Considering nursing and eventually CRNA

BigDave · Apr 17, 2005

Hi,

I worked on airplanes in my prior life and did not finish my BSN until I was 36.

I met my current wife just out of school...when she told her mom that she was dating a nurse, she said that all the male nurses where she worked with (nursing home) were gay. Luckily this perception is changing.

I am starting CRNA school at 46. There is a guy on this forum that is 50 and in school. When I went to interview there were 13 folks: 3 older guys, and 10 younger girls.

Good luck to you!

P.S. Math is not that involved. Nurses (and docs per GRE stats) are, as a group, marginal in math skills.

mummer43, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2005

Hi,
I worked on airplanes in my prior life and did not finish my BSN until I was 36.
I met my current wife just out of school...when she told her mom that she was dating a nurse, she said that all the male nurses where she worked with (nursing home) were gay. Luckily this perception is changing.
I am starting CRNA school at 46. There is a guy on this forum that is 50 and in school. When I went to interview there were 13 folks: 3 older guys, and 10 younger girls.
Good luck to you!
P.S. Math is not that involved. Nurses (and docs per GRE stats) are, as a group, marginal in math skills.

Thanks for the reply. I'm struggling right now with what I want to do with my life. I'm doing a lot of reading about nursing and more specifically, male nurses, and I am finding that there are a lot of opportunities out there for males in the nursing field.

Can you get accepted to a CRNA program with only one year of critcal care experience or do schools want more than a year? I know it's probably a case by case basis, but I was wondering about individual experiences.

Oh, and it's good to know that math isn't a required skill because my math is also marginal at best.

redwinggirlie · Apr 17, 2005

Unless I'm told by them, I never assume a male nurse is gay. As a matter of fact, it's not an issue anyhow. Too old? No way. I got my RN when I turned 40. As I told myself before I got my RN, I have nothing but time. How do I want to spend it? I wish you well.

tridil2000, MSN, RN · Apr 17, 2005

Hello everyone, this is my first post and I am looking for a little guidance or advice.
I am thinking about going back to school to get my BSN. I'm a guy, if that matters, and I am 30 years old. I already have a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and I have been working as a parole officer for the past 6 years.
I'm kind of at a crossroads in my life. I really don't enjoy what I do and I am seeking another career path. Interestingly enough, my girlfriend, who is also a PO, is currently taking classes towards her BSN and she is about halfway done.
I have been thinking long and hard about this and I have the same concerns that I'm sure every guy who goes into nursing has - will I be accepted? Will people think I'm gay? I know that there are an increasing number of males entering the nursing field and that the stigma, or whatever you want to call it, of being a male nurse is not what it used to be. But I'm sort of the macho type and it's just something that's on my mind. Maybe it's that the term "nurse' is so feminine, who knows? Murse is a funny term, but we really should come up with something better.
Anyway, the reason that I'm making my first post in the CRNA forum when I don't even have a nursing degree yet is because, if I do enter this field, I plan on becoming a CRNA. I've done a lot of reading about it, and I know it's not an easy thing to accomplish, but if I do this, I'm going all the way.
Do you guys think that I'm too old to start this whole process? It might take me 2 or 3 years to get my BSN and then I will need experience before I can apply to a CRNA program. I may be in my late 30's by then. Would that hurt me when it comes to the selection process? Another question: How much math is involved in the whole process?
Any advice or guidance you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated!!!

hey! i work with a ton of guys in the er! we enjoy when you guys bring us the entertainment! lol, i mean, 'interesting pts'! lol

if you want to get your rn... go for it. people have NO freakin clue what nurses do in the first place, so if anyone wants to think you're gay and you're not, that's THEIR ignorance and not your problem! i am sure your wife grappled with being a po. maybe people would think she was 'butchy' or whatever. you work with the public...people can be very stupid!

in any event, go for it if you like action and helping people. get into icu/critical care asap, take your ccrn exam and apply for crna school after a year. you can be a crna in about 6 years.

my friend who is in crna school wants me to go. she said i'd do well etc, but i'm just not interested in that. they do make great money. but, for me, i'd be bored. i'm looking at er np programs now at 38. i have my bsn and 18 yrs under my belt.

there are tons of male nurses in critical care these days! go for it and good luck!

adelle · Apr 17, 2005

hey! i work with a ton of guys in the er! we enjoy when you guys bring us the entertainment! lol, i mean, 'interesting pts'! lol
if you want to get your rn... go for it. people have NO freakin clue what nurses do in the first place, so if anyone wants to think you're gay and you're not, that's THEIR ignorance and not your problem! i am sure your wife grappled with being a po. maybe people would think she was 'butchy' or whatever. you work with the public...people can be very stupid!
in any event, go for it if you like action and helping people. get into icu/critical care asap, take your ccrn exam and apply for crna school after a year. you can be a crna in about 6 years.
my friend who is in crna school wants me to go. she said i'd do well etc, but i'm just not interested in that. they do make great money. but, for me, i'd be bored. i'm looking at er np programs now at 38. i have my bsn and 18 yrs under my belt.
there are tons of male nurses in critical care these days! go for it and good luck!

It might take you six years (or more) if you go the traditional BSN route, but you already have a degree, go the accelerated BSN route! You could lob off up to 3 years of the time you need to be in school (depending on the prereqs and specific program)! Good luck with whatever you decide!

mummer43, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2005

It might take you six years (or more) if you go the traditional BSN route, but you already have a degree, go the accelerated BSN route! You could lob off up to 3 years of the time you need to be in school (depending on the prereqs and specific program)! Good luck with whatever you decide!

I'm looking into some accelerated programs. I live near Philly and there are a lot of them. I know I'll need to take some pre-requisites and I'm trying to find out what I will need to do.

Laughing Gas · Apr 17, 2005

First, it's never too late. Secondly the fact that you are looking towards CRNA is a good thing. It is a great thing to aspire to. It is a long road, be sure it is what you really want to do.

As for the gay thing.. hahaha!

I went through the same thing. I was a jock. I am 5'10, 235 pounds and can bench over 400 pounds. I am nearly as far from a "murse" as can be imagined. From my experience few men in nursing are openly gay. Most patients seem happy or even relieved at times to have a man (sorry girls). These numbers are not exact, but more a representation; men make up I think like 3 to 8% of the active workforce. We also make up something like 60-70% of management and ANP's. Like it or not, we tend to advence a bit more quickly.

I tend to have a sense of humor about the nurse thing. I think Gaylord Focker is hilarious. But yes, I did usually introduce myself as RN and not nurse. Maybe it's a throw-back to nurse sounding feminine.

deepz · Apr 17, 2005

......I did usually introduce myself as RN and not nurse. Maybe it's a throw-back to nurse sounding feminine.

Speaking of Gaylord Focker:

"You can milk anything with nipples."

"Oh yeah? I have nipples; can you milk me?"

Been a nurse myself for 40 years, friends, since back when it truly WAS a stereotype ('not that there's anything wrong with that') and I can tell you authoritatively that it *still* takes a tough guy to be a nurse. Leave your insecurities at the door.

deepz

sway · Apr 17, 2005

But yes, I did usually introduce myself as RN and not nurse. Maybe it's a throw-back to nurse sounding feminine.

I'm a pretty big and burly guy too, but contrary to some of you, I often introduce myself as a "male nurse" just to break the ice. Something like "hi, my name's Ryan and I'll be your male nurse today". People usually get a good laugh out of it, and I find it works especially well with people who seem nervous about having a guy as a nurse. Of course, it also helps if you're really, really, really good looking....to quote Mr. Stiller again.

Seriously though, as a nurse you'll make very good money, have unprecedented job security, good benefits and only work 3 days per week (most jobs)! What could be better than that?! I say that anyone who makes fun of you is just jealous.

mummer43, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2005

First, it's never too late. Secondly the fact that you are looking towards CRNA is a good thing. It is a great thing to aspire to. It is a long road, be sure it is what you really want to do.
As for the gay thing.. hahaha!
I went through the same thing. I was a jock. I am 5'10, 235 pounds and can bench over 400 pounds. I am nearly as far from a "murse" as can be imagined. From my experience few men in nursing are openly gay. Most patients seem happy or even relieved at times to have a man (sorry girls). These numbers are not exact, but more a representation; men make up I think like 3 to 8% of the active workforce. We also make up something like 60-70% of management and ANP's. Like it or not, we tend to advence a bit more quickly.
I tend to have a sense of humor about the nurse thing. I think Gaylord Focker is hilarious. But yes, I did usually introduce myself as RN and not nurse. Maybe it's a throw-back to nurse sounding feminine.

I was a jock as well and I played football in colege. I carry a gun every day for work and I guess you would consider me more of a "tough guy," although I am pretty compassionate with some of my clients if they deserve it.

I also am into weightlifting and I'm 6'1" and right now about 215. Over the winter I was 230lbs and I actually benched 400 for the first time in my life. I have pretty long arms and my technique isn't the best. But this past winter, I made a commitment to bench 400 and I got it. I've always had more endurance than overall strength, but I'm still plenty strong. In a recent workout, I wanted to see how many times I could do 275 and I got it 18 times and I've benched 225 over 30 times. But enough about my feats of strength...

I'm really giving this whole thing some thought. I found a few really good accelerated programs that are relatively close to where I live and spoken at length with my girlfriend about it and to be honest, I'm still undecided.

A Penn State campus is offering some of the pre-reqs I need this summer and I may take one to see how I like it.

All of your input is greatly appreciated!

apaisRN, RN, CRNA · Apr 18, 2005

Your female colleagues will adore you if you can help with lifting. Even if I worked out like a fiend, having short arms and legs and being 5'2 just isn't conducive to yanking heavy people around.

Seriously, the men in my ICU are very respected. As a female RN I deal with stereotypes too, although not to the same degree. But when a male friend makes a crack about wanting to see you in a "naughty nurse" costume, well . . . people can be damned ignorant. Stereotypes are part of the game, and you just have to forge your own path.