MEN, dont come into nursing

Nurses Men

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I ve worked in hospitals and nursing homes. It sucks. Dont let people here convince you on how great it is. If you are going back to school dont hang onto the mentality of "nursing is a great career there where always be jobs" that was 10 years ago when that was true. do research, there are no nursing jobs. People from overseas come here by the boat and take jobs. The wage is on the down trend, there are more then enough nurses to replace those ready to retire. Please if you are just getting into college pick a less stressful, good paying career choice. PPLEASE research on forums and here from nurses who are not happy with their career. coorprate has destroyed nursing. Dont listen to the few on here who say nursing is so wonderful, i promise you when they run out of paxil and adivan, which is fueling there happiness, they will no longer be posting on these boards on the issues of how great their jobs are.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
They want to live here because it is the best place to live. Nationalized healthcare has costs associated with it, look at the cost of your premiums since the ACA took effect. Costs go up and quality goes down. I travel around the world and our quality is the best I have seen. Britain, and Denmark, both have national "free" healthcare and yet, they work with old technology and worn out equipment because there is no money for new.

okay then

oh except that our health care outcomes are in the toilet compared to other countries around the globe while we spend MORE money per capita on pursuing care.

It would seem that sometimes the biggest, newest, most expensive gadget or device doesn't equate to a good outcome.

U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective - The Commonwealth Fund

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okay then

oh except that our health care outcomes are in the toilet compared to other countries around the globe while we spend MORE money per capita on pursuing care.

It would seem that sometimes the biggest, newest, most expensive gadget or device doesn't equate to a good outcome.

U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective - The Commonwealth Fund

Forbes Welcome

Forbes Welcome

Not sure it is fair to compare the United States to countries with homogeneous populations smaller than many states and with a much larger GDP per capita.

I work in the medical industry right now and have global responsibility. I can tell you with utter certainty that countries do not use the same criteria for developing their quality metrics nor do they diagnose people the same. Saying that a 75 year old is dying of old age when they have stage 4 breast cancer is not exactly the norm in the United States. There are cultural differences that greatly impact healthcare and how you measure outcomes.

I can also tell you that the healthcare standards developed in the United States are the standards of the world. Believe it or not but the CDC is cited all over the world in hospital policies. You might think that you are familiar with facilities like the Mayo Clinic, Stanford, Duke, Cedar Sinai, and MD Anderson because you are American but in reality they are famous around the world. Not too many European, Asian, Middle Eastern, or African hospitals get cited for excellence in care.

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I don't know if men are temperamentally suited to work as nurses. It's an OK profession for men but it's not a very masculine profession which probably explains why so many men in nursing are gay. For women having a gay man on the floor is like having a girlfriend.
When I'm doing the work, it's masculine. See how I get to define it for myself? :up:
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Sorry to hear about your experience. Mine has been quite the opposite. My entry into the nursing field was completely unforeseen, up until about 6 years ago. I am a 40-something (married with three children) who was a Network Administrator for a fairly large local business. I had been working there nearly 10 years. That was, until, I was told my job "no longer existed." I was one of a couple people who were "downsized." That was Oct. 2008. I actively worked to get back into a job market that had bottomed out with a rotten economy. I collected unemployment for about 1 1/2 years, while working temporary, part-time jobs that I was overqualified for. I happened to see an evening news show that talked about 40-something men who were in my situation, that went back to school to become nurses. As it happens, the rural county where I live has a diploma nursing program. A few days later, I made the decision to become a nurse. In the meantime, I found that I qualified for a small grant, because of being laid off, that paid for my training to become a CNA. I thought getting experience in the field, plus being able to make a little money would help - while I went to school. That turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. I got a lot of support from my family, graduated, and passed my N-CLEX a month later.

Now, going back to school as a 40-something was hard. More than half of my classmates were half my age. There were a few in the mortgage/mini-van/with children crowd, but I still managed to survive. I can't speak for the entire nation, but nurses are needed in this area (Schuylkill County). I had (and still have) my pick of any nursing jobs in the area. Locally, I have my pick of hospital jobs (Level 3), home health RN, community nursing, or LTC jobs. Being willing to drive an hour to work (one-way), I add another half-dozen hospital choices - including Level 1 large, regional Hospitals with a wide-range of specialties, including PHRN/LifeFlight nursing. Granted, each facility has its good and bad points. However, if you are in an area where there is some demand; you can always try somewhere else. I would think that as long as you aren't job hopping every few months; one should be able to work at a place long enough to get a feel for what it's like. Unfortunately, sometimes we are forced to make the best of things until the time is right to move on. I don't wish to speak of my my first two job experiences, but I currently work at a facility that has a strong team of nurses and staff that are remarkable. The administration is responsive to our needs. I can approach anyone with questions or for help, and it is freely given in a supportive way. I feel very lucky. It wasn't an easy path to get here, nor does it always feel easy - as I have bad days too; I love what I do and where I work.

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Your issues are personal/facility related. Many male nurses (including myself) love their job and many facilities are very nurse friendly. As for the wage, the hourly wage is increasing, not decreasing, as the nursing professional becomes more advanced. As for projected job availability, the BLS projects an above average increase of RN job availability of 16% between 2014-2024 compared to the national average of only 7%.

Nursing isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy the profession it is a secure and rewarding career.

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I totally understand and generally agree.

There is a certain type of personality required to be successful in nursing. One aspect is being tolerant to being backstabbed by other nurses. It happens all the time.

As a guy, you are always asked to help pull up patients. Believe me, after 24 years it adds up.

Although not sex related, the never ending flow of new edicts, rules, procedures, paperwork and increasing patient numbers also add up.

I've said it elsewhere, If I were at the same place I was back in 1990, deciding to go into nursing or pharmacy. . . ( I choose nursing as I needed another semester of Organic chem and pharmacy was 3 years as opposed to 2 years in the bachelors after have obtained an Associates.) It would not be nursing.

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Specializes in Critical care.

I love what I do. I enjoy going to work every day. I am a second career changer, and I found nursing is a great profession. I make hella good amount of money. I plan to advance my career to next level so I can have more autonomy and have time for family.

If you really feel that way, please don't hesitate but change to another career. No one is holding you back. And like you said, without you patients can still survive.

Joseph, RN

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Hi Sorry to hear that you aren't happy in nursing graduated in 1995 here in the UK. As some have said nursing isn t everybody's cup of tea. (English saying sorry)

I start as a Male Mental Illness Nurse and now A Outpatients Nurse which I truly can say that l love my job. Like everyone in any profession you are going to have days where you feel what the hell im I in this job.

Here in the UK people moan and moan about people coming over here stealing our jobs unfortunately I get angry with it as people dont want the jobs what people come to thos country for (this is my opinion)

Also you may of opened a can of worms with the title...

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Specializes in SICU,CTICU,PACU.

i LOVE being a nurse. It is the best decision I ever made in my life. I also LOVE bedside nursing. We already have enough nurses who do not like their jobs which creates a poor work environment. You should go find something that makes you happy, life is too short.

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Sure its a tough job...but being unemployed is tougher.

The job market is rough for those outside the medical field even with a specialty...and even THEN, its tough to find a job. I see plenty of nursing jobs available. MAYBE they don't pay as much as they should...but i think networking with the right groups would help this.

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I will use male gender pronouns henceforth assuming you are a male and are a nurse.

I wouldn't tell someone to not become a nurse, male or female. Where I live, there are jobs.

Thankless job? Maybe. I'm not sure what you expected. It's a job not a miracle unicorn sunshine skittles and beer rainbow shower, man. But most hospital jobs pay fairly well. I just got a raise this year and another scheduled for next year. If you're in an area that doesn't pay well...move.

I don't take drugs

People from overseas come here by the boat and take jobs.
That sir, is complete garbage.
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There is not a ton of great jobs out there

...for someone with only a highschool education. Automation and I will guess that online retail will continue to take low education jobs.

Ignore the OP, get your education and get a career.

"When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get them, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either."
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