Is it worth becoming a Registered Nurse?

Nurses Career Support

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Im a man and im planning to become a Registered Nurse in 5-7 years? Hows the salary? work enviroment? Is it worth getting a ADN vs a bsn? thanks.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

If, as your screen name implies, you are gung-ho to become a physician, then why aren't you just going pre-med? Your questions don't reflect very much familiarity with Nursing, so I want to make sure you realize that nursing is not a step on the way to MD; it's a whole different discipline. If you are serious about a career in nursing, I would advise you to change your screen name.

I also find it curious that you'd feel the need to identify your gender. Do you think that this will have an effect on how us AN-ers will reply to you?

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If, as your screen name implies, you are gung-ho to become a physician, then why aren't you just going pre-med? Your questions don't reflect very much familiarity with Nursing, so I want to make sure you realize that nursing is not a step on the way to MD; it's a whole different discipline. If you are serious about a career in nursing, I would advise you to change your screen name.

I also find it curious that you'd feel the need to identify your gender. Do you think that this will have an effect on how us AN-ers will reply to you?

My thoughts, also ... If your interest is medicine, what do you hope to accomplish or gain by pursuing a nursing degree and licensure?

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ignore my username i took what was available. I wrote gender because i feel ( not to be sexist) that nursing is a somewhat female career.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

There are numerous threads discussing AND vs Diploma vs BSN. While a RN, BSN or not, is always a valuable skill to have, I think in this economy newer nurses may need to "wait it out" with what jobs they can find, until the positions that you may see as more ideal becomes available.

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Specializes in NICU/Subacute/MDS.

The answer to your question depends upon your reasons for considering a nursing career. If you are looking for an easy job, a guaranteed job, a job full of accolades and low on stress where you can spend your days educating others on how to best take care of their health, then the answer is 'no'.

If, however, you wish a challenging career with good pay, a career dedicated to others, working in an environment that changes with the blink of an eye, then the answer is 'yes'.

BTW, nursing is not a 'female' job any longer. You will not spend your days comforting old ladies, wiping tears and bringing snacks to people as a 'nurse' (i swear, that is what I have seen in the shows from the '70s). You will spend your days running your butt off searching for equipment, trying to keep your pt's from falling on the floor and calling their friends to bring them junk food, endlessly calling physicians to clarify orders that are unread-able or make no sense, giving medications after you have called pharmacy for the third time, and then sitting down to chart until your fingers bleed while being interrupted 17 times in 5 minutes. Nope, nothing feminine about nursing. You better have a good heart, strong back and tough skin!

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

"How's the salary?" Well, to begin with, most nurses aren't salaried - most are non-exempt "hourly" employees (thankfully!!). The compensation is highly variable by state, region, and even institution. It varies from OK to pretty darn good.

Likewise with work environment. It's highly variable by type of unit, individual personalities and manager, hospital culture, etc. Some units are very professional, tight-knit teams who back each other up. Other units can be catty, petty, and even downright toxic.

The ADN vs. BSN thing has no clear answer. Some employers prefer the latter and some prefer the former. I'd probably advocate for the former simply because it's usually much cheaper (I actually earned an MSN).

"FutureMD" - I read your reply but still choose to emphasize: If your real goal is to become a physician, there are much better routes. For example, engineering grads and music grads have high rates of acceptance in med school presuming that they do well in their prereqs.

You may find your experience here at AN to be less complicated if you come up with any of a million other modifiers to the "Alex" in your handle - I checked... there are plenty available, including "AlexFutureNurse".

Being a dude is immaterial, IMO (and I happen to be one).

Is it worth it? Sure, I think so. I have no particular passion for the work but as jobs go, I can think of many worse and the compensation is reasonable.

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