RN here, late twenties, lifelong stutterer. I had a lot of the same concerns mentioned in your post and the subsequent comments - people will assume I don't know what I'm talking about, emotionally charged conversations might make speech worse, speech may have an impact on the outcome of an emergent situation etc, I could've submitted an identical post after I graduated. I've been in the field for a little while now, and to be perfectly honest, some of these concerns were not completely unfounded. I was/am a covert stutterer, but have worked very hard to avoid those habits on the job, as you need to use certain language (teaching, medications, conditions etc). My speech is no where near fluent, but the key difference is that I don't see it as a reflection of my ability as an RN or an obstacle to providing the best care I can. I'm very upfront about it when I'm working with new providers and other staff, ask them to excuse the disfluencies, apologize for the additional time it may take to deliver the information, and say what I need to say. They tend to remember me, and I only need to do it once. It's strange to say it, but I think stuttering has actually positively impacted my career. Patients aren't intimidated by me (I'm a pretty big guy), other staff see the effort I make to get the job done (there aren't a lot of us in healthcare, it's a unique challenge and I think most people recognize that), it has forced me out of substituting words or filling gaps (necessary specific language), and made me much more comfortable with my speech. You're right, some patients will assume you don't know what you're talking about, but that's on them, not you - use the right terminology, answer their questions with a focus on what you know, not how you say it. People will finish your sentences, guess words, and do all those "helpful" things, but like a lot of other things in nursing, you just need to roll with it and have confidence in your knowledge and ability. Providers and other staff will understand, and it will be a non-issue to them. They're there to help people. They know you're there to help people. They'll help you help people. These aren't absolutes, there'll be terrible people you will work with, providers and patients alike, but as a nurse, all you can do is try to provide the best care you possibly can to everyone you come into contact with, stutter be damned!