Males considering nursing?

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Sep 24, 2015

Although 50 is not "too old", if you found it all exhausting back then, it might be even more difficult now ...especially as a new grad without the experience that allows you to choose from more "plum" positions. You'd definitely need to get over cleaning people, but I'm not a very emotional person and that's never been a problem for me.

The stigma you speak of seems to be a non-issue these days for most people. Male nurses are pretty common.

Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN · Sep 25, 2015

Perhaps you could visit the male nursing subforum? These waters have been sailed before.

Please also consider reading/asking questions about modern nursing before posting further. I'm thinking the supposition regarding being both an intellectual and a nurse as mutually exclusive is going to ruffle a few feathers.

loriangel14, RN · Sep 25, 2015

If you don't want to pass meds and take care of people why do you want to become a nurse? Also be aware that in many areas the job market for nurses is not good, especially for new grads.

FlyingScot, RN · Sep 25, 2015

There are so many offensive statements made by the OP that I am actually struggling to refrain from going off on him.

Nurse Leigh · Sep 25, 2015

If you don't want to pass meds and take care of people why do you want to become a nurse? Also be aware that in many areas the job market for nurses is not good, especially for new grads.

I'm almost hoping this is another poster who found his way here from that student doc website and thought he'd get his jollies trying to rile us up. :rolleyes:

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Sep 25, 2015

Hi,
However, I have such a stigma against being a male nurse. I don't feel comfortable wiping a butt, toiletry work, and being super compassionate and super caring anymore. It is exhausting.
I was good at it but hated doing it----I felt like this is all there is?? I am an intellectual and get bored passing out meds and taking care of people.
Healthcare is the only field where I can make good pay and retire comfortably.
I have investigated nursing so many times since my options are all dried up.

Please don't go into nursing if you only think that we are mindless robots who only wipe butts and pass meds. We are using our brain to assess changes in our patients' condition. Our patients depend on us to catch changes in their condition well before it becomes life threatening. Your experience is entirely from a CNA perspective at a LTC facility and not a hospital (especially critical care units). I left a mindless ancillary healthcare job to go into nursing for the fact that I wanted to use my intelligence.

roser13, ASN, RN · Sep 25, 2015

Hi,
I used to be C.N.A. when I was in college because of the pay and flexibility. I used the medical field as a way to get through college to become a teacher. (Everyone kept telling me to be a nurse and not a teacher.) However at the time teaching was my passion. I was a teacher for 8 years but due to layoffs, bratty kids, the low pay, and lay offs I was done. I am now 50 and underemployed.
I had considered nursing again since heath, physical education and fitness are my highest values. Plus, the job market looks great in nursing.
However, I have such a stigma against being a male nurse. I don't feel comfortable wiping a butt, toiletry work, and being super compassionate and super caring anymore. It is exhausting.
I was good at it but hated doing it----I felt like this is all there is?? I am an intellectual and get i passing out meds and taking care of people.
Healthcare is the only field where I can make good pay and retire comfortably.
I have investigated nursing so many times since my options are all dried up.
Do men go into nursing because of pay? I knew a truck driver who got into nursing and didn't care for it either but liked the pay and flexibility so he stuck with it.
Any thoughts on this?

I most definitely have thoughts:

Move on.

Find another profession.

Arrogance does not lend itself to nursing.

Please do not characterize yourself as a representative of male nurses. The male nurses that I have worked with would never "own" you or your opinions.

Your post is so offensive in so many ways that I truly hope you find another forum to haunt. I, ideally, would hope to not see any future posts from you.

eroc · Sep 25, 2015

Hi,
I used to be C.N.A. when I was in college because of the pay and flexibility. I used the medical field as a way to get through college to become a teacher. (Everyone kept telling me to be a nurse and not a teacher.) However at the time teaching was my passion. I was a teacher for 8 years but due to layoffs, bratty kids, the low pay, and lay offs I was done. I am now 50 and underemployed.
I had considered nursing again since heath, physical education and fitness are my highest values. Plus, the job market looks great in nursing.
However, I have such a stigma against being a male nurse. I don't feel comfortable wiping a butt, toiletry work, and being super compassionate and super caring anymore. It is exhausting.
I was good at it but hated doing it----I felt like this is all there is?? I am an intellectual and get bored passing out meds and taking care of people.
Healthcare is the only field where I can make good pay and retire comfortably.
I have investigated nursing so many times since my options are all dried up.
Do men go into nursing because of pay? I knew a truck driver who got into nursing and didn't care for it either but liked the pay and flexibility so he stuck with it.
Any thoughts on this?

Sorry, your not an intellectual. Good luck trying to achieve a more difficult degree than the one you have achieved.

RescueNinjaKy · Sep 25, 2015

My advice is to not do nursing. First of all, the job market does not look good for nursing right now, especially if you're a new grad. Do some research on it.

Second of all, if you don't like toileting a patient and being caring, and passing meds, then don't be a nurse. Your patient is going to need to use the bathroom, and there will be times when an aide is not available (you should help them anyways if you have time) so that's going to be a problem for you. Being a nurse is all about patient care, if you really don't want to be caring then why go into a profession that is all about care. Passing medication is a huge part of what we do as nurses. Is it a mindless process? Is it a nonintellectual task? No. You better know the indications, dosage, side effects and interactions of those meds before you pass it. Once again, research first before making blank statements.

Third of all, what stigma are you taking about. What century are you from? I'm a nurse who happens to be a guy. That's all there is to it. I'm not a male nurse or a guy nurse, I'm just a nurse. A nurse who happens to be a guy.

And finally, for someone who detests so much about this profession, the profession will detest you back so please don't enter this profession. You're not doing anyone any favors, you're just gonna end up hating it and getting burnt out. The patients deserve better.

VANurse2010 · Sep 25, 2015

I'm sure you're about to get a thrashing, OP, but ... I would agree that a lot of nursing tasks like ADLs and med passes *are* boring. A day in the ICU with two rock stable patients can be very boring. However, there are opportunities for continuing education, different settings, etc. It's not all slinging pills on med-surg or pushing a cart in LTC.

That said - do I really enjoy being a nurse? If I'm being honest - no, not really. However, we all have to (myself included) make a living and pay our bills and nursing does provide much more flexibility and higher pay than may careers with similar (or greater) educational requirements.

AbstracRN, BSN, CNA, RN · Sep 25, 2015

Oh,my!!!! :smug: