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| No. 20 | 
Jul 14, 2009, 10:16 PM
 Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse. Originally Posted by Tony1790  Hey there brother,
I retired from the Coast Guard out of Seattle, that area is hard to get into a school or find one physically close enough to get to. I wound up moving to East TN, many schools nearby, many programs, acclerated BSN, MSN for second degree holders, ADN, LPN, etc. I finish up my LPN next month and start on my RN in August.
Many good inputs, it's hard going from a high power job to wiping the arses, but it's doable, I was 20 yrs military and then an operations manager for the railroad, I'm now 42 and working as a CNA while finishing up school. Man how things change...pro's and con's brother, mostly pro's, but a lot of con's going into nursing.
Good luck with your new career, for acclerated BSN I thought that Pacific Lutheran had a program near Tacoma? I don't know, I was living in Port Orchard at the time and there were waiting lists as far as the eye could see for nursing schools, I left the state to get into school, plus I was tired of the Seattle stress.
Take care.
Tony
Thanks Tony! You mentioned "a lot of cons" with a nursing career. Could you give me some examples that you think I should weigh? I know you're probably really busy, but I'd really appreciate anything you have to offer. Thanks again!
Chris
 | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 21 |
Jul 14, 2009, 11:20 PM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse. Originally Posted by quinnsite Continued ( I accidently cut myself off)
So here are my concerns:
Am I too old to be considering this? I mean are there practical considerations? Will I be discriminated against in the hiring process as a male nurse in his early 40's?
Physically I'm in very good shape, and intend to remain that way. Still, is age in any way an issue to consider?
What else should I keep in mind when considering this decision?
I realize that male nurses only comprise about 7% of all nurses. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I would imagine hospitals, etc. would like more male nurses on staff? True or false?
I am very confident that I would be a good nurse. However, what don't I know about nursing? In other words, what are the 'dark little secrets' about nurses that you don't hear about? What do current nurses say they 'wish they knew' before getting into nursing?
Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks all!
Well, I became a nurse at 50 and it hasn't killed me ... yet. 
You're not too old.. in fact, you're in an age bracket where people will not consider you worn out and incapable. Bluntly, there is age discrimination, especially from the 27 year old nurse managers that would prefer you to be cute, female, and clueless. On the other hand, there are a lot of nurse managers that are thrilled to get nurses that are people savvy, experienced, emotionally stable, and comfortable in their own skin.
Related to the age issue is the gender issue. Yes there is a desire to get more men in nursing. Ironically the US has half the men in nursing -- as a percent of the workforce -- than Australia. Keep in mind that the nursing culture has been shaped by primarily female role models for the last hundred or so years. Expect to find differences in communications styles and decision making processes. Also, the concept of multi-tasking is stretched to the limit. The ability to fragment your attention is rewarded.
Your fitness is a disadvantage if you don't find a delicate way to make sure you don't become a human Hoyer lift. You can't get your work done, and you facilitate unsafe nursing habits if you come whenever anyone needs to be lifted, repositioned, or restrained. I'd recommend developing a slight limp. Excellent physical fitness is only part of the equation for preventing the kind of back injuries that take nurses out of the profession. Another part is taking advantage of safe techniques and equipment. Part of my pre-nursing life was as a warehouseman; the skills used in protecting one's back in the warehouse serve me well to this day in rehab nursing!
Dark little secrets. Hmm.. I don't think that there are many systemic issues other than the ones I've covered. You know that you'll be cleaning poop and you'll probably become an expert in care of the foreskin.
Some patients will love you because you're more mature. You'll be called DOC a lot. There will always be one nurse that doesn't think you belong there. There will always be two nurses that can't imagine life without you on their floor. Some female patients will not want you around; don't take it personally. Some of them will come to trust you. Others will think you're wonderful and insist on you for their care.
I suggest not bringing up your prior career to either staff or the patients. If it comes up tell them you used to do taxes. That would explain why you know law without making you a target. It's not a lie; you do your own taxes, right? I have found that my prior experiences do help me bond with some patients, but an excess of self-disclosure has been shown in research to cloud the focus on the patient's condition.
I wish you well in your career transition. It was the most important thing I've done in my life.
And if it doesn't work out, you can go back to doing taxes.
| | No. 22 |
Jul 14, 2009, 11:21 PM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse.
if you think that holding a dying person's hand, or teaching a new mother how to feed her baby, or helping and supporting a child during a scary procedure are cons; then rethink. However, if those are things that you would want done for you, then they are pros. In all that a nurse does, patient advocacy is utmost. I always put everything I do during my shifts in the perspective of: is this what, or how I would want this done for my mother, brother, sibling or child? Or spouse? Or myself? I think that this is kind of like applying the "Golden Rule". If you want to be part of this special world that is: caring people who care for people, then it is FOR you. If not............
| | No. 23 |
Jul 15, 2009, 01:24 AM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse. Originally Posted by barbnicu if you think that holding a dying person's hand, or teaching a new mother how to feed her baby, or helping and supporting a child during a scary procedure are cons; then rethink. However, if those are things that you would want done for you, then they are pros. In all that a nurse does, patient advocacy is utmost. I always put everything I do during my shifts in the perspective of: is this what, or how I would want this done for my mother, brother, sibling or child? Or spouse? Or myself? I think that this is kind of like applying the "Golden Rule". If you want to be part of this special world that is: caring people who care for people, then it is FOR you. If not............
barbnicu:
You have summed up very nicely what I hope will guide me as a nurse: treat patients with all the care, respect, and dignity I would ANY family member or dear friend. None of those things you mention strike me as cons; more like the things I look forward to helping patients with during their time in need.
About 18 months ago I watched nurses care for my father for weeks in Cardiac-ICU following a cerebelum stroke he suffered while on bypass during scheduled valve replacement surgery. I was so thankful that most of my father's nurses subscribed to the philosophy you mention (or atleast left me belieiving they did.)
While in the rehab hospital I had an opportunity to care for my father in a very hands on way, whether it was wiping his rear or shaving his face. And mind you, this was a very proud and strong man; a man reduced to a shadow of his former self at that point. Yet my experience, of caring for the man who brought me into this world and taught me to be a man was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I also thought about the level of attention and care I paid to my dad, that of a son. Of course, in my screwed-up mind, it was superior to any attention an overworked nurse or nurses aid could provide. I will never forget those days and I hope I can return to that time for motivation when dealing with my patients.
The Golden Rule. Thanks for the reminder!
By the way, I guess when I was asking about CONS I was talking more about issues outside of actual patient care. I was thinking more about beuracracy (sp) in hospitals; nurse/doc relations; nurse/management relations; paperwork; etc. Things that may detract from the caregiving role, I suppose?
| | No. 24 |
Jul 15, 2009, 01:34 AM
 Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse. Originally Posted by OldPhatMC Well, I became a nurse at 50 and it hasn't killed me ... yet.
You're not too old.. in fact, you're in an age bracket where people will not consider you worn out and incapable. Bluntly, there is age discrimination, especially from the 27 year old nurse managers that would prefer you to be cute, female, and clueless. On the other hand, there are a lot of nurse managers that are thrilled to get nurses that are people savvy, experienced, emotionally stable, and comfortable in their own skin.
Related to the age issue is the gender issue. Yes there is a desire to get more men in nursing. Ironically the US has half the men in nursing -- as a percent of the workforce -- than Australia. Keep in mind that the nursing culture has been shaped by primarily female role models for the last hundred or so years. Expect to find differences in communications styles and decision making processes. Also, the concept of multi-tasking is stretched to the limit. The ability to fragment your attention is rewarded.
Your fitness is a disadvantage if you don't find a delicate way to make sure you don't become a human Hoyer lift. You can't get your work done, and you facilitate unsafe nursing habits if you come whenever anyone needs to be lifted, repositioned, or restrained. I'd recommend developing a slight limp. Excellent physical fitness is only part of the equation for preventing the kind of back injuries that take nurses out of the profession. Another part is taking advantage of safe techniques and equipment. Part of my pre-nursing life was as a warehouseman; the skills used in protecting one's back in the warehouse serve me well to this day in rehab nursing!
Dark little secrets. Hmm.. I don't think that there are many systemic issues other than the ones I've covered. You know that you'll be cleaning poop and you'll probably become an expert in care of the foreskin.
Some patients will love you because you're more mature. You'll be called DOC a lot. There will always be one nurse that doesn't think you belong there. There will always be two nurses that can't imagine life without you on their floor. Some female patients will not want you around; don't take it personally. Some of them will come to trust you. Others will think you're wonderful and insist on you for their care.
I suggest not bringing up your prior career to either staff or the patients. If it comes up tell them you used to do taxes. That would explain why you know law without making you a target. It's not a lie; you do your own taxes, right? I have found that my prior experiences do help me bond with some patients, but an excess of self-disclosure has been shown in research to cloud the focus on the patient's condition.
I wish you well in your career transition. It was the most important thing I've done in my life.
And if it doesn't work out, you can go back to doing taxes.
Great stuff all around! I sure hope I get a nurse manager that appreciates what I have to offer. At 6'2 and 195lbs and a face that has seen better days, I definitely don't fall into the cute and female category! Hopefully I won't fall into the clueless category when I finally hit the floor!
I also appreciate the comments about self disclosure, including my years as a lawyer. Not that I ever intended make much note of it, but it may be best to actually be proactive in keeping it "in the past". Which at this point I AM HAPPY TO DO!! (Oh, I can't move on fast enough!!)
Thanks again!
| | No. 25 |
Jul 15, 2009, 11:12 AM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse.
First let me say congratulations on your choice of a career change, I have just recently done the same. Of course we come from different backgrounds but I think the most important thing you can do is meet with and adviser from the school you plan on getting your MSN from. I found that when I visited my adviser she gave me a lot of information. At the time of my meeting I still wasn't sure which route to take LPN vs. ASN vs. BSN etc. She gave me information that helped me with making my decision. I actually found that if I went the ASN route and then decided to go for my BSN through an accelerated course it will have had taken me 6 months longer and actually cost me more so that I could obtain my MSN later on. The university that I will be studying at also has the lowest tuition for local residents that I have ever heard of for a university. You can also get scholarships to pay for part or all of your schooling from different areas private and public to help with the costs of classes which in the long run will aid in your financials during schooling. Check with the financial aid department in this area. And one point that I am surprised no one else has brought up is (other threads about this) there may be a time when you may have to give a statment to an attourney who is fishing for informetion trying to get a lawsuit out of the hospital. With your background as an attourny and in conjunction with working with the hospital attourney YOU will have a leg up on everybody. Let us all know what you decide to do.
Myron
| | No. 26 |
Jul 16, 2009, 11:15 AM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse.
you are actually fortunate to have had a preview of some of the care that nurses give. As for political issues: there are, and always will be those managers who make things difficult (who have no clue); administration that dictates pt. care issues, and generally some "bad eggs". You are going to have to learn to distance yourself from staff with issues, and try to not pay them much attention. As for my own experiences: I have worked for not for profit hospitals, and for profit hospitals. I much prefer the not for profit. Why? I have had much better experiences in these hospitals- the focus is not so much on how much money the facility can make, but on the quality of care given.Keeping in mind that although the hosp. doesn't make a profit; supplies, salaries and other stuff costs money and if materials (and time) are wasted, that can impact on the bottom line also. In my own experience, my current (and I hope the last) hospital where I work, has nurtured me, and the other staff. We are encouraged to grow professionally. In the last 5 years at this hosp. many of the staff have achieved certification in their field, I have been allowed to get education certs, and now, I teach childbirth, infant care, and sibling clases. I have been enc. by my manager and the admin. to grow as much as I can, and I am SO grateful for the support I, and the rest of the staff, are given. Mind you, I know that not every hosp., or managers are like mine, but, change is always a given, and what does not work well now, can be changed by the staff nurses. It takes commitment, and perseverance, and the will to follow your instincts.
| | No. 27 |
Jul 16, 2009, 08:26 PM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse.
You most certainly can do it and probably won't even be alone- there are guys in my class who've lived whole lives before coming to this program, and some are quite a bit older than you- I'm 36 and just halfway through an ADN program, and I am not at all unusual (though I'm a mother!). You will see many things that disgust you and make you angrier than you thought possible. You will disagree with your instructors and there are times when you *will* know better than the profs, the nurses, and the docs, but you have to keep your mouth shut and toe the line and find a way to improve the patient's experience even if you are tangibly "not doing anything." You will be treated like crap, like an idiot, a lot of the time, and you will be frustrated beyond belief. Treat the nurses you meet in clinical with impeccable respect and deference, and you will be richly rewarded by their demonstrations and help. I recommend asking, literally, "what would you like me to do [for your patient]?" Remember you are probably seeing patients at their very worst, and that this is definitely a "check your ego at the door" profession. Good luck!
| | No. 28 |
Jul 16, 2009, 09:31 PM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse.
Dear 39 year old - You're a youngster! I'm a female who's popped in to post a reply to your note because I'm older and a new RN grad and just couldn't resist the opportunity to say GO FOR IT - you're never too old! I also have young children that went through the part time schooling 3 yr process with me and a supportive spouse too. NOW that said I also have a law background - paralegal and I can tell you I have NOT been happy with some things I've seen done in the hospital setting where I now work - BE PREPARED it's not all a bed of roses out there and it's NOT in our control just because we're the NURSE and the advocate for the patient. FOR INSTANCE a doc wrote an order for nitro iv JUST to keep the pt in the hospital so they could have an early morning cath lab procedure (otherwise insurance would not pay the hospital for the stay) then the pt's bp starting going south and nitro had to be stopped (pt did NOT need the nitro as they had been pain FREE for 2 days). Scenarios like this get under my skin. PROBABLY I just haven't figured out WHERE I should practice my nursing skills yet where I will actually ENJOY what I do. I LOVE the patients - as you have said too in so many words - this is the heart of the matter that draws us to the profession. Pray hard about your decision and explore ALL avenues before you make a final decision.
God bless
| | No. 29 |
Jul 17, 2009, 08:44 PM
Re: I'm 39 and want to become a nurse. Originally Posted by darimom Dear 39 year old - You're a youngster! I'm a female who's popped in to post a reply to your note because I'm older and a new RN grad and just couldn't resist the opportunity to say GO FOR IT - you're never too old! I also have young children that went through the part time schooling 3 yr process with me and a supportive spouse too. NOW that said I also have a law background - paralegal and I can tell you I have NOT been happy with some things I've seen done in the hospital setting where I now work - BE PREPARED it's not all a bed of roses out there and it's NOT in our control just because we're the NURSE and the advocate for the patient. FOR INSTANCE a doc wrote an order for nitro iv JUST to keep the pt in the hospital so they could have an early morning cath lab procedure (otherwise insurance would not pay the hospital for the stay) then the pt's bp starting going south and nitro had to be stopped (pt did NOT need the nitro as they had been pain FREE for 2 days). Scenarios like this get under my skin. PROBABLY I just haven't figured out WHERE I should practice my nursing skills yet where I will actually ENJOY what I do. I LOVE the patients - as you have said too in so many words - this is the heart of the matter that draws us to the profession. Pray hard about your decision and explore ALL avenues before you make a final decision.
God bless
Darimom,
Thank you for the encouragement and the additional comments. I assume, from your messsage, that you are relatively new to nursing(?) My only question is: Even with issues you mention, do you have any regrests about your decision to become a nurse? Would you do it again, knowing nursing (like life in general) is no "bed of roses" and that things/people will "get under your skin"? I get the impression that your answer is "yes", but I just wanted to be sure. Thanks!
Chris
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