Hello all! I'm a 20 year old male who is contemplating a nursing career. I previously did two years at my local community college and got an associates degree in mathematics and science. My previous career goal was to become a PA, but I'm having second thoughts. There are two reasons why nursing has started to appeal to me more so than a PA...
1- I think I like the idea of direct patient care rather than a diagnosis/prescription-writing position. It GENUINELY makes me happy to make other people feel comfortable and at ease with their situation.
2- There is such a wide range of directions I could go. I could be an RN in any particular field or I could go on for a graduate degree of some sort. I've been looking into Psychiatric NP and that job seems very, very appealing to me at first glance.
3- Okay...I lied. Three reasons. My dad teaches at our local community college and it would be tuition free for me to get an ASN. This community college nursing program is notoriously difficult...but in a good way. It has a +50% drop-out rate but about a 95% first-time NCLEX passage rate. My next step would ideally get my tuition paid for to further my studies by an employer.
NOW. Here are my concerns:
1- I am a very, very empathetic person. Now don't get me wrong-- I know this is important for nursing. But I'm hoping it won't be my downfall as I physically feel different when I see people in pain. I get a weird feeling...almost painful...when other people are in excessive pain. I think this is either a good or bad thing...I'm not sure which.
2- I don't know if I can mentally do all the tasks a nurse is required to do. I get a bit squeamish at the notion of sticking a cath in someone's member or suctioning out a phlegmy trach. I've heard this is not dissimilar to many nurses' feeling early-on and you eventually get used to it.
So...all that being said...do you think nursing is for me? I do think I'm an intelligent person, but I need to be absolutely certain that I'm working towards something I'll enjoy as a career in order to be successful. Thank you so, so much for your anticipated replies. Best wishes...
Sarcasm buddy; especially when you see the same 200 women over and over in your classes for 4 years.
Ok, well I guess you do have a point: think what it's like for THEM having to see the same 10 guys over and over for 4 years, especially the ones who think they are special for some reason.
I don't think it is unusual to have doubts about whether nursing is a good fit for you prior to making the decision to enroll in a program. It is a big decision and it is very smart of you to think about these things sooner rather than later.
I had similar reservations and had a lot of pressure from my father to graduate on time and be employed upon graduation so I did not want to make the wrong move.
What I did (and it helped me a lot) was to get a job as a CNA the summer between my sophomore and junior year. The job provided a two week certification class (one week of classroom instruction and one week of clinical instruction). It was at a nursing home so the job was very hands on and I was exposed to almost all of the stuff I wondered whether or not I could handle.
It was a small nursing home that was privately owned so there was usually only one nurse on the 11-7 shift. I let her know that I was starting nursing school and that the job was a bit of a dry run to see if I had the basics of what it would take to be a nurse and whether or not I could handle it. She made a point to take me under her wing and expose me to the most cringe worthy stuff possible. In addition, there were a lot of sad situations and situations of seeing people in pain that happened daily. She didn't have to go out of her way to show me those.
By the end of the summer I knew my chances of handling nursing school and a career in nursing were better than average. My mother was a nurse as well so that helped a lot. I saw her work like a dog day in and day out so I did not glamorize the profession.
You seem to be an intelligent, self aware person. I think you will make a good decision but you need to get yourself in a position where you have close up and personal exposure to what nurses do everyday so you can see if you can thrive (or at a minimum survive) in that setting. And, for now, I'm talking about bedside nurses. They are the nurses that are exposed to the most nitty gritty (gross, emotional, etc.). Perhaps your dad knows some of the nursing faculty members and they could hook you up with some leads on where to look for a job. Or they may know of opportunities to shadow an RN. Even if your dad doesn't know the faculty, you could still go in and ask to talk to one of the advisors. Let him/her know of your interest in nursing and ask him/her if they know of any nurse shadowing programs. If that doesn't work, you could look up your local ANA (American Nurses Association) chapter and give them a call.
With the right exposure you will be able to make a solid, informed decision about whether nursing is right for you. All that said, there is always a chance you might find it's not for you once you have started a program or even after you become a nurse. And that's o.k. You can only do so much and then the rest is up to the universe.
Sorry this has been so long winded. I hope I've helped. Good luck with your decision : - ).
I think you would benefit from reading some nursing memoirs. Some are funny, some are sad, but I think they help you with some of the emotional/personal questions that you are dealing with right now. Here's some that I recommend:
I Wasn't Strong Like This When I Started Out - Lee Gutkind (a collection of essays, some written by male nurses, I highly recommend this for you!)
A Nurse's Story - Tilda Shalof
The Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama, and Miracles With the Heroes of the Hospital - Alexandra Robbins (not a nurse, but a bestselling author and award-winning journalist, plus it's a fun, juicy read!)
Becoming Nursey - Kati Kleber (not exactly Pulitzer Prize-winning material, but great for the nursing student/new nurse, based on the author's blog)
OP, you'd be better off asking a career counselor about this stuff than a bunch of whackadoodle nurses.
**gives the beady eye to the whackadoodles and then realizes she is looking in the mirror**
Honestly, it's impossible to understand what being a nurse entails until you actually DO it.
The best way to get your feet wet without actually starting your career as a nurse is to find some shadowing opportunities.
Each specialty is completely different, also. You may want to try shadowing in several different settings and in a couple different roles in each setting.
I think you would benefit from reading some nursing memoirs. Some are funny, some are sad, but I think they help you with some of the emotional/personal questions that you are dealing with right now. Here's some that I recommend:
I Wasn't Strong Like This When I Started Out - Lee Gutkind (a collection of essays, some written by male nurses, I highly recommend this for you!)
A Nurse's Story - Tilda Shalof
The Nurses: A Year of Secrets, Drama, and Miracles With the Heroes of the Hospital - Alexandra Robbins (not a nurse, but a bestselling author and award-winning journalist, plus it's a fun, juicy read!)
Becoming Nursey - Kati Kleber (not exactly Pulitzer Prize-winning material, but great for the nursing student/new nurse, based on the author's blog)
Hope this helps!
Violet
Excellent suggestion! I'll add two books to the list that I liked.
Critical Care - Theresa Brown
I read this just before starting nursing school, and several times during the course of school (and it was nice to see how much more of it I really understood each time I read it). She has a new book out that I haven't read yet, that my friend is one of the patients in, so I'm looking forward to reading it.
How to Survive and Maybe Even Love Nursing School - Kelli Dunham
This is a nice, friendly guide for students and those considering nursing school. Some of it is a little outdated, but most of it rings true, and I referred to it many times over the last few years. I got her follow-up book about the first year as a nurse shortly after I graduated.
Short answer...only YOU can decide if it is for you. Unfortunately, there are some negatives with nursing that you will experience in school and on the job. It is a profession like no other. And I don't mean that in a positive way.
Now the good news....there are some wonderful things about nursing such as being there for someone in their time of need and a lot of flexibility in job choices.
Specializes in Med-Surg; Infectious Diseases; Research.
The only one that can really answer that question is you. Nursing provides so many options beyond the bedside. If you have time before you apply, speak with nurses who work in different environments, then re-evaluate if nursing is for you.
Hint: Don't even try to capitalize on the "male" aspect. Plan on being a nursing student, not a ******male****** nursing student, worthy of applause for going against type. Nursing already has enough males claiming special status.
Agree, but for some reason the term 'Male Nurse' just doesn't want to die. And AllNurses isn't helping by having at least 2 forums dedicated to males in nursing (general nursing and students)
I suppose I phrased that poorly. What I mean to say is I like to be successful in what I do...and for me to feel successful and work hard for something I like to know that I'm working towards something that makes sense. Thanks for being so tactful in your response lol
Schrutefarms, I'm going to give it to you straight. You hit a nerve with your question. Before you think any answer is someone being grumpy or bullying, think about this very carefully. Even with your situation laid out, how would anyone know what is right for you? I mean it. Really, really ponder that. (Look up the thread, "How should *I* know."
When I told my dad 8 years ago that I was going to nursing school, he literally rolled his eyes. He not only thought that I would not complete the program, but that I didn't even really want to be a nurse and just had no idea what I wanted to do. This is the man who raised me. He thought he knew what was right for me. My own husband was not for me going to nursing school. My own husband. The 2 people who knew me best on this entire planet did not know the answer to the question you are posing to complete strangers.
I am now a Registered Nurse, and even with all the flaws that drive me nuts in this field, I cannot imagine having listened to anybody but myself. Even if I change careers, I'm still SO glad I became a nurse.
I'll add one more thing. I would talk to recent grads (within the last year to 2 years) and see what it is like for them. I say this because you stated that you like the pro of choosing from multiple areas of nursing.
I have found that a HUGE factor in getting a job in a particular area of nursing right off the bat after graduating, is location, location, location.
I thought I did all my research about the career opportunities of an RN. I explored all the local hospitals, dozens and dozens, and found what I THOUGHT was an abundance of jobs in many different areas of nursing.
Throughout nursing school, the big question every student had for teachers was, "I'm told I should do a year of med-surg before specializing. Is this true?" Asked with a groan, because almost everyone had their heart set on the ED, Pediatrics, ICU, OR....
Well. Then we graduated. 3 years later, only some of us are getting a med-surg job in a hospital because of over saturation of new grads. It took me 6 months to get into a somewhat decent skilled/rehab facility let alone the time I have to put in here to get the experience to get a med-surg job, then move forward if I wish to specialize further. It is a loooong process where Iive. It takes patience. If you cannot see yourself working a couple years in anything other than where you set your heart, like a nursing home, then, I would say you better actively gauge the market for new grads in your area.
I'm content with where I am for now. I'll put my couple years in to get valuable experience in rehab, and reassess later. But I have many classmate friends who, after 3 years, are completely disheartened because they have to put in the time to get to where they want.
Honestly, loving people and wanting to help make their lives better is not enough. One thing they don't teach you in nursing school is that the job is mostly paperwork, or computer work depending on where you end up. Sometimes I feel like a glorified secretary. It is rare that you actually get to spend quality one on one time with your patient. And you definitely have to be thick skinned. Patients, their families and all of your doctors and administrators will eventually get to you. You have to be able to take a beating and still smile and get your job done. And I would highly recommend that if you are considering "going for it" that you get your BSN. Hospitals and the like are moving away from ADN's and I haven't seen any that will hire an LVN. At least where I live everyone wants BSN's.
I would suggest researching the job market in your area to determine if nursing is worth pursuing. What is the starting salary, and will you require loans for school? How much debt can you comfortably afford? These are important questions that should factor in your decision.
Furthermore, would you be willing to relocate? Most job markets are highly competitive and it's not uncommon to look for work for 6 months following graduation.
What areas of nursing interest you? Are facilities hiring ADN grads where you live? Are you planning to get your BSN?
Horseshoe, BSN, RN
5,879 Posts
Ok, well I guess you do have a point: think what it's like for THEM having to see the same 10 guys over and over for 4 years, especially the ones who think they are special for some reason.