More Male Nurses

Jussurfin · Dec 10, 2008

That's 28% male - considerably higher than the current, bandied about 6%. I fully expect a dramatic increase in the number of males changing careers and entering nursing due to the economy / recession. Time will tell. Who knows? In another 20 to 30 years, maybe nursing will be a '50-50' profession. I also expect in this time frame, if not sooner, that most doctors will be female, up from the current 37% to 39%.

mingez · Dec 11, 2008

In my class which graduated this December, 18 out of 43 were male. It seems your theory may be happening as we speak. That's just under 42%!

FullMoon21 · Dec 13, 2008

well right now i'm in CNA class and i'm the only male. and as far as the graduating nursing class from last year, there were no males, but oh well. i could care less... i'm just here to get my degree and get to work...

Tim92 · Dec 14, 2008

I am a male and I am starting school next year to become a RN. I am excited. I hope there will be other nurses that are males in my classes though.

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Dec 14, 2008

Our class of 44 includes 5 males, all scheduled to graduate in May.

jinxx0r · Dec 15, 2008

I recently lost my job due to this economy (and the outsourcing of my job). I'm going back to school to change my career. This is a career path that I'm seriously considering. I have some time to decide. I found this site and have been reading some of the posts and some of you are scaring me away, LOL. Specifically the "Do nurses eat their own" and the "Protecting yourself from complaints". YIKES!

I have to ask... is it worth it? (not the money, I have money from my previous career, but do the positives outweight the negatives).

Oh, and I'm a 34 year old male IT pro who is now "retired" from that profession.

mingez · Dec 15, 2008

I recently lost my job due to this economy (and the outsourcing of my job). I'm going back to school to change my career. This is a career path that I'm seriously considering. I have some time to decide. I found this site and have been reading some of the posts and some of you are scaring me away, LOL. Specifically the "Do nurses eat their own" and the "Protecting yourself from complaints". YIKES!
I have to ask... is it worth it? (not the money, I have money from my previous career, but do the positives outweight the negatives).
Oh, and I'm a 34 year old male IT pro who is now "retired" from that profession.

Well, I'm about to get my RN, but I've been an LPN for 2 years, and I have to say absolutely YES. The positives very much (for me) out weigh the negatives! Don't be scared off, when you give a large group of people from any profession a forum in which to air grievances, it's bound to sound like everyone hates that profession.

If you've got a side that cares for people, trust me, the minute you get a heartfelt "thank you" from a patient that needs you, your life is forever changed. The first time you save a life, YOU will be forever changed. And for the better.

Do some real soul-searching, and talk to some folks who love being a nurse and ask them "why". If their values and locus of reward mirror yours, perhaps it'll help you make a decision.

Bluee · Dec 15, 2008

It is not worth it if you are just switching for convenience sake or circumstance sake. You would benefit from having some genuine passion and determination, otherwise you will probably be eaten alive.

Dramatic enough? :)

jinxx0r · Dec 15, 2008

No, I'm not considering switching for convenience (maybe circumstances). It is something that I had always thought about doing, but never did due to the (illusion of) security I had with my old job. I wasn't happy in that job anyway... My thinking is it was the right push for me.

Don't know... still soul searching. My wife thinks I would be great at this career. I'm still investigating and will hang out for awhile and read more...

:)

silentRN · Dec 16, 2008

When your patient decides to crash and goes all screwy on you, and you catch it just in time to save that person's life...then that's when I always say to myself 'That's why I became a nurse.' I would say it's worth it.