how young is too youngto graduate nursing school?

What would you consider too young? I will be graduating university with a BSN at the age of 22. would you consider this too young to be a ful time nurse? I look really young and how does this affect patients? I Had a patent last week think I was 14 (I'm 20). yep they let 14year olds pass out meds now!!!!

I guess some people at my age are married with kids and have that responsibility. but sometimes i feel like i'm not ready for the real world. and other times I can't wait to enter the real world.

I know i'm not the youngest to graduate but i still feel so unprepared.

what do you guys think?

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Age ain't nothing but a number. While the age of people in nursing school has grown as more people go back to school. Most college graduates are still in your age bracket.

It's all about profressionalism.

I've seen old battleaxe nurses I wouldn't want near me, and I've seen young girls (and I'll call them girls) "Like, I'm Sissy, and I'm like gonna be like your nurse today...hehehehe, like I'm totally busy today okay..."

It's all about profressionalism. If you graduated, if you have an RN, then you're an adult profressional nurse and you're as ready as any nurse older than you.

Some trolls are going to judge and comment about your age. I work with a 20 year old RN who was homeschooled and got her RN at age 19. She quit her first unit because she felt her manager was giving her a hard time because of her age, but my guess it was more her profressionalism. You can't act like a kid and be a nurse. She learned her lessons and is a fantastic RN.

I worked with another 21 year old nurse, and I went into one of her rooms to answer a light, and the patient said "there's this little girl that keeps coming in here" (she was very short too). All I can say is enjoy it while you're young. It's frustrating I know because some people won't take you seriously, but never loose that profressionalism. Good luck!

Anyway. Good luck to you.

[nurseamanda, BSN, RN]

I graduate next month and I'm 21.. I think as long as you're responsible, it's not a big deal.

[NurseFirst]

Age ain't nothing but a number. While the age of people in nursing school has grown as more people go back to school. Most college graduates are still in your age bracket.

It's all about profressionalism.

I've seen old battleaxe nurses I wouldn't want near me, and I've seen young girls (and I'll call them girls) "Like, I'm Sissy, and I'm like gonna be like your nurse today...hehehehe, like I'm totally busy today okay..."

It's all about profressionalism. If you graduated, if you have an RN, then you're an adult profressional nurse and you're as ready as any nurse older than you.

Some trolls are going to judge and comment about your age. I work with a 20 year old RN who was homeschooled and got her RN at age 19. She quit her first unit because she felt her manager was giving her a hard time because of her age, but my guess it was more her profressionalism. You can't act like a kid and be a nurse. She learned her lessons and is a fantastic RN.

I worked with another 21 year old nurse, and I went into one of her rooms to answer a light, and the patient said "there's this little girl that keeps coming in here" (she was very short too). All I can say is enjoy it while you're young. It's frustrating I know because some people won't take you seriously, but never loose that profressionalism. Good luck!

Anyway. Good luck to you.

I was at a hospital one day and saw two very young, looking ladies who were also small and quite short, under 5 feet, and was about to ask them if they needed any help until I saw their hospital badges. If they were nurses, I wonder how they do any patient transfers!!!

NurseFirst

[goodknight]

Right now I'm 18. I graduate next December and I'll only be 20. Don't think its that big of a deal, even if I am the baby in the class. Of course, people think I'm older than I am. (I'm sure that'll be fun when I'm 40 or so )

But really. We have a 50/60 something woman in our class who I wouldn't let practice on a frog. And then there are the CNA's (all due respect to CNAs, Ya'll are great) and 'unit secretaries" who think they alread know it all. Of course, they also feel the need to impart their "wisdom" on the other students. **^^OK, sure, but I can think for my self and I know that's not a good idea.^^**

It's all about attitude and professionalism. You either are or you're not. Age isn't always the determining factor.

[KRVRN, BSN, RN]

I was one of those people that always looked like a teenager. Some of my Mom's older friends thought i was about 15 when I was 27! Eventually you will age a little more and appear to be in your twenties and people will stop asking. You'll look great at 50 I bet! I've found that if you present yourself professionally and carry yourself with maturity, you will be treated as such. Sure, pts and families will wonder how old you are and some will even outright ask. Have an answer ready. You are absolutely old enough to be a nurse. You have completed your college education to become one and you are no less ready or able to be a nurse than a 40 year old new grad. And don't think your feeling unprepared is all related to being young-- many, many new grads of all ages feel that way!

[llg, PhD, RN]

22 or so is the "standard" age for people graduating from college. Millions of nurses have graduated from college and started their professional careers at that age. In fact, people older than that are referred to in the literature as "non-traditional students." It's just that you happen to be graduating at a time when there are lots of "non-traditional students" around. That makes you seem younger because you are younger than they are. You are NOT younger than the traditional new college grad.

Consider also that people who go straight from high schoo to a full time ADN program graduate at 20.

Don't worry. If you have a good head on your shoulders and a professional demeanor, your competence will soon be established and you will do fine.

llg

[CSLee3, ASN, BSN, LVN, EMT-P]

Hey, I agree with Tweety.....it is about professionalism.

You go get-em' and don't let anyone hold you back!!!

[UTRN2005]

22 or so is the "standard" age for people graduating from college. Millions of nurses have graduated from college and started their professional careers at that age. In fact, people older than that are referred to in the literature as "non-traditional students." It's just that you happen to be graduating at a time when there are lots of "non-traditional students" around. That makes you seem younger because you are younger than they are. You are NOT younger than the traditional new college grad.

Consider also that people who go straight from high schoo to a full time ADN program graduate at 20.

Don't worry. If you have a good head on your shoulders and a professional demeanor, your competence will soon be established and you will do fine.

llg

I totally agree. I'll be going into my last semester of my BSN program after this summer and I'm not married, no kids. I too will be graduating from school at the ripe-old age of 22.

[LydiaNN]

Many nurses start practicing at the age of 22. Some ADNs or diploma nurses start even younger. As far as looking young, your skills will dictate how your patients feel about you as a nurse. The older I get, the younger everyone else looks to me anyway.

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

Before JPS school of nursing in Ft Worth closed they sponsored a program at Grand Prarie High School that woud let high schoolers (with above average grades) to take classes to become a LVN. When they graduated high school they were GVN's as well. I remember some of the students having to wait until they turned 18 before the took the NCLEX.Which was usually only a matter of months but still.......

[LadyT618, MSN, APRN, NP]

If I had actually went to nursing school right out of high school, I would've been 17 (would've turned 18 a month after graduation). I always wondered about that....you know, "what if." Would've been amazing....