Factory worker one day ... nurse the next?

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Hello all,

I would like to first say that I come from a family full of nurses, both sides (so I've seen the fight to show that nursing is a professional field first-hand, 1970's onward).

I also have factory worker relatives, and I have respect for hard working people. I am not trying to diss on someone who works in a factory -- it's difficult and honest work. It's not an easy way to make ends meet.

However, where I live in Ohio, something strange is happening. All the trade schools, community colleges and even some universities are push, push, pushing displaced factory and auto workers into nursing due to (you guessed it) "guaranteed employment, plenty of jobs etc." (yeah, RIGHT!)

There's practically an LPN or RN evening/weekend program on every corner, and all the websites show a guy (God forbid they show a female nurse) who lost his job in the auto plant last week in scrubs, putting up an IV or something like that (you should surf the web and see some for yourselves!). Some of these guys look kind of unkempt or need a shave (sorry, not trying to be mean!).

Of course I am very happy for someone who gets a new career in this terrible recession, and works hard to earn a nursing credential. That deserves recognition and respect. But sometimes I wonder if the profession of nursing, which has fought so hard since the 1970's to be considered a white-collar, professional occupation, is going to suffer a big image hit due to these fly-by-night colleges PUSHING "get your RN, get your LPN, make money" to literally everyone with a pulse and then flooooooding the market.

There are lots of news stories up here in Ohio that contribute to this image of "Anyone can do it! Easy money!" They always interview a guy who barely graduated from high school, got laid off from the factory, uses poor grammar, and now he almost has his RN license.

Again -- that's is wonderful for him, and I respect that. If he can pass the courses and the tests, kudos to him! He deserves his success! But it worries me that this situation is going to make nursing look like a non-professional occupation in the future.

People should not go into anything just for the money, especially nursing. You need to have a passion. There are no sure-fire recession-proof jobs anymore; it really doesn't matter what you choose in college (I know first-hand due to a derailed librarian career that was booming in 2000). So, choose your calling!

I hope I did not offend anyone. I just wonder what will happen in the future. My aunt was the head nurse in a large hospital in Columbus, and she was one of those people who fought like hell to let people know that nursing is a professional medical occupation -- not a glorified bottom-wiping job!

Nurses know as much or MORE than doctors. I worry that people are going to forget this.

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Specializes in NICU.

Wow. I went to school with some laid off line workers, and don't think they met the stereotypes that you illustrated at all. Just because someone works in a factory or on the line doesn't make them any less worthy of a career change than someone who is changing from an 'educated' career. My brother is attending college for the first time. He's in his thirties. He's working very hard to get through his nursing pre-reqs. And his previous career? He worked in a warehouse. Completely unskilled. Just because it took an economic downturn to give him the final nudge that he needed to further his education and career doesn't make him an unshaven idiot undeserving of walking the same hallowed halls that his mother or sister do (should I ever actually land a job).

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I drove a school bus before I became a nurse. I'm very proud of my years as blue collar worker. I became a nurse because I love being a nurse, and it does pay more money. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

I do understand what you are saying but as far as I'm concerned, if someone graduates from a nursing program, passes the NCLEX, and is a caring, compassionate, and hard working nurse I don't care what kind of job they had before or if they have a 5 o'clock shadow or not.

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My brother had to retrain because of an injury on the job. He went to school to learn information technology to work in the computer industry. He told me that they took the time to address workplace issues such as interviewing, resumes, how to dress and present yourself as a professional technical worker. He was required to wear a button down shirt with tie to school to practice looking this way. I can see where maybe some of these workplace situations should be covered in nursing school and not just for the benefit of displaced factory workers. There are a lot of young people on the job that could stand a friendly reminder that dark thong underwear does not look professional through white uniform pants. Nothing wrong with taking the time to talk about this in school.

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Specializes in NICU.
There are a lot of young people on the job that could stand a friendly reminder that dark thong underwear does not look professional through white uniform pants. Nothing wrong with taking the time to talk about this in school.

LOL!! They had an 'underwear' talk with us first term of my program! Conservative, Catholic school.

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I was not trying to insult anyone; or say that some are more worthy than others; I believe I took pains to make that clear.

Personally, I grew up in a farm village and went to high school in a coal mining town. I ate the classic orange government cheese as a child. There are very few college graduates in my family.

I personally feel that student pictures used for advertising should reflect a well-groomed student with a shaved face (or groomed beard, goatee etc.), regardless of the career field being advertised. Typically, a dress code in a workplace would require proper grooming.

Like I said, if you can do it, you've earned it. It was just a philosophical question. I am mostly worried about how it's going in Ohio with the flooded market -- is it a good idea to flood the market even more?

Are the trade schools and community colleges being fair to the students when they tell them that the profession is "recession proof with lots of jobs"? They all post on their websites that the graduates have "100 percent placement" -- that's B.S. and we all know it!

Why push someone into a new career and promise the person employment, when there are no jobs for even BSN's and MSN's? I think a lot of these people are getting the shaft twice!

Maybe it's an Ohio thing ... the advertising out here is enough to make you crazy. Flooding the market and flat-out lying to prospective students is not a good thing. Maybe you just have to live here and see it to believe it.

Bobbkats, that's great that you and your brother are going for it. And Inked RN, that's great that you found a job that you like and went for your dream; I'm happy for you both.

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You are talking about two different issues here. One issue is the fact that people are being promised jobs that just are not there. That is just plain wrong. The other issue is the diversity of the current nursing student. I have no problem with that at all.

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Hmmm, interesting responses. I read the OP not as a criticism of the factory workers or others who might be entering nursing, but as a concern about the nursing programs springing up on every street corner and heavily advertising how quickly and easily you can become a nurse. I share those concerns.

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Here's a quote for everyone from one of those shady websites. Mind you, here in Ohio the LPN job market is DEAD. No jobs, folks. Anyway, here's the quote:

"LPN Schools in Ohio"

"The demand for practical nurses in Ohio today is exceptional. In an uncertain economy, the field of practical nursing continues to exhibit job growth and security. LPN jobs in Ohio are abundant in the hospitals, ambulatory care centers, community health centers, nursing homes, and physician offices."

Gotta love it! http://www.nursing-school-degrees.com/States/ohio-lpn.html

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In my area we have LPN and MA programs on every corner and then the graduates have to leave the state to find a job. And the RN programs have a line two or three years long of people waiting to get in, so that they, too, can leave the state to get a job. Ohio is not the only area where people are making a buck selling healthcare careers to people with high hopes.

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Specializes in ED Nursing, Critical Care Nursing.

You "didn't mean to offend anyone" but you did, in a huge way :devil:.

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Specializes in NICU Transport/NICU.
Nurses know as much or MORE than doctors. I worry that people are going to forget this.

I don't think you can compare 2 years of nursing school to 4 years of med school and 3 years of residency. We know a lot, but let's be real here.

As far as Nursing schools go, there is definitely a glut, but I think the cirriculum and clinicals will weed out those who aren't fit for the job. If someone makes it through, they deserve it just as much as the next person.

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