Young nurses

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I have a question regarding nurses who are young. Ages less than 30. In fact anyone who looks young as well. I find that older patients tend to be skeptical with younger nurses and even doctors. I've had patients tell me that I'm young and I feel as though I am not taken seriously. What would your advice be for a young nurse facing these issues? And has anyone had this happen, and what did you do?

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I don't have any good advice to make people think you are more mature. I just remember when I was a brand new nurse a couple years ago (and I'm not a spring chicken), we had several very young but good nurses that I was learning from. There was a difficult family member of a patient who was not happy with any nurse. Well I walked in feeling nervous because this patient was complicated, and because I had been told the parent was difficult. Well the parent look one look at me and said, "Finally, we get a nurse with experience! Not one of those young ones!" I had a hard time not laughing out loud.

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Thinking more about your question though, maybe you can wear some pins that show your degrees and certifications, like the pin of the college you graduated from, or an RN pin, or things like that. I know a few of our younger nurses do wear glasses and put their hair in buns at work but not in "real life." I am guessing it's to make them look a little bit older (and also probably to provide eye protection from mucous and to keep their hair out of the way).

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I often jokingly get a "what are you 15?" thing from many patients. Many patients don't say anything. I don't really think much of it, I explain things, am honest when I am unsure of something and make sure to find the answer, and am compassionate. I've had some skepticism due to my age, I'm sure, but as far as I know I haven't had anyone unhappy with my care.

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Have you tried a gray and blue wig, like from Mama's Family?

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I'm 34, but I was a 23 y/o new grad at one time AND I look young. I remember one family on the phone saying, "Tonight's nurse looks like she's about 12 yrs old, but she's a good egg." :)

The best thing you can do is to be confident (just don't overdo it and come off arrogant!) If you project a confidence in your knowledge and abilities and back it up by doing your job well, those around you will soon believe in you too.

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Specializes in L&D.

This actually does not happen to me. Most people assume I am in my early 20's(23-24), but I am about to be 30. I am a new nurse though, so plenty of time I guess for it to happen!

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well i became a nurse at the tender age of 17 and im still under 30 now. I used to get those responses alot but around the age of 23 it pretty much ceased. By then i could hold my own on any unit, not so much because i was getting older but because i was gaining more experience and confidence and it showed.

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When my brother got the "you look too young to be a doctor" line, his favorite reply was "I don't think 18 is too young at all!".

He went to med school a few years after college, so he was actually one of the older interns at his hospital too.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

The best thing you can do is to be confident (just don't overdo it and come off arrogant!) If you project a confidence in your knowledge and abilities and back it up by doing your job well, those around you will soon believe in you too.

Agreed. It's not so much the way you look, but the look on your face. If you appear confident, sound knowledgeable, and give excellent patient care, you will be perceived as competent, no matter how young you look.

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I agree too. When I was much younger and prettier I was charge in a hot-shot ICU and in a big PACU, and nobody ever asked me about my age, except some older folks who said it more like being self-deprecating about their own ages. Act your mental age, dress conservatively (no Care Bears or My Little Pony scrubs :) ), and be calmly confident, and you will be fine.

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I used to field this question a ton when I first started working. I get it less now. I think it's because I act like I'm suppose to be there, if that makes any sense. I know what I'm doing. When I first started I was obviously hesitant and nervous and it was apparent. So now I rarely get asked how old I am.

Either that or my under eye bags have gotten a lot worse.

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