For "Second Career" Nurses

[Mom2Chaos]

As I read the threads, there seems to be a common concern about the "dog eat dog" tension between colleagues and some general dissatisfaction with employers. I am curious, do you that have worked in other professions prior to joining nursing feel that the environment is far worse and more stressful, or is it not unlike "any" organization, where there are several dynamics and personalities at work.

As a pre-nursing student (after an 18 year career in financial services) and a new "non-clinical" employee at a hospital ED, I do not see much of what I have read about. What are your thoughts?

[suzi-Q]

Hi all.

Just got out of working in a local school district. Female dominated, of course, with a few men who seem to fall in line with the womens behavior. Strange...

My point is...I think it is any career that is female dominated.

(I went through hell and back and am just getting my mojo back. Now on to nursing? I must be crazy.)

Lots of books and studies about female on female aggression. It is sad.

What to do?

[UrsaMajor]

I can think of no other job that has all these difficulties. While some nurses use this forum to vent, nurses are leaving hospitals in droves because they cannot tolerate the impossible work environment. Do some research so you know what you're in for if go on and become a nurse. There's research about nursing environments being full of people with personality disorders.

Try law for personality disorders . . .

[Jaguar Boy]

This forum is indeed a good place for nurses to safely vent and get support. But there are also many threads in which people share inspiring, funny and heart warming stories...

I'm a firm believer that every person is a product of their circumstances. Nursing is an extremely demanding profession, nurses face some of the most difficult and disturbing aspects of the human species...there is so much at stake. Sometimes interpersonal skills take a back seat...it is a very social developed individual who can maintain diplomacy in the middle of a crisis.

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

hi all.

just got out of working in a local school district. female dominated, of course, with a few men who seem to fall in line with the womens behavior. strange...

my point is...i think it is any career that is female dominated.

(i went through hell and back and am just getting my mojo back. now on to nursing? i must be crazy.)

lots of books and studies about female on female aggression. it is sad.

what to do?

i'd have to agree that at least part of the bs and tension is related to female dominence in the profession. i love being a nurse, but am very glad to be out of the hospital setting. i have been an army officer and in business settings, and find that in general, i prefer working with men. i'm very direct and outspoken, which seems to bother other women more than men.

my dh is an elementary school teacher, and just shakes his head most days at the immaturity and "game-playing" he says he sees among some of the female teachers and staff.:msk:

don't get me wrong, i adore my female friends, but then i tend to bond with other "no-nonsence" types!! i cannot abide backstabbing and duplicity. at least if a man hates your guts, he's usually direct about!!:trout:

[Boston-RN, RN]

I have the same personality as BlueRidge....I get along better with men than women. I am a 2nd career nurse that changed from being an insurance adjuster to a nurse I started as an LPN and am now an RN and have just under 2 years total. I have worked at 4 facilities since I have started. Where I am now the group of RN's work SOOOO well together it's amazing. There are a couple here and there that get on each others nerves but overall any of us would do anything to help each other. What's the key? Who knows but one big thing is that we are almost all new grads and/or new to the facility. We're all in the same boat and the people that have been there for a while are interested in actually making sure the others are OK. Healthcare, at least in the hospital setting, has so many different personalities mushed together, so many cultures. Nurses are taught to protect your patient from anything and everything and although I support that in some places you have nurses writing each other up because someone gave a colace 2 hrs late or something that really can be handled differently. Women are also very competitive. We want people to recognize that we have done a good job and some people the way for them to do it is to make others look bad. Human nature creeps in....but when it comes down to it, some people are just mean and will never change. At the end of the day I love being a nurse (granted I'm at the beginning of a very long and demanding career but I have successfully made it out of the hell of the first year) Just do onto others I say....

[Epona]

RNKittyKat-- you make me LAUGH (it's a woman thing!!) :chuckle GOOD THING then most of my friends are male. I will be a new nurse, but have noticed when I do clinical rotations in the OR, mostly the male doctors talk to me... not many females. I have had male buddies most of my life... I guess I hope it stays the same when I officially sail off into nursing then!! :) Take care!