New student need some advice plz!

[1manwlfpk]

Hey yall! Im changing careers at 27! I have been in the construction industry ever since I was a teenager and have decided to go to school to become a RN. I am the safety director for a large general contractor in Oklahoma. I manage over 200+ employees and a team of safety coordinators, as a team we keep our workers nice and safe so they can go home to their families every day I am an artist as well. I sing and write music and would love to have more time to work on it but with working 6 days a week I just don't have time for it. I am a caring person that tends to always put other peoples needs above my own. Im attractive,fit, and easy to get along with..Can you give me some advice? How much of my social life over the next couple of years will I be sacrificing? I have a full sleeve(tattoo). Will that affect me? I dont have any piercings and I dress very professional, well for jobs I do Is it hard for a male to get a job in a hospital? Hard to date?? I take constructive criticism very well, believe in team work, and always have a pretty good attitude

Reason for changing careers: I would like to make more of a difference in peoples lives more than I am doing now. I have not decided exactly where I want to work but a part of me is considering working with burn victims. My dad was killed in a fire 2 years ago and I feel I would do really well with burn victims and their families. And of course financially it is a rewarding career. I make good money now but I am going to work as an AUA at the beginning of the year to start getting some experience, better work schedule and get my foot in the door. I know HUGE pay cut compared to my job now but while I am going to school Im sure i can hang in there because it will be worth it when I graduate. I start this august towards the nursing program here at the CC in my town. Will be getting my Associates first. Everything is transferable to the major 4 year universities in my state so if i want to take it even further I shouldn't have too much trouble doing so. Any advice or opinions would be great!! thanks alot!!

[Always_Learning, BSN, RN]

"Can you give me some advice? How much of my social life over the next couple of years will I be sacrificing?"

As much as you choose to give up. I don't have a huge "social life" outside my family, but I definitely did study a lot and had to shift my priorities. Some folks will tell you they had "no life" (I wouldn't say that about my experience), and others will say nursing school was business as usual (I also wouldn't say that). It is time-consuming, but if you want to do well you'll make it work.

"I have a full sleeve(tattoo). Will that affect me? I dont have any piercings and I dress very professional, well for jobs I do "

You may have to wear a long sleeve shirt to cover these, depending on hospital/school policy.

"Is it hard for a male to get a job in a hospital?"

No more so than for any new grad.

"Hard to date??"

Least of your worries.

"I take constructive criticism very well, believe in team work, and always have a pretty good attitude :D"

Good! That will help you tremendously in school and when you graduate.

[mangopeach]

As far as the tattoo - find out from the schools you are interested in what their rules are BEFOREHAND. At my school, you can wear a long sleeve shirt under your uniform if you have tats. I've seen posts here on All nurses that students with tats were not allowed to wear long sleeves and it became a problem. One person recently posted that she had to leave her program because of her tat.

[butterfly134]

I can give you a little bit of advise :) Okay so your social life does NOT have to be non-exsistant! Most weeks I was able to go out with my friends on a night out, watch tv shows, have time to chill and just hang out with my friends. I say most weeks because obviously during exam times more effort has to be put in. Once you manage your time and work consistently well you can defo have some sort of social life. Ive heard people say that they would have an hour to themselves to go to the gym and used this as their free time. I had more than an hour AND I passed my exams.

Well about the tattoo you should check the rules of the NS you are applying too. See if you are allowed to wear full sleves (as the previous answers said :) ) or maybe find out if there is another way to conceal it? perhaps where a bandage of some sort, just a suggestion but of course you will have to ask first!

I wouldn't see why a male would find it more difficult to get a job once you have your qualifications :)

As for it being date well personally I dont t think it is however being in a comitted relationship can be harder thought not impossible.

Best of luck in your nursing journeys :)

[LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN]

Social life - what is most important to you? Your education and a new career or a social life? Stay true to yourself; you can have the largest social life after your graduate--plus you will have time, energy, and hopefully, money. Don't let your social life or "friends" kill your dream.

Go into nursing because you like it not because of the money or another reason. At the present, nurses are having problems obtaining jobs and it may get worse in the future. However, everything goes in cycles. In the late 90s there was a 'nursing shortage'; now with the financial downturn, jobs are difficult to find. That does not mean you will not work; you may be working in an area of nursing you are not thrilled about. If you are serious about burn nursing, that is a great goal. Burn nurses are angels. There is nothing worse than a severely burned person. Those who care their burned patients need all the support they can get--burn nursing is serious profession and a tough job (both professionally and psychologically).

[butterfly134]

Social life - what is most important to you? Your education and a new career or a social life? Stay true to yourself; you can have the largest social life after your graduate--plus you will have time, energy, and hopefully, money. Don't let your social life or "friends" kill your dream.

It is possible to have both a social life and be able to pass exams! A social life is important too. Friends may be the ones people socialise with but they are there for you when you are upset and need a hug or a pep talk- I often went to my friends during nursing school ( of course I wouldn't give an confidential info) but I was able to talk about how I felt and I got plenty of cups of teas and lil pep talks. However I agree with you LadyinScrubs that you MUST put your education first however its ok to go have fun and socialise once you work responsibly!!

[meish]

Well, all I can say is STAY FOCUS AND STUDY WELL ! :) Make sure you know your priorities and make sure that you also give yourself some breaks--having dinner with your loved ones, watch some movies in the theatre with friends, or have a friendly little chit-chat with your chums. I think that'll do!

[Pneumothorax, BSN, RN]

im attractive,fit, and easy to get along with..trying to pick up girls here hehe

how much of my social life over the next couple of years will i be sacrificing?

depends on how serious you want to take this, and how heavy a course load you have. most of us ns in my cohort, we usually have no time to do anything with each other bc we're too busy wading thru homework and such. but keep in contact with your construction friends, its nice to go out and talk about otherr things besides foleys, ng tubes and poo lol

i have a full sleeve(tattoo). will that affect me?

you would have to check with ur school, long sleeve shirts which can be used to cover it would be an easy solution, but they also carry bacteria

i dont have any piercings and i dress very professional, well for jobs i do is it hard for a male to get a job in a hospital?

just like any other job..however since males are a minority in nursing, it might increase your chances :)

hard to date??

refer to answer on social life lol

i take constructive criticism very well, believe in team work, and always have a pretty good attitude

thats good, be prepared for critisism.. remember your caring for people now, and the choices/decisions you make during their care can be life or death (med error, fall out of bed, etc.)

good luck! welcome to nursing student club :)