what are the guys' reasons to become a nurse?

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In the current institution that i am in, i've seen very few male nursing students. Some say they're just forced to by their mums; others go for the big salary...

the growing population of nurses today include mostly the females, as i see it.

There is a male in my nursing class that fits what you say, and he's become a good friend. I just think it's very cool that you recognize all those characteristics that make you who you are and that you go with it. You're awesome pelsmith...you will make a great nurse!

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Specializes in psych..

I think the reason is the same as the gals...job security, supposedly no prospect of job shortages, in most parts of the US. I doubt few people go into nursing as missionaries to give their life to Hmos or hospitals. I think, other people that are in people oriented occupations care just as much about people, and in some cases more than nurses. I have worked with some nurses that didnt seem that interested in people., but I think the money was good for them. I only had older sisters, 3 went on to be nurses, I followed. I also was a medical corpman, that helped me decide to go into nursing also. As I said on other post, I still think the NURSE title should be changed to something like Hospital tech l or Hospital tech ll/Icu specialty. Ohh I do want to make clear, I do love working with people, but job security was my main reason for taking up nursing.

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Specializes in ICU/Ortho/Med surg.

I went into nursing after having a horrible experience at a local hospital.

At age 18 I was diagnosed with cancer and wound up on a medical ICU unit with a nurse who allowed me to lay in writhing pain after a radical lymphnode dissection with an incision from stem to stern and no pain meds because she was diverting it all.

She was the most sadistic and pathetic person I have ever encountered. She was also a prominent clinical instructor who just happened to wind up with me as her patient on all her shifts as well as most of the other fresh post ops.

I remember asking God at some point if he would allow me to get through this I would go to nursing school and do my dead level best to never allow a patient to suffer under my care the way this person had done.

Ironically, just a few short years later I encountered this same instructor in clinicals at my local community college where I listened to her lecture on the joys of medical surgical nursing and her intolerance for "lack of compassion"

She attempted numerous times to have me thrown out of clinical for violations of dress code because at the time I had long hair and was forced to wear it up in a bun while a double standard was applied to the female nursing students in her same clinical rotations. She had made comments about the inappropriateness of a male having long hair and attempted to advocate for special rules that of course were to be perceived as stemming from my obvious rebellion and "Not fitting in"

Despite her efforts I did graduate and shortly after, donated my hair to Locks of Love and as it turned out her own niece was a recipient of one of two wigs produced by my donation. Her niece passed away however from stg IV ovarian cancer.

I cared for her in her last 2 weeks of life.

You can't make this stuff up.

I asked God to heal me and he gave me not only an opportunity to heal but

an opportunity to accept that I couldn't change or control other people. Through this terrifying experience I could truly empathise with my patients and nurture compassion and empathy when I recognize it.

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I went into nursing after having a horrible experience at a local hospital.

At age 18 I was diagnosed with cancer and wound up on a medical ICU unit with a nurse who allowed me to lay in writhing pain after a radical lymphnode dissection with an incision from stem to stern and no pain meds because she was diverting it all.

She was the most sadistic and pathetic person I have ever encountered. She was also a prominent clinical instructor who just happened to wind up with me as her patient on all her shifts as well as most of the other fresh post ops.

I remember asking God at some point if he would allow me to get through this I would go to nursing school and do my dead level best to never allow a patient to suffer under my care the way this person had done.

Ironically, just a few short years later I encountered this same instructor in clinicals at my local community college where I listened to her lecture on the joys of medical surgical nursing and her intolerance for "lack of compassion"

She attempted numerous times to have me thrown out of clinical for violations of dress code because at the time I had long hair and was forced to wear it up in a bun while a double standard was applied to the female nursing students in her same clinical rotations. She had made comments about the inappropriateness of a male having long hair and attempted to advocate for special rules that of course were to be perceived as stemming from my obvious rebellion and "Not fitting in"

Despite her efforts I did graduate and shortly after, donated my hair to Locks of Love and as it turned out her own niece was a recipient of one of two wigs produced by my donation. Her niece passed away however from stg IV ovarian cancer.

I cared for her in her last 2 weeks of life.

You can't make this stuff up.

I asked God to heal me and he gave me not only an opportunity to heal but

an opportunity to accept that I couldn't change or control other people. Through this terrifying experience I could truly empathise with my patients and nurture compassion and empathy when I recognize it.

Incredible story.

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I have to admit I really never grew up wanting to become a nurse....this may sound funny but it seems that in my life I was guided to be a nurse. Yeah believe it or not this I find to be very true. The more and more I searched for a quick way to basically getting my life on the go the more and more it was detoured to nursing.

I first started by joining the military, it was a great experience but not a life career for me. The I tried my luck with the police force.....that ended in me waiting and waiting for them to respond. Finally I decided go to school. At first I start off with some general criminal justice courses then I started to realize that what I wanted to do was not really catch the bad guys as they say but help people in general...

That's when I noticed my familys background...my father being a RN, my mother being a nurse assistant, my aunt a RN, my sister an nurses aid etc...I noticed that this feeling in me was not something strange but something in which was in my genes.

I was meant to help others and what better way than being a NURSE. Its so versatile and so complete. A science in which we can apply in our daily life and help touch other lives in the process. :cool:

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I have been involved in hospice care and terminally ill folks for a number of years as a volunteer. I never really thought about it as a career until last year when it dawned on me that I should be on the other side of the bed so to speak. It seems like a good career move to me at this time and one that you can conceivably work in as long as you are able and willing to.

Finished up the prereq courses this past August and took all those nasty entrance tests and now I am starting my BSN program in Jan 09.

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OK..I'll put my ten cents in. I, for the most part, enjoy healthcare..I've been an OR tech for the past seven years, now I'm making the transition to RN. Second, I find anything new to be a challenge, and I'm still young enough to enjoy a new on the job challenge. Third, without question would be job security/decent income.

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For the love of helping others. It's a pretty cool feeling. Oh, and global travel opportunities. What better way to see the world than by lending a helping hand all over the globe.

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I'd also like to get post # 69 I love acting adult

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Wow great stories guys!

I'm 18 years old.. from the time I was very young, I have always wanted to become a doctor. Always have been a passionate kid. I lived in the Philippines for 15 years, and in those years we would have monthly/weekly collections for the poor and I always try my best to donate a portion of money that sometimes I didn't have.

I lived in what we call the squatter area, an area for poor people who do not have proper hygiene, proper food, who insist on taking cheap drugs instead of food, 6 or 7 year olds who beg for money. We owned the biggest house on the street, I would invite these poor souls for simple things like a game of basketball, television, videogames, these are things very few people have, and gave them food when we did have spare. My dad impressed me because every time there is a celebration (any birthday in the family.. Christmas.. New Year.. Fiestas) he'd invite everyone to come, stop, and eat. I go to a private school that time, but even though I was somewhat rich, upperclass, it did not get in the way of me hanging out with the dirtiest people you have never seen. I play their games, we'd sing carols from house-to-house begging for money.. I loved it.

Fast forward 2 years, I already finished pre-reqs. It was on a small college here in Georgia, I didn't really have any options BUT nursing school.

I really wanted to become a medical doctor, to go back and help my country the best as I can without burdening the citizens with high hospital bills. So I thought to myself, try nursing school. I made it my first step to becoming someone a doctor.

Now I love being in nursing school. Even though Im still very young, and I lack clinical experience, I am confident I will be ready once I will be out there in the field, to be a patient advocate. It really amazes me how many options you can go after you get your degree. We did not have this back in my country. In fact, one of the things that kept me away from nursing school, is the fact that its a woman's job and only gay men enter there. I learned it is a noble profession. Honest, I thought I would breeze through nursing school but this is THE HARDEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE IN MY LIFE.

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ill make better $ and be able to travel in a agency. not as hard on me. and i can buy a few more racing parts

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My EMS career had topped out with working F/T at 2 different corps' and doing fill in at another just to bring home livable $. There was no way I could stay sane in an office or manufacturing setting(i would be unable to overcome the adrenalin withdrawal), so the logical path was to continue my healthcare education, albeit 20 years too late.

Even though EMS was very fulfilling, I had always felt the need to have a more in depth role in pt (i mean CLIENT) care. I can now appreciate the uses and reasons for an extensive meds list, but I WILL MISS the icy slush that would fill my boots while caring for a PT on the other side of the guardrail along the interstate. Guess I'm finally growing up. PB:paw:

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