New to nursing

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Good Day all,

I am a new student, starting Nursing school this fall. I have been a paramedic for 12 years, and finally decided to be a part of that "Definitive Health Care" that we always tried to get our patients to within the "Golden Hour". I am looking for a career in E.R. / Trauma, and hopefully a flight team a bit later.

As an African American male, i have heard all of the hype about how easy it is to get into nursing due to the lack of males, minorities, etc... The truth is though, I want to get in because of what I can bring to the nursing profession. I don't want to be offered anything just because I am a man with a darker tan than some others.

What I am looking for is a mentor of sorts. Someone I can turn to throughout my schooling when I have questions and concerns. I would also like to keep myself on the "cutting edge" of the profession by staying up to date on what's going on out in the field.

I have browsed the forums here, and have enjoyed the honest opinions and comments from those in the profession. I look forward to hearing more. Thanx for allowing me the chance to post here. God Bless.

Way to go! I wish you all the best. I think you're in because of your skills and abilities, not your gender or color. At least, I hope so. ;-)

Take advantage of any and all learning opportunities. Grand rounds at the hospital, AACN chapter meetings, anything to get you ahead.

Congrats on your decision to enter nursing! I think you probably have an edge over your other classmates due to your having previous experience. This will probably help you greatly when you are covering such material as cardiac rhythms and such. You will do great!

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Good luck! You will do awesome. I haven't heard any hype about how easy nursing is to get into because of minority status or being male. All I've heard here in Florida that there are 5,000 RN positions open and how easy it is to get into nursing period. Even the ER.

Flight nursing would be another story. We opened a third helecopter and had 150 applicants apply. Going to the ER of a major trauma center and getting your experience there is an excellent idea, especially is they have a copter. Our director tends to hire to the copter from her own ER. Of course your paramedic experience is a definate plus.

Good luck to you!!!

Specializes in midwifery, ophthalmics, general practice.

hey good luck and welcome to the boards!!!!

Karen

Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

Welcome - it's always cool to have paramedics going into nursing. (You already have IV starts and other things students get so sweaty about down pat.) Keep us posted.

Hi VBMedic I am not a male but I am an African-American female and I had a lot of sterotypes thrown my way BUT you know what I ignore every single one of them and keep doing what I want to do. I keep climbing up the ladder I want to climb and I do not ALLOW for anyone to get in my way. I remember the first day of class we were giving introductions. When it came to my time I said that my name is Tonya, I am a young single mother to a 3 year old daughter (At the time my daughter was 3). I heard a couple girls and 1 guy in the background mention who wants to bet that she will be the first one out. Well, guess what I made it all the way through. I just graduated and out of those 3 only 1 one of them made it through. The other 2 were the first one's out. They should have place the bet on themselves.

I wish you all the best and keep on going to your dream of ER/Trauma/Flight nursing and whatever else you decide to do.

I wish you nothing but the best. I myself am a student nurse and will be going for my RN in September. You seem like you will make a great nurse. Welcome.

P. S the experience that you have is a big plus.

Hi VB, glad you joined the BB. This a good place for information and the Student Nursing forum is a wonderful place for support. :) Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. :)

+ Add a Comment