Advice on becoming a male nurse in Chicago?

czyja, MSN, RN · Nov 27, 2008

In a big city like Chicago there are no doubt may options...

I would look at all the schools, see what the pre-reqs are, then start taking them. Apply broadly. Find a place that feels comfortable for you then go for it.

Sounds like you have some personal healthcare experience caring for you mother. You may want to broaden this by looking for a position in healthcare while you work on pre-reqs.

That said, I found my many years of experience as a waiter, sommelier, and manager to be excellent training for nursing. Good waiters know how to prioritize and communicate with chefs and customers. Physicians and especially surgeons are not unlike chefs in their approach to the world. They value information packed communication.

The patients are the same people as those dining in your restaurant - in all of their rich variety, only they are sick. The goals are different - in the restaurant you want to make people happy, in the hospital you want them to come to terms with their illness and get as well as possible.

Good luck!

algebra_demystified · Dec 1, 2008

Get rolling on the prerequisites. Also, get your EMT or CNA certificate and get a job in the field. A couple years ago I would have said to take EMT over CNA as I don't particularly enjoy CNA work. But it has its advantages to have done the work.

If you have done a year or two as a CNA you can ride herd on them much better than you could if you never had the personal experience. Sometimes I think the career ladder for MDs should start at the CNA level, then LPN, then RN, then NP, then MD. Maybe the MD's should do ALL the work ALL the way up, finally at the top of the pyramid.

If you're going to be a nurse, why not do the CNA job first? There's a couple of male CNAs in the LTC home I work in right now, and I have my hat off to these guys. It's not easy for them. But they're learning things I never learned.

If that's not for you, I would heartily encourage you to get your EMT cert and do that while you're going through school.

Get through Algebra II and Introduction to Chemistry, then buy the Anatomy Coloring Book and the Physiology Coloring Book.

I had a great time going through school, it was a lot of fun for me. I hope it's the same for you, whatever school you end up going to.

Whatever program you end up in you have to take the same NCLEX I did, and at the end we all end up with the same license. Pay the least for the education you can and get the license ASAP.

spinetilt · Dec 4, 2008

Hello, Great forum.
I am a 28 year old guy living in Chicago. I have a year of college under my belt, and I work as a waiter at a restaurant downtown. I left college early to help take care of my mother. So I never was able to graduate.
Nursing is something that has always interested me, and I was wondering what schools you would suggest as a man starting out. I have read a bit on the forums, but was looking for any other info I may have missed. Such as what schools you would suggest, can I continue to work and go to school, etc.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I've done research on just about every single community college and university program in cook and du page county and know their corresponding prereqs. I'd be happy to share my findings with you if you want. Send an email to me (click on my name and choose email from the drop down menu...) and I'll let you know what I came up with.

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Dec 4, 2008

Get rolling on the prerequisites. Also, get your EMT or CNA certificate and get a job in the field. A couple years ago I would have said to take EMT over CNA as I don't particularly enjoy CNA work. But it has its advantages to have done the work.
If you have done a year or two as a CNA you can ride herd on them much better than you could if you never had the personal experience. Sometimes I think the career ladder for MDs should start at the CNA level, then LPN, then RN, then NP, then MD. Maybe the MD's should do ALL the work ALL the way up, finally at the top of the pyramid.
If you're going to be a nurse, why not do the CNA job first? There's a couple of male CNAs in the LTC home I work in right now, and I have my hat off to these guys. It's not easy for them. But they're learning things I never learned.
If that's not for you, I would heartily encourage you to get your EMT cert and do that while you're going through school.
Get through Algebra II and Introduction to Chemistry, then buy the Anatomy Coloring Book and the Physiology Coloring Book.
I had a great time going through school, it was a lot of fun for me. I hope it's the same for you, whatever school you end up going to.
Whatever program you end up in you have to take the same NCLEX I did, and at the end we all end up with the same license. Pay the least for the education you can and get the license ASAP.

Excellent suggestions here.