My Plan

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2008

Sounds like a great plan!

Congrats on being a survivor.

My only question with your plan would be to ask if you already have a bachelor's degree. If you do, you might qualify for an accellerated BSN which might get you to your goal of NP faster.

It's not quite time yet to be thinking about how you get a certain job. You're going to be exposed to a wide variety of settings and might change your mind with each clinical. But basically you take a new grad position in your area of interest and you're off and running. But for know concentrating on your education is what you should do.

Good luck. Please feel free to ask any questions that you might have.

PhilaGuy · Apr 4, 2008

Waiting for exposure to the clinicals makes perfect sense. My only real exposure to any is oncology (a set of nurses who I have an obvious love for! ).

As for my previous degrees, I have a BS in Finance, and a MBA. Unfortunately, I doubt there will be much that can trasfer (although I did take a psychology 101 class!). I've been in touch with a couple schools nearby, and they hopefully will be able to look at my transcripts in a few weeks.

I'm sure I'll have tons of questions as I get started, its just very early on in the process. Since I'm a planner, I wanted to make sure the path I lined up makes sense to people actually doing the job!

Thanks for the quick reply!

PhilaGuy · Apr 4, 2008

I stand corrected, I do have a question already!

While this is probably a stupid question... How are male nurses treated day-to-day? Not really concerned with my peers - I get along with people pretty well. I'm thinking more along the lines of patients!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2008

Sounds like you're going to have to take pre-reqs for the ADN program (A&P, Microbiology, etc.). But you can take advantage of your degrees, take the pre-reqs as they are required for your BSN too and go into an accellerated program to finish you're BSN in the same amount of time it takes to get the ASN, so it's worth taking a look at if there's a program in your area.

Planning is a good thing. Good luck.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2008

Check out our male nurses forum. Male nurses are so commonplace in this day and age most people don't treat us any different, especially younger patients. There are areas where males are more common such as ERs and ICUs (check the stickey at the top of the male nurses forum), so patients usually don't bat an eye.

I've never been mistreated but occasionally there are times when a patient (usually an older one) will ask for a female nurse to attend to her personal care, but they all me to be their nurse for all other things.

Good question. One that is always on our mind when we are starting out.

Agnus · Apr 4, 2008

1) I agree with you completely

2) You apply where there is an opening like everything else. It is not at all unusual for new nurses to hire on directly into a specialty

3) You seem a bit idealistic. But there is nothing wrong with idealism as long as you are not completely blind to reality.

Best of luck

PhilaGuy · Apr 4, 2008

3) You seem a bit idealistic. But there is nothing wrong with idealism as long as you are not completely blind to reality.
Best of luck

That's a true statement. I did bug the nurses in the family for the negatives I should be aware of, but many of those apply to many industries, like the "office" politics, administrative policies that sometimes make zero sense, and patients with crappy attitudes. I'm going to be on my feet alot, and its not easy work.

But you know what (idealism incoming ), I also get to physically help, associate, and communicate with patients every day, knowing I'm helping make them better, easing their pain, even just giving them someone to talk to while sitting in a hospital. Idealistic or not, that sounds a hell of a lot better than sitting in a cubicle writing code that does nothing but improve my company's bottom line. I like coding, but there's nothing keeping me from doing that on my own outside of work once schooling is done.

RN007 · Apr 5, 2008

Woo hoo, survivor! I used to work in an onc unit -- loved it but the pressures were taking at toll on my family so I had to make some modifications. I am a second-career RN much older than you. I have BA and MS degrees already, so didn't feel I needed another bachelor's and instead got an associate's in nursing and am working on an MSN w/plans to be a practitioner. If you look around you may find accelerated MSN programs for those with degrees in other fields. Our area university has one.

Good luck and follow your dreams! I did and have no regrets. I feel wonderful approaching my second 1/2 century with a new career I love.

PhilaGuy · Apr 5, 2008

Woo hoo, survivor! I used to work in an onc unit -- loved it but the pressures were taking at toll on my family so I had to make some modifications. I am a second-career RN much older than you. I have BA and MS degrees already, so didn't feel I needed another bachelor's and instead got an associate's in nursing and am working on an MSN w/plans to be a practitioner. If you look around you may find accelerated MSN programs for those with degrees in other fields. Our area university has one.
Good luck and follow your dreams! I did and have no regrets. I feel wonderful approaching my second 1/2 century with a new career I love.

I'm thinking oncology because I know how much the nurses did for me - Since my chemo was slow push, we hung out alot I know that my particular disease has a usually favorable outcome and not all do, but knowing how much benefit the nurses can give means alot as a possible choice.

Your idea about bypassing the BSN is fantastic, and I didn't even think of that!! I have a BS and MBA, so really what I'm missing is the science and nursing classes I would get from the ASN. I'll definitely look into that, thank you!

Wendy_RN · Apr 5, 2008

It sounds as if you have thought this through. Your plan sounds great. I would suggest waiting until you are in a nursing program and have rotated through clinical before making a decision as to which area of nursing you work in. I was all set on oncology. My husband and mother are both 2 time cancer survivors. Like you, I know the value of an oncology nurse. The downfall for me, I take it very personal. That is emotionally and physically draining. Oncology will always be a passion of mine, but for right now I think I am better off working in another area.

Good luck in whatever you decide! There is always room for more male nurses!

imanedrn · Apr 5, 2008

Hi all!
Here's hoping some of you experienced nurses can help me figure out if my plan below makes sense!
Anyway, I'm a 34 year male that's been in software engineering for 13 years. I'm good at my job, but to be honest its become stale. Still, money is money, and it's very lucrative.
Last October, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma (stage 2AX). Talk about a wake up call to what's important. Without getting into the gory details, I'm fully in remission, and my onc puts my likelihood of being cured at 95% (woohoo!).
This little bump in my road of life really got me to thinking about what I want. While my current job pays well, I also work 60-70 hours a week, including some nights and weekends. That takes away from my family time. I'm not doing something that helps people, and I think my experience really brought that into focus for me.
I took a look at salaries, type of work -- Heck, I even interviewed two family members who are nurses (both of whom said point-blank they think I'd make an awesome nurse). While I'm sure this decision has a little "life-changing cancer event" in them, I've made sure there are logical reasons behind it as well and weighed pros-cons. The only real con for me is salary - I'll be taking a 50% pay cut to start (ouch). However, as our son is going to school next year, with my wife rejoining the workforce that makes up that loss.
Anyway, I've decided (with my wife and family's blessing) to become a nurse at 34. My plan right now is to get through an Associate's Program at a local (but very reputable) community college and get my RN. My wife (who has a Bachelor's in Cell and Molecular bio) is going to do the same, actually. My eventual goal is to get to work in a few years, complete a RN to BSN program while working, then potentially go for a NP and/or MSN (I'm a schooling junkie). Specialties I'm going to try for are Surg/Trauma or Oncology. The pay is still decent as I move along, there's flexibility with hours it seems, I'll be helping people each and every day, and I'll probably get to wear scrubs
I haven't been this excited about work in a very long time!
A couple questions for you all:
1) Do you think my plan above makes sense (i.e. getting the RN/ASN first, then going back for the BSN)? Given there isn't a massive salary difference, would let me start working several years sooner, and get my pre-requisites away for any bachelor's program, it makes sense to me. Never mind that the hospital I work for would likely pay for the continuing education!
2) How would a newbie go about getting into Surg/Trauma or Oncology? Where would a new nurse get put first?
3) Is there anything any of you would recommend modifying in my plan above? I'm walking into this knowing only the work experiences of several nurses, nothing on the path to getting there.
Thanks in advance!

There are plenty of people who start nursing as a 2nd career later in life (later being >20 or so years old). I know people who've done it into their 50's, so don't let age be a factor!

As for your questions...

(1) If the ADN program is that much shorter than the BSN program, and you're intent on becoming a RN ASAP, then it's probably worth it -- esp. because many hospitals will pay for you to return to school (usually after 1 year of employment). In Las Vegas (where I am), though, the ADN program is the same length of time as the BSN program, so most people choose between the 2 for reasons other than time.

(2) I have a friend who just got picked up at a cancer center in Las Vegas. She expressed genuine interest (it's ALL she wants to do), and they were willing to train her. At my facility, my manager covers med/tele and the oncology units. She told me she hired a new grad who only wanted to work in onc. She was willing to give this new grad a chance to prove herself. The new grad ended up doing great, so they kept her there. I learned the best way to get in anywhere is to make contacts. Once you start in the nursing program, get to know your instructors and who they know. Once you start your clinicals, get to know your nurses, charges, and managers. See if they can guide you. I'm not sure how your program works, but (in our final semester) we precepted in the unit of our choice. Although I was in PCU/IMC, the manager there wasn't willing to hire another new grad, so I made it a point to take to the med/tele/onc manager. Making contacts in nursing helps a LOT when it comes to new grad employment.

(3) Your plan sounds reasonable right now. You may find that you want to change it along the way. Just stay open to that. In my case, I went in "knowing" I only wanted to work in women's health. I modified that, instead, deciding to start in med/tele, so I could get a broad background of experience. Just be open and willing to change, so -- if it is forced upon you -- you don't feel overwhelmed and deterred.

Good luck!