever younger (people tell me I'll appreciate it later). I'm an RN, and I get a mix of emotions from patients and their families when I tell them that. At LEAST once a week I get asked how old I am. Last week, I walked into a room, and the patient's family said "Oh!! The aide!!!", and I said "Well, no, actually, I am the nurse."

I've had a couple of families look terrified that I will be caring for their loved one, while others congratulate me on becoming an RN so young (I didn't think I was THAT young!).

I always go in and stand tall and feel I have good communication skills, but my young looks hold me back a lot.

Any suggestions, or witty responses when I get asked for the 4th time in a row how old I am?:idea:

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It's so funny you bring this up. I was just having this conversation

yesterday with a new nurse I work with. She's also 22 and looks

younger and she has been getting the same response from patients

and families you have been getting.

I had gone through the same thing when I started working as a nurse(I was your age). People would always ask me how old I was, they would say I looked like I was in high school, etc.(sadly, this no longer happens:o:lol2:) Honestly I never had a problem with it. I would just try to make them feel comfortable with me and they usually did after they got to know me. I think I even got a kick out of it.;) Just keep doing what you're doing, you'll earn their trust.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

You could try a dry chuckle and say,"I'm older than I look. I got good genes from my dad's side; Grandma never looked a day over 40 and she died in her sleep at 82. How old are you?" Or something along that line. If you dare!

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I am 29 and last night I had a pt. tell me I look 19. I'd say it happens to me at least 2 -3 times a week, someone asking me how old I am. I tell them, "I swear, I am qualified to take care of you."

One time I was getting a pt. back from surgery and the recovery nurse room brought the patient up and I was in the room to help the pt. transfer from cart to bed. Anyway, I go out to the nursing station and my fellow co wokers said to me, "you were in the room that whole time, right?" Yes, I was and why. they told me that the recovery nurse room came out of the room and said, "whoever the nurse is for this patient, he has arrived." I know during that brief time that we transferred the patient I hadn't announced who I was yet. The recovery room nurse took one look at me and didn't think i was a nurse either.

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Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.

ah yes i feel your pain, i became a nurse when i was 18 and the first facility i worked at the staff gave me those looks, you know the how old are you??, your to young to give me orders, i'm not gonna listen to you looks, but now i work at this facility where i have none of those issues, the staff is very respectful, and yes at times some of the other nurses ask me my age, but the thing is at this facility there are like 10-12 of us young nurses, the oldest being 22 and the youngest is me at 19! (our h.s had a nrsg program) but anyway the key is mantaining a professional attitude!, being so young we can be discriminated against because people will think we dont know what we're doing but going thru nrsg school and passing boards speaks volumes in terms of our maturity! there is nothing that you can do about how old you look, its for them to accept you, make sure you know your stuff and mantain professional conduct at work! you dont want anyone to try to say you're not a good nurse because of your age!!

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I know you are probably just waiting for this . . but from the perspective of 50 years of age, consider yourself lucky to look younger than you are. :D

As others have said, just be professional. And maintain a sense of humor. If this is the worst that happens to you, you are lucky indeed.

steph

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Specializes in NICU.

Haha! I'm 23 and I look very young too. Just last week my 97yr old male patient asked me if i was in middle school!! YES MIDDLE SCHOOL!! haha.. It was very cute. I just said.. Middle school? Why thank you.. maybe when i'm 50 I'll look 30!

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I had a patient refuse to let me care for them because they thought I was too young. It happens but I usually tell them I might look young but that doesn't effect what I know :-)

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Specializes in My first yr. as a LVN!.

frustrating im sure.. Ive gotten this my ENTIRE life.. and I feel the same as you, it seems as though it could hinder certain opportunities.. like an Instructor job I applied for, Im def. qualified, but I never got hired. I have a daughter who is 14, she looks 20, so we basically look like sister and @ 33, I look 22 or 23! I just want people to take me serious as Im extremely hard working and very detailed w my work. So hang in there, basically as others have said, eventually you will gain their trust... some offices I have worked for it was over a year until patients finally 'trusted' me! and now that Im gone, they miss me terribly and want me back!

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ah yes i feel your pain, i became a nurse when i was 18 and the first facility i worked at the staff gave me those looks, you know the how old are you??, your to young to give me orders, i'm not gonna listen to you looks, but now i work at this facility where i have none of those issues, the staff is very respectful, and yes at times some of the other nurses ask me my age, but the thing is at this facility there are like 10-12 of us young nurses, the oldest being 22 and the youngest is me at 19! (our h.s had a nrsg program) but anyway the key is mantaining a professional attitude!, being so young we can be discriminated against because people will think we dont know what we're doing but going thru nrsg school and passing boards speaks volumes in terms of our maturity! there is nothing that you can do about how old you look, its for them to accept you, make sure you know your stuff and mantain professional conduct at work! you dont want anyone to try to say you're not a good nurse because of your age!!

you were a nurse at 18? eta nevermind, just saw the answer in your post!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Yes this happens all the time!! I usually just laugh it off; they are not trying to be mean or hateful most of the time. And usually when families get to know me by watching me care for their child (and I am sure this is the case for you too!), they trust me and don't care how old/young I look.

The only times it does start to grate on me is when I am the charge nurse, and have to go around to all the patient rooms... hearing how I look like a 16-year-old 20 times in a row starts to get old, no pun intended haha.

The other day a teenage patient told me I looked 21- she was trying to say I looked young, but I wanted to hug her, haha; most people never think I look that old!

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I get this all of the time too!!! I work in pediatrics and I have been asked by parents many times how old I am, as if I am not old enough to be a nurse! I am 22 and I look like I am about 17. I've heard it all, that I will appreciate looking young when I am older etc.. One thing I have found that helps is wearing more form fitting uniform tops. Some newer style tops are more form fitting and are not baggy and loose like other tops are on me. It sounds strange but I find that I am told I look young more frequently when I am wearing a baggier style of top. So now I only buy form fitting scrub tops!

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