annarborGUYRN

It's been great as a man in nursing. You are a commodity amongst the women. THey all see you as neutral in their catty fights with the other female nurses. Patients seem to like it as well. The only thing I hate is the elder generation askking "so are you going to become a doctor?""" Enjoy it! Lots of opportunity. I love to talk to people. As most guys...I chose critical care as a specialty. I loke the gadgets as well (CVVH,Vents,balloon pumps...etc).

I LOVE to talk to people! I also love as most guys do the technical stuff (CVVH,Balloon pumps...etc). I try not to get oo focused on the technology..it's still a person!

You will be fine! Good luck!

You will love it there! 2000 and 6000 are the PCU's to work! Great management and a friendly place!

Hi I currently work in the UM Trauma/Burn ICU and previous at the Detroit Receiving Hospital Burn Unit. Detroit Receiving definatey gets more Burns in the context of volume and acuity. UM gets mostly flown in bad Trauma's. DRH is consistently busy with sick burns being in an inner city envionment. Both are great places to work! Good luck!

You cannot challenge the exams. You have to take the course. I am an EMT and RN and had NO CLUE how to do some of the clinicl skills like backboarding. There are a lot of legal issues involved with EMS that RN's typically have no experience with! Good luck!!

Parking at UM is not bad at all for off shifts. Costs about $20 per month and is fairly close to the units. HFH was harder to park!

Hi. I have worked at St.Joes for five years and UM for 1. UM depends on the unit you decide to take a position on. I work Trauma/Burn ICU and it's a great place. Younger crowd, fairly high acuity and very well staffed(RN:pt ratio). St. Joes is a more friendly "home like" enviornment. People are happy and happy where they are in life. Not much mobility within the institution. UM is said to have a "high turnover" but there are endless opportunities within the institution that people move to so the average stay as a staff RN is much less than at St. Joes. Biggest downfall of UM...holidays are seniority based. Depending of which unit you work, plan on two years of my schedule this year (Fourth of July,Thanksgiving and the day after,christmas day). Because holidays are seniority based turnover isn't all that bad!! Good luck. Ann Arbor is a great place to work and live!

Merrell man here. Comfortable!

GO FOR IT! I was a new Grad in a neuro ICU. Neuro ICU is a good place for a new RN interested in ICU. You get the ICU skills (swans, vents...etc) and these patients are usually sick from the head up. Rarely do they do into renal failure, ARDS..etc. These patients will also teach you to really assess patients thoroughly. Assessment is a HUGE component of Neuro ICU nursing! There are some even EXPERIENCED RN's who do not belong in an ICU. Even though you have no "RN" experience you may find that you are well prepared for the ICU!!! Good luck!:)