Male DON (Director of Nursing)

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I am currently 16 yr old male looking to get into the nursing field. I was considering the idea of becoming a Emergency room nurse and then down the road (5-15 years) and after obtaining my MSN, I become a DON.

I have a positive attitude of leading and commanding, BUT I feel I am a little bit too bossy and sometimes think I know everything. I think I might be able to fix with some classes, lectures, and by just reminding myself know I don't know everything.

I feel this would be a good job since I have always wanted to "run" a place, I get too change things to make my employee's and patients happy, if I get bored of "nursing" I could turn to this nursing/business aspect, plus I get a pay raise.

Questions:

Have you seen a Male DON or see any disadvantages of a male DON?

Is it hard to find a DON job opening?

Is it stressful and/or worth it?

Do I have the right attitude to be a DON? If not, what do I have to change and how?

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Questions:

1. Have you seen a Male DON or see any disadvantages of a male DON?

2. Is it hard to find a DON job opening?

3. Is it stressful and/or worth it?

4. Do I have the right attitude to be a DON? If not, what do I have to change and how?

1. yes, seen plenty considering how few males are in nursing.

2. yes, the folks that have the position, love the job title, so they don't give it up for awhile.

3. stressful = i'd think so at times, worth it = not for me, it's salary (but i'm not a DON)

4. if you're an orifice kisser then you've got what it takes, ha. a good DON know everyone's job, is well organized and is a people person.

side note, i've seen diploma nurses as DON's, it's more about orifice kissing and know how, than education.

my advice, see if you can be a nurse first my youngling, then plan for your domination of nursing, ha.

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thanks for the reply, better to be prepared to cross that bridge than not know where I wanna go at all with my career....gives me something to work towards and motivate myself

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I dont know about kissing butt, just do your job well and know all aspects of the dept you want to be director of. I do it in surgery, I am a man and if you asked any of my employees, surgeons or anesthesia team if I kissed butt they would laugh.... Do you job, learn everything you can, treat people fairly, be helpful to everyone when they ask for help, be respected(maybe feared a little), try to make the department you work in better than ever and aspire to be better yourself every day.

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maybe I am meant for this job......I just dont understand if its stressfull or not, dont you have to make sure everyone is doing their job, do everyone's payroll, purchase items you need, keep employees and patients happy, hospital conditions perfect, etc???? doesnt it get stressful?

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Specializes in Women's health & post-partum.

Hi, Pilot--the current dean of the school of nursing that I attended (many years ago) is a male RN. There don't seem to be too many obstacles to anyone who is willing to work hard.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

It just becomes a partof you and gets to be like breathing after a while, you just do it. That is how I feel about it.

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