[forgop]

I'm going to be 33 in less than 2 weeks and have a bachelors and masters degree both in the aerospace field. My options in this field are very limited in my geographical area as my wife is pretty much hellbent on moving anywhere. We also have 3 kids, ages 4,2, and 6 weeks.

Anyway, given the complete dislike for where my career has been and job dissatifaction the the past 5 years, I'm at wits end about where I'm heading. The manufacturing/high tech sector is where there's more money to be made, but those jobs are much harder to come by as we're losing jobs to China, Mexico, India, etc. My background is focused towarads being a supervisor in a production environment and purchasing/logistics. I've worked in manufacturing the past 6 years and it's just a complete cutthroat industry that your boss will walk you out the door and blame you for something just to save their butts. It's happened to me twice the past year and a half.

Looking long-term, I'm looking for a career with some real stability that will provide more job satisfaction and a relatively good income. Obviously, nursing is a career that would provide more stability in that I don't have to worry about a hospital being outsourced to China. I feel as though I can be happier by helping others. To be a little more selfish, being a minority in the field is certainly a plus considering the discrimination I've faced in the workplace as a white male. If I were dissatisfied with my current situation, I would be able to find work in a matter of hours or days given the shortage out there.

I'm considering a local school that offers a 2 year ASN. After looking at their program, I would probably finish in just 3 semesters as I would get credit for all the basic stuff like math, english, speech, etc, etc that occupies a lot of the first semester. I've been advised there's not enough difference pay-wise to justify 2 more years of college and I have no desire to be in management, having been down that road the past 6 years.

I'm looking from a perspective that I'd like to work 12 hour shifts probably 4 days a week. From talking with someone who has 3 kids who are nurses, I could work 2 days a week for a "full-time" job and the other 2 days a week on contract. He's making it sound like that I wouldn't have to work a significant amount of hours if I wanted to make $100k as his son made $124k just 2 years ago. I honestly don't expect to make that out of the gate.

Having been through 3 L&D's, it's certainly an area I feel would be "easier" for me to handle. After speaking with the nurse getting us set up 6 weeks ago for our 3rd child being born, she mentioned a lot of men end up in ER because of the adrenaline rush. I could certainly see the appealing aspect of that as well.

FWIW, my wife was pursing a pshychology degree and I had convinced her to go into nursing as opposed to a bachelors in psychology as it's pretty much meaningless. I like the aspect of having much more flexible careers between my wife and I that will allow us to be more involved with activities for the kids.

Anyway, it's something I'm really thinking about doing and starting classes as early as August or January '08. Would anyone have any comments they'd like to add regarding my situation about reality compared to what I've been lead to believe thus far? Sorry for the lengthy post, but I just had some background info to share. Thanks in advance for any guidance you all could provide.

[feisty_lpn]

Have you thought about an accelerated 2nd degree BSN? There's a college here that, if you already have a bachelor's in anything, you can enter their program and get your BSN in as little as 13 months.

There are also colleges that allow you to enter the BSN program and have your BSN in 2 years.... because you already have a bachelor's in something.

Here's a list of accelerated BSN programs.... http://www.allnursingschools.com/fea...celerated-bsn/

If your state isn't on there, I'm sure if you did a google, you'd find one.

I figure if you're going to put in the same amount of time or less, might as well get the "big boy" LOL

HTH GL!

[forgop]

Thanks for that idea, but there aren't any listed in Indiana.

[feisty_lpn]

As of 2003, these Indiana colleges offered accelerated BSN programs...

Indiana University (BSN)
IU-PU (BSN)
Marian College (BSN)
Saint Mary's College (BSN)
Valparaiso University (BSN)

HTH GL!

[llg]

I agree with feisty lpn that an accelerated BSN is probably the best way to go -- if there is one in your area. My experience with collegues who have switched into nursing from other careers in which they have been leaders is that they eventually want some of the career choices that come only with a BSN.

The BSN opens a lot of doors -- not just the doors into management positions. There are a lot of roles in nursing that involve advanced clinical practice and/or education that require at least a BSN. Most members of the public (non-nurses) don't realize these roles exist -- yet they are quite attractive to many people as they gain experience within the field.

If there is not an accelerated BSN program in your area and the ADN option is the best one available for you ... then there is nothing wrong with that. You will be able to enter the nursing profession and have a fine career as a staff nurse. If you are interested in some of the other roles within the profession, you can get your BSN later. Many respectable schools are making it easier and easier for ADN's to get their BSN's by offering more convenient class schedules and/or online courses. Some BSN completion programs are entirely online -- some from respectable universities, not just "diploma mills."

Most employers help pay for BSN completion programs for their ADN staff. So, it works out well for those for whom the ADN makes the most sense as an entry-level degree.

Good luck to you.
llg

[Daytonite]

I happened to see your post on the Male Nursing Forum and decided to take a look at anything else you had posted and found this thread. I have some ideas for you.

Since you seem open to moving, I would recommend that you research California. California is short of RNs, especially in the L.A. which encompasses a huge area. We have a nurse staffing ratio law out here which mandates that the acute hospitals MUST staff with a specific number of RNs per patient by law. That seems to have attracted a few nurses to our state. Gov. Schwarzenegger also has a nurse education initiative. He has been very good about working with the nursing and hospital groups in trying to solve healthcare problems here. Getting more nurses trained and on the job is one of them. The tuition for the community colleges here in California is currently $20 a unit if you are a resident. You have to live here for 12 months to be a resident. Since most AA/ADN nursing programs are at the community colleges, the cost of the education is a lot lower than most other states. There are BSN programs at many of the California State and University of California colleges. I'm not clear on the tuition there, but it is also low if you are a California resident. However, if you aren't aware of this, the waiting lists for many nursing schools are long. I couldn't tell you what the average wait is to actually get into nursing classes once you officially get put on the waiting list (after all your pre-requisites are completed), but I do know that some schools are switching to a lottery system because of this. I also know of one hospital for sure, and I've been hearing there might be another, here in the southern California area that has a program with the local community college where their employees who want to become RNs get top priority admission to the nursing program AND their tuition and books paid for in return for working a minimum number of hours a week + one or two years for the hospital following graduation.

• http://www.nurse.ca.gov/ - California Nurse Outreach. The governors nurse education initiative home page.
• http://www.californiacolleges.edu/CampusTour/default.asp?switchto=statewide - list of all California colleges
• http://www.rn.ca.gov/schools/rnprgms.htm - list of RN programs in California from the California Board of Nursing

Nursing is definitely a career with stability. My mother who was also a nurse used to say that a nurse will always find work--always. You said you wanted to be able to be involved in more activities with your kids. You need to be aware that if you work as a nurse, especially in a facility that is open 24 hours and never closes, that staff is required round the clock. Most places have a fair way of dealing with working holidays and weekends, but everyone has to work their share.

Your gender shouldn't make a difference. One-third of my ADN nursing class 34 years ago were males. One went on to become an advanced practice nurse in anesthesiology, a CRNA. CRNAs make big bucks compared to us staff nurses! Our male classmates had a terrific OB experience. I don't know if you would want to work as an OB nurse, but there are male nurses who do work in OB--not many though.

I want to address something that you mentioned about "I have no desire to be in management, having been down that road the past 6 years". As long as you are a good nurse, you will most likely advance to leadership positions quickly with your background. Once you settle down and become proficient in the actual nursing skills I think you will find it hard to remain working at a staff nurse level. You have more authority to make changes and affect the system when you are in a management position. I've seen a lot of men in nursing and I've worked in the V.A. system where there are lots of male nurses. Forgive me, but a lot of men make pretty good supervisors and managers because they don't get caught up in all the estrogen that drives some of the females in the profession. I've done supervision and management in nursing for some time. It took the group of nursing coordinators sitting me down and telling me I was right for the job before I finally agreed to do it. It was the best decision they made me make. It really brought everything I had learned in school (by then I also had my BSN) to a completed circle for me. FYI, my BSN program was designed for nurses who already had their RNs. Only 3 of us in the classes were not already in supervision and management. It's focus was on increasing our psychology and communication skills.

My mother moved our family out here to California from Ohio after my father had a stroke following a ruptured cerebral aneurysm back in the 60s. She always said that California was a land of opportunity. It was for us. I have heard many success stories from others who have made the move out here. It seems like most people are transplanted here from somewhere else. You can't beat the weather--no snow unless you live in the mountain areas.

Happy Birthday!

[forgop]

That's some good info to think about. The only problem is that there's absoultely no way my wife would consider a move out to California. While nice to visit, I don't think I could actually see myself living out there as well. Heck, I even get the look when I've talked about moving an hour north to be closer to all of my side of the family as we're just 5 minutes away from her mom.

I do realize the staffing needs are around the clock. Having worked in manufacturing the past 6 years, I've been through the same thing, having spent a lot of time working 2nd or 3rd shift, with my favorite being 3rd shift. Maybe it's just me, but there are a lot fewer idiots working on 3rd shift.

I've checked into the programs locally. I didn't realize that IUPUI offered a BSN for those already with BS degrees. Do the nurses in supervision make substantially more money? In what I've done in manufacturing, it's not enough to make it worth while in my book.

Thanks for the info.

[Daytonite]

Here is a link on the Indiana State Board of Nursing to all the official nursing programs in your state:

• http://www.in.gov/pla/bandc/isbn/programs.html

As a supervisor you make a higher hourly wage, but you don't usually get the opportunity to work extra shifts and make overtime. Unless the facility is desperate they won't usually let a supervisor work extra shifts in staff nurse openings for the same hourly wage. When I was a manager if I had to fill in and work a 3-11 shift because we were short a nurse, it was given back to me in time off (ha! ha!) because I was salaried.