From Police Officer To BSN- can it work ?

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Howdy all, well the title pretty much sums up the situation. I voluntary took an early retirement (age 43) to start my 2nd career while I was still relatively young. I am a EMT and still a reserve Deputy, but needed to get off the street.

But... my first concern is dealing with the nurse "Ratchet" types, you know man hating, butch hair, chronic victim.

My second concern is that I can't be paid to "love" a patient , won't happen. I can treat people with respect and compassion but that's it. My hide is a little too thick to be a "cuddle nurse"

Thoughts ?

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I'm a female probation officer, going to be 43 this year. Still working full time and getting ready for my 2nd career. I'm in my 2nd semester of an associates degree RN program. Already have a BA in Psychology. I've learned so far, I should keep most of my feelings to myself because I have a VERY different outlook for whiners and pains in the asses (and this includes other students, nurses and patients). I've cleaned up my language and learned to be more tolerant of others. I grit my teeth and do my best and remember that once I get my license, there is a HUGE variety of ways in which I can use it. You'll do fine! Our biggest advantage is that we have dealt with more situations and many more different types of people that most people. Use it to your advantage as maturity wise (and I'm not talking age) and worldly experience wise you will probably be ahead of most people you come in contact with. Good Luck and enjoy school.

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But... my first concern is dealing with the nurse "Ratchet" types, you know man hating, butch hair, chronic victim.

Are you serious? That's your primary concern???

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Lol - I worked level one trauma center ER for 10 years and we always wanted to be the "nurse police" - we could have guns, shoot our obnoxious pts, then take care of them.

I say go for it.

Wouldn't advertise the fact that you don't like to deal with "Ratchet" types though.

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Specializes in NICU.

Not every nurse needs to be the 'cuddle" type. You can be a good, capable, respectful nurse with out that. My dad went from 22 years in the Marines to being an ICU RN--definitely possible. Regarding the nurse ratchet type that you're referring to--admittedly, I am a nursing student, but I haven't encountered much of that, and from what my dad tells me, he hasn't very often either.

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Thanks for the support everyone.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, Peds ICU.
Howdy all, well the title pretty much sums up the situation. I voluntary took an early retirement (age 43) to start my 2nd career while I was still relatively young. I am a EMT and still a reserve Deputy, but needed to get off the street.

But... my first concern is dealing with the nurse "Ratchet" types, you know man hating, butch hair, chronic victim.

My second concern is that I can't be paid to "love" a patient , won't happen. I can treat people with respect and compassion but that's it. My hide is a little too thick to be a "cuddle nurse"

Thoughts ?

Firefighter/EMT to nurse worked out pretty well for me! Having worked in the field with the public in high stress situations will serve you extremely well in nursing.

As for your concerns about encountering "man hating, butch hair, chronic victim" types, I can totally understand. Moving from a male dominated to a female dominated field I had the same concerns that I might be less accepted. The vast majority of the time I've found that you don't encounter that. When you do, handle it like you would any conflict. Female nurses who have an axe to grind with men entering the profession are just like any other bully, and they generally back off when you stand up to it.

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Good thread.

I was medically retired from the S.O. after eight years. Going to school for an ADN now. All those times I was in the ER, I was always impressed with the nurses. Never saw them too cuddly either! I think it will be a good transition. Lots of action, helping people, but not facing a man with a gun call on every shift.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

But... my first concern is dealing with the nurse "Ratchet" types, you know man hating, butch hair, chronic victim.

My second concern is that I can't be paid to "love" a patient , won't happen. I can treat people with respect and compassion but that's it. My hide is a little too thick to be a "cuddle nurse"

Your first concern. I have been working in hospitals since 1991, and never met a man hating , butch hair, chronic victim combo. Seriously. And while there are plenty of women with issues, it pretty much matches up to the number of men with issues. And here's to hoping that you don't also buy into the dozens of soft/hard Media nursey fantasies, given that you are buying into other stereotypes, hook, line and sinker. You are bound to be disappointed.

And contrary to popular belief (probably expounded in the nurse as Media princess), we do not get "paid to love" pts....that would be illegal and insurance does not reimburse for those type of "services". :lol2::lol2::lol2: We get paid to render nursing care to patients, and that rarely includes cuddling, barring nursery. Compassion, respect, honesty and open mindedness but little to no cuddling. Seriously, "love" (of any time) would interfere with the pts' proper therapy and recovery, in both the physical/psychological sense. The caregiver has to "share" the pt and the pt has to be able to interact with many caregivers to achieve a well rounded recovery. We may admire and support our pts, but given the need for professional boundaries, not "love" them.

There are several great books out there regarding nursing stereotypes perpetuated in the media that damage nursing. May I recommend, "Saving Lives"?

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I've only been moven to cuddle babies and have never met a butch haircut, victim type. That would be an interesting combination.

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Your first concern. I have been working in hospitals since 1991, and never met a man hating , butch hair, chronic victim combo. Seriously. And while there are plenty of women with issues, it pretty much matches up to the number of men with issues. And here's to hoping that you don't also buy into the dozens of soft/hard Media nursey fantasies, given that you are buying into other stereotypes, hook, line and sinker. You are bound to be disappointed.

And contrary to popular belief (probably expounded in the nurse as Media princess), we do not get "paid to love" pts....that would be illegal and insurance does not reimburse for those type of "services". :lol2::lol2::lol2: We get paid to render nursing care to patients, and that rarely includes cuddling, barring nursery. Compassion, respect, honesty and open mindedness but little to no cuddling. Seriously, "love" (of any time) would interfere with the pts' proper therapy and recovery, in both the physical/psychological sense. The caregiver has to "share" the pt and the pt has to be able to interact with many caregivers to achieve a well rounded recovery. We may admire and support our pts, but given the need for professional boundaries, not "love" them.

There are several great books out there regarding nursing stereotypes perpetuated in the media that damage nursing. May I recommend, "Saving Lives"?

My experiences and exposure to the nursing profession are based in my contact with them as a Police Officer. Typically, all of my contact was in the ER, de-tox or in 48 phyic hold/evaluations. And shocking as it may be, I had to deal with a fair amount of male hatred. Some where awesome GREAT female nurses --others no so much. "

Ultimately the hatred “trigger” for the man hatters, is having to deal with a man (white no less) in a position of perceived authority. Again another shock, why do you think some women choose the career of nursing….to work with other women ! This is no different than women trying to work as Police Officers –its still a male dominated profession.

Additionally, your repeated reference to Mediaography is really weird. (and really-really stereotypical—how do you know if I am even hetro ?) In my experience in dealing with sex offenders all are hooked on Media. (male and female)

If you have something positive to contribute, than do it, if not don’t waste everyone's time.

Cheers

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Can it work? Yes Will it work? Depends. I don't have much to go on other than what you indicated in you original post, but my gut says look elsewhere for a career. Nurses have to put up with a LOT of BS, and they are responsible (read that liable for) nearly everything, whilst having comaprively little real power (at least new nurses who follow the rules, new ones who don't follow the rules don't seem to stick around long). As a new nurse, you'll put up with a LOT, not just from man haters (and yeah, they are definitely out there) but from all sides, including your peers, who very likely will be a bunch of hyper-competitive backstabbers. Pts will punch you in the face. They will spit on you. You might even get a taste of pee if you hang around very long. They will definitely verbally abuse you. And you won't be able to do much about it, except possibly complain to a charge who could not care less. Think about that for a minute, and how different that role will be from what you did in law enforcement. I guess what you need to do is ask yourself, honestly, why do you want to be a nurse? If you don't truly care about human beings, if arguing with you boss on behalf a homeless meth addict who pees herself and smells worse than a Texas pig farm in July isn't your bag, or you aren't willing to occasionally skip your breaks and/or lunch to wipe out someone's C-diff infested butt with a stage IV pressure ulcer holding a Whopper sized stash of poo, then, sorry my friend, try being a mall security guard or see if the TSA is hiring. Again, I don't know you at all, but I can tell you that I've seen law enforcement folks go into nursing and from my own experience, it was a trainwreck. They absolutly hated it, and everyone around them felt it. Your mileage may vary. If you really, really want to be a nurse you can make it happen. You just gotta be straight with yourself about who you are and why you want to do this stuff. Unless you have a drive to humbly and non-judgmentally serve people, and advocate for them when your managers and the rest of the health care team wants you to give up on them, and unless you will do this time and time again regardless of the choices your patients have made, how much dope they did, how many people they hurt, or how they treat you, please stay out of my profession.

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