Man with Law Degree Considering Nursing

subee, MSN, CRNA · May 1, 2012

One of my CRNA classmates went straight to law school and then onto law firm doing medical defense work.

momology · May 2, 2012

You already have one expensive jobless degree with way too many people in the field. But at least with law they aren't adding insult to injury by flooding even more people in with visas. Think very carefully about spending more time and money.

mrh22 · May 2, 2012

Men are welcome in nursing for several reasons:

1. Physical strength

2. Men have a damping effect on the drama and cliqueness created in units with too many women.

3. Some female RNs have been physically assaulted by pts or family members. Knowing that there is a guy on the unit who has your back is a big comfort.

Come to work and be humble and have a sense of humor, but leave your libido and ego at the door.

johndillingham · May 2, 2012

This RN is INTP. started as RN two years ago. I"m 57.

katnurseswims · May 2, 2012

I don't see much about your post besides the "business" of nursing as a career to make some money. Honestly, be prepared for a lot more than that. I see people disregard the "taking care of people at their most vulnerable" aspect everyday and they don't last long in this career.

Mozombies · May 2, 2012

I am a female new graduate nurse, but the majority of my class had other degrees. Some even held masters degrees. I dont think that switching careers was ever held against them. I know the big hospitals around here (im in Pittsburgh) try to work with some nurses and find areas where they can combine their previous work with nursing. A friend of mine w a degree in business was just asked by another nurse to help her put something together for her business (she travels and lectures to nurses around the country). just an example.

Again, I am in Pittsburgh and there seems to be no shortage of nursing jobs here. I just got hired on before I even officially graduated on a neuro unit. Im sure if I would have worked on my resume a little more i could have gotten some more offers, but i think thats where i am "supposed to be" right now. Im not sure where you are located so i dont know about your cities demand for nurses. Having family already working in hospitals doesnt hurt much either when it comes time to apply.

And lastly, i think men make some of the best nurses. they have a matter-of-fact way about them. able to be stern yet caring. and not as catty as some of the female nurses tend to be (not ALL but it only takes one on the unit like that to ruffle everyones feathers lol). hope that was some help.

nurseclm · May 2, 2012

Go for it! I went the nursing route first, went back to school to become a lawyer and now own my own seminar business. Loved nursing but I wanted more.

My recommendation for you is to become a Physician's assistant. It is a two year program and you will be an independent practitioner. I would not go to nursing school at this point. Jobs are very hard to find, work long hours, get treated like crap and I just don't see it right now for someone with your background.

Please know that my husband is 6'2 and 240 pounds and is an RN. He also has a masters degree in computer science. Size was never a problem for him and his patients loved him. His kindness was one of the first thing that drew me to him. We have been married 28 years and he is so kind. My friends love him too.

My son is an RN and he is 6'8 and is around 350. You will love this-he works in a Pediatric Emergency room! People love him, parents love him, and the little ones love him.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

chicago878 · May 2, 2012

Greetings. I don't post to this site all too often but feel strongly about adding insight into this conversation...

First, we have a bit in common. I am a second career nurse, man, and also a "big guy." There is a LOT of opinion (albeit mostly from women) from this site on what it's like to be a "male nurse." Take any and all of it as you will. In my experience all of it is as you want to make it. Yes, you will be a minority and in some areas (peds, L&D, outpatient) a very stark minority. The bigger issue or challenge from my perspective is dealing with the vast generation gap and transition period in professional nursing. There are a lot of older women who still dominate the field and either simply can't or won't retire. There is a vast difference between how your peers and your seasoned colleagues interact and respond to your presence on the team. It's a fascinating time and I welcome the opportunity to be a change agent for the new generation of professional nurses.

Second (and this is a far more important point) you have a LOT more to worry about than if you will be able find scrubs in your size. I agree with a few of the other posters and would seriously caution you against taking on more school and racking up yet even more student loan debt at this stage in your life. I mean in reality it wouldn't even be a second career as you haven't even practiced as an attorney - there is little benefit to your future in nursing to just having the degree as opposed to clocking at least 12 months in the field. The market stinks, sure, but "drinking the Kool-Aid" (watch your spelling) isn't a fair remark. Your colleagues working 60-100 hours a week are wisely participating in the law firm rat race because that's what they need to do to pay off their loan debt. You really should have done your research before committing to the legal profession. Being an associate sucks royally and is not in the least bit rewarding. That's why people leave (after paying off their debt) to pursue the rewarding aspects you mention which drew you initially to the field. Forget about worrying who's going to be home with the kids while you're working late every night as a first year associate, how on earth are you going to handle your family's own financial security if you will have loan payments for the next 20 years paying off TWO advance degrees while working as a nurse. My advice: bite the bullet and take ANY new grad law job you can get, put in the time you need to (1) pay off your law school debt and (2) build a nest egg for your next step, which might very well be nursing.

If you do wind up getting this settled and embarking on the path to becoming a professional nurse, I strongly encourage you to look at a Masters (MSN) entry or at least accelerated Bachelors (BSN). The associate degree programs are a relic, waste of time and represent an albatross on the profession we really need to leave behind. There is no shortage in nursing, that's indeed a myth; there's a shortage of qualified applicants with advanced degrees. In reality, a lot of the new grads with difficulty landing that first job were either misled by the community colleges about the value of an associate's program and/or are dealing with poor academic/clinical performance and lack-luster networking skills.

Sorry to be so harsh but I have a few friends who did just what you are suggesting (jumped straight from one expensive degree right into nursing school) and will probably never be able to pay off their loans, a debt which unlike credit cards and mortgages will follow you and your family FOREVER. Even though the cost of nursing school is likely far less than what you invested in law school (maybe) you have to consider the lost salary time you are walking away from by not using your JD, even if just for a brief period. Worrying about your career not being rewarding or if your scrubs are going to fit is nothing along the lines of how you are going to provide and ensure your family's own security.

CountyRat · May 2, 2012

for men with professional degrees other than nursing who have entered the nursing field, are/were you questioned about why you did not pursue/continue your other career path? if so, how did you deal with those questions, and what was the general response? and, have you been able to incorporate your previous education into your new professional life?

answer: i earned a degree in history before going to nursing school (don't ask) and nobody ever asked me about it. however, having a good liberal arts education did, i think, teach me to think more clearly and analyze problems with greater skill. in my experience, there is no such thing as wasted knowledge; the more you learn, the better you should be able to think.

for family men, how did you handle going to nursing school, being a father and a husband, and coordinating all of your various responsibilities?

answer: nursing school is demanding. it will be a rough go, but nothing that you can't learn to manage, as long as your wife is supportive.

for other "big guys" out there (i'm 6'11" and 320 lbs), have you ever encountered patients or fellow medical professionals who have been intimidated by you and have treated you differently because of your size? and is your size generally a boon or detriment to you professionally?

answer: nah - not a problem.

and, finally, probably the most practical question here, do they make really big scrubs???

as a lawyer might say, "asked and answered!" at least, that is what they say on tv.

the advice that i give to everyone who is considering nursing is to volunteer at a hospital or get a job as a nurses aid and find out what nursing really is. most people have no idea. then, in time, the answer will come to you.

best wishes.

JSBes · May 2, 2012

I don't see much about your post besides the "business" of nursing as a career to make some money. Honestly, be prepared for a lot more than that. I see people disregard the "taking care of people at their most vulnerable" aspect everyday and they don't last long in this career.

First, thank you for taking the time to comment.

Second, I am sorry my questions came across that way. It surely wasn't my intent.

Finally, as far as taking care of people at their most vulnerable, I understand that is what the job requires, it is one of the motivating factors drawing me to the field, and it seems that only one without an understanding of what a nurse actually does on a daily basis would fail to recognize this. As stated before, I have discussed the possibility of entering the field with my wife quite extensively. Additionally, I stated in my initial post: "do I really want to be a nurse, i.e., do I really know what it entails? Yes." I guess I should have more explicitly stated that I understand nursing is a vocation as much as it is a career choice.

billyboblewis · May 2, 2012

I became a nurse because I was a corpsman in the Navy and it was natural progression. I had a basic background and was able to do a reasonably good job. I was able to get my LPN by taking the exam only which was offered to veterans when I got out. The first job I got as an lpn offered a competitive scholarship program which I applied for and even though at first I was tenth from the top, I got the scholarship which also paid full salary and with my veterans benefits I had no trouble supporting my family through nursing school. If you do indeed want to become a nurse what other people think about your choice is their business and should not have anything to do with the choice you make. I think you should really think hard before you go into nursing because I do not believe you really know what you want to do in life or are not really ready to commit. That is evident from your own post.

So, you wanna be a nurse? Yes. But, I have a few concerns. Here is a quick synopsis of my background:
Union Ironworker, got injured on the job, started college while recovering from a couple knee surgeries
Recovered nicely from surgery :)
Began educational career as physics major
Switched to Political Science, earned BA
Went to law school, because it seemed like there was the possibility of making money while helping people (wanted to be civil rights attorney)....unfortunately I simply drank the law school recruiting cool aid and didn't do enough research beforehand
Graduate law school May 2011
Legal field tanked with economy, law school soured me on the practice of law, there are no remotely remunerative jobs available for would be civil rights attorneys, and working 80-100 hours per week is unsustainable if I actually want to be a present father and husband
Wife & I decided I'd stay home with our daughter (7 mos) because she has a great career already as a......NURSE
Re-evaluate career choices, my wife and some other friends (nurses) suggest nursing school
For the past few months, in an attempt to get a feel for what it's like being a man in the nursing profession, I've been trolling around the internet, asking questions of my sister (a nurse for 20 years), my wife, and my friends. The questions I've answered positively for myself are the following: do I really want to be a nurse, i.e., do I really know what it entails? Yes. Do I understand that I may have to work somewhere I don't want to work initially just to get my foot in the door (i.e, I'm fascinated by ICU & ER nursing, but understand that MedSurg may be the only work available)? Yes. Do I understand that my law degree will not be immediately applicable? Yes.
But, these are the questions I have not answered, which I'm hoping the individuals on this site may be able to help with:
For men with professional degrees other than nursing who have entered the nursing field, are/were you questioned about why you did not pursue/continue your other career path? If so, how did you deal with those questions, and what was the general response? And, have you been able to incorporate your previous education into your new professional life?
For family men, how did you handle going to nursing school, being a father and a husband, and coordinating all of your various responsibilities?
For other "big guys" out there (I'm 6'11" and 320 lbs), have you ever encountered patients or fellow medical professionals who have been intimidated by you and have treated you differently because of your size? And is your size generally a boon or detriment to you professionally?
And, finally, probably the most practical question here, do they make really big scrubs???
I apologize for the length of the post, but look forward to any and all responses. Thank you all in advance for your time and help.
Jim.

JSBes · May 2, 2012

Thank you all for the numerous, well reasoned, and timely responses. I appreciate that you all took time out of your busy schedules to answer my questions and offer advice.