Younger Nursing Students

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Hi everyone -

I was accepted into the Seattle University BSN 2011 program this Fall, and I am very excited. However, I was a little curious as to how younger students are treated in the BSN program, in the medical environment overall, and to an extent how are male students treated differently than females? I'm a male, and I turn 18 in August, so I'm a little nervous as I'm probably going to be the youngest student in the program.

What do you guys think?

Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

I was the youngest aged in my class too, and everybody's been so nice with me.

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Specializes in Hemodialysis- Charge Nurse.

i graduated LVN school at 19. Congrats for knowing (at a young age) what you want to do with your life and for taking the first steps early! good luck :)

p.s. I know lots of great male nurses!!

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Specializes in cardiac-telemetry, hospice, ICU.

Op, I had the kind of concerns as you, except I was going to be the oldest in class (older than dirt). I wandered if I would be treated like "why the H@## are you here?" I was relieved to find I was treated like anyone else by the students, staff and patients. I will admit that the students who have more difficulty fitting in are the youngest. In my experience, there have been a few younger students who show limitations due to lack of life experience. The young students who fit in the best are those that listen attentively, follow instructions well, and think before they speak. You might say they 'curb their enthusiasm' and it comes across as maturity.

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Specializes in NCT- rehab, BSN student.

I started my BSN at 17, so I was one of the youngest! I am just finishing my sophomore year and will be 20 in september. Which means I'll graduate when I'm 21! Some of my other friends think it is so cool that I'm gonna be an RN by the time I am 21. Think how badass everyone will think you are for finishing school in 4 years and becoming an RN by 21. Pretty cool!

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Specializes in Cardiac, Rehab.

For starters, I'm 54 and to me 18 is very young. A lot of what I think goes into being a good nurse is the level of caring and empathy you can bring to your patients and having some good life experience behind you will certainly help in that regard. It definately buys you some instant credibility too. And from the male perspective, I can tell you that all that extra testosterone floating around in that 18 year old body, won't necessarily help in this profession. I don't think there is anything "badass" about being a nurse whether its at 21, 41 or 61. The closest I've come to badass is cleaning up some 60 year olds diaper who's mind was long gone. In your favor, you would run rings around me in terms of energy and I'll bet you remember things easier than I do. For that I am jealous.

So not to be all doom and gloom, I would tell you to be very mindful of the age difference, but not to let it stop you from doing what you need to do. Pay attention to how things are done, how the older nurses react and listen more than you speak. Acknowledge the wisdom of your peers and pts gained through many moons. Pick your battles, but don't be combative. Good Luck, if you got accepted into a school, you must be doing something right.

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I started my BSN at 17, so I was one of the youngest! I am just finishing my sophomore year and will be 20 in september. Which means I'll graduate when I'm 21! Some of my other friends think it is so cool that I'm gonna be an RN by the time I am 21. Think how badass everyone will think you are for finishing school in 4 years and becoming an RN by 21. Pretty cool!

it is pretty badass :yeah:

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I started nursing school with an 18 year old male. He had CLEPed his way into the program and had never taken a college class before in his life, and over 800 people apply for this program. I was shocked. We're done now and I was with him the entire 2 years (he is one of my close friends now). Patients never minded him and he did great. Nobody ever cared about his age. Everybody is in it to be a nurse and most people are too busy to really care about things like age and sex, honestly.

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I'm 20 years old and I'm finishing up my first of two years. I currently work in an ICU/Step-down unit as a CNA/US, and all I ever hear is, " You look like you're just out of middle school, you can't know very much!". I don't have any problems in class though even as the second youngest. If anything the only thing I ever get is "Oh well David and Heather can't come drink with us" for end of semester parties. You'll be fine! If anyone gives you garbage for your age, just remind yourself that you're doing what it took them possibly 15 years to do. It does get a little frustrating with people thinking that you're too young to know anything though. It'll pass though =) Good luck!!

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