career change

[Chris12]

A little about myself. I am an electrician of seven years in southeast michigan. I have been layed-off more times than I can count. I just fell into the trade sort of speak right out of high school. So I thought I had it pretty good, untill about three years ago when the layoffs came. So now three kids and a wife later I have to do something. I have been layed off for about a year and now I'm in a position that I cant go back to work because that would mean that my wife who is providing health insurense would have to stop. I have really continplated becoming a nurse. I have contacted the colleges around hear(Monroe) and most of them have a long wait list. So I applied at the toledo school of practical nursing for LPN. My wife who is a nursing aide described to me what the nurses do ware she works and it seems like something I would be quite interested in. I was concerned about being a male nurse until I found this site. Any insight would be greatly appreacated. Thank you Chris.

[AC439]

I rarely check allnurses.com anymore but just happen to read this thread by accident.

I went through similar career change 3.5 years ago from I.T./Electrical engineering. I went through some layoffs in my previous career. My wife is an RN and, of course, told me what kind of work it is. I did admire people with scrubs and stethroscopes around their neck. I then went through the same path as most of you do - talked to schools only to find out there is a long waiting list. I was lucky enough to get into an LPN school and finished in about a year then went on to finish RN. I jumped rather quickly and now being an ICU and ER nurse.

I can only speak for myself and don't mean to discourage anyone -- I am leaving nursing.

My wife warned me before I decided to pursue nursing that this is not a professional environment and I did not understand. I thought everyone goes thought school, earn a degree, pass the board and be a caring person to work on the floor. The real environment is far from ideal although I do see some excellent nurses sometimes but not very often. Instead, horizontal violence is what I see most of the time. Hospital policy is another issue (which you should find many threads here about it). In general, nurses do not get much respect from pt or the family (you do once in a while). However, I have to say being a male nurse myself, I have the most respect from doctors and rarely get into conflicts with them.

I still remember the cultural shock my first day in nursing school. If you are from an engineering background, you will be shocked by the nursing education - how they put simple common sense into those 2" thick books.

Again, I can only speak for myself. Maybe it's just my environment or region. Maybe some other places are better. Now, I don't blindly admire people in scrubs. I only admire and respect those who really care about people.

-AC

[Dr.Nurse2b]

I was in the car business and in 1997 I decided I wanted a job that was more meaningful. I chose to pursue Emergency Medicine and became a medic first...BUT BEFORE I offically made the decision I volunteered at the hospital and local fire department.

I say go for it but spent a weekend in the ER, or volunteer to help serve meals...better yet...start working as a CNA - Certified Nurses Aid...you'll get to experience the very core of nursing. With this you can determine if nursing is for you...if you can change bed pans, give sponge baths to 70 year old ladies or handle a fecal occult blood test then UR IN!

[needlemasterone]

I wish I had gone into either nursing or medical when I was in my 20's.

What is there to do in ER or other parts of a hospital for a Dialysis Tech / CNA? I work in dialysis but want to get into a hospital but do not know what I could be used for in ER.

I want to get into nursing school also. I hear it is so demanding that I can only work 20 hours a week at my regular job and take classes. Is that right?