NoahNS

From the various responses so far I think one can at least discern that not "everyone" hates Florida. Like so many other matters in life, much is really just a question of personal taste. Having lived in Florida myself I would have to say there are certainly some very lovely parts of Florida... and then some not so lovely. One of the things that I didn't really appreciate about Florida was the homogeneity of the geography, and I guess much of the culture, too. The endless malls, one after the other... and so much of the culture being a function of the vast retirement community. However, Florida is a pretty big place, and if you look around enough I suspect a fair number of those who end up there will probably be able to find much to like. Something that there doesn't seem to be too much disagreement about is the lower wages. That is definitely true. If the OP is looking forward to what they hope to find in Florida they are at least starting out with a positive attitude which may lead them in a direction they could delight in.

A number of clues leave me with the impression that there may be more to this thread than a "hatred of nursing." For starters, the OP's username "prettylittlenurse2be" seems to suggest a certain sense of not having found an authentic identity in nursing... or anything else She sounds like she has still not found what has any deep meaning to or for herself... or if she has, she has yet to have it sincerely affirmed by others that she wants to trust... and grow with. She also sounds like she's feeling hemmed in by expectations from others... and does NOT appreciate it. Since the academic rigors of nursing don't seem to be that challenging to her I, too, would agree with so many of the others, and encourage her to go ahead and finish out her studies... but then see if she could find a competent counselor that she could trust and develop a meaningful rapport with to examinie some of the other issues that are clearly not yet being addressed before she embarks on any other grand endeavors that may only be designed to please others.

I haven't read through this entire thread, but something I haven't noticed thus far is any mention of a gender issue. Something I would encourage the OP to consider is the nature of the postings thus far... by gender. I suspect I may invite some criticism for this comment, but I think it may be prudent to give some thought as to whether or not you may be caught in the midst of some gender bias. Obviously, nursing is a female dominated field. Some of our female colleagues appreciate the male interest, and what they bring to the profession, others probably don't care one way or the other, and then there are others that deeply resent the male "intrusion/invasion." What I wonder is what kind of a role any of this may have played in the situation you currently find yourself in. After you (the OP) carefully assess this dimension of the matter you may want to reassess whether nursing is really the calling you feel led to pursue. Again, I would encourage the OP to evaluate the spirit and nature of the responses he has received thus far, and decide for himself if he thinks gender bias may have played a role. btw... some men also have their issues when it comes to welcoming women into traditionally male dominated careers. Just a thought.

I would just like to thank the OP for this thread. As a recent graduate, and having heard some serious horror stories it is very helpful to learn what others have had to contend with (and what I may have to look forward to)... but also to hear that it isn't inevitable that there will always be a terrible clash and conflict... that there ARE those who have collegial, supportive work relationships that they delight in. Again... thank you very much. :redbeathe

LOL... so funny, how people can be so different. I LOVE feet... which can be so expressive (hope I'm not grossing anyone out). I find my attention being drawn to them during the summer months all the time. Of course there are all different kinds of feet... and some of them have certainly been terribly abused, but like the OP acknowledges children probably have some of the most attractive feet. What is an added bonus is that most people generally respond favorably to empathetic foot care.

I've only read the first page of responses, but it seems like some of the respondents think you are expecting to deplete the principle over time... which is not what it sounded like to me was your intention. If you just live off the interest maybe you would even be able to save some of that income and continue to grow your investment... or, on the other hand, maybe your investment would not yield the 10% you were hoping/expecting. In any case, I think I would agree with many of the others... that you're committing yourself to a pretty fierce ambition to remain bound to for such a big chunk of time. What concerns me much more, however.... is your apparent motivation for going into nursing in the first place. If it's just money you're trying to acquire... there are certainly much better ways to pursue that ambition... and with far less risk to a critical patient population. St. Paul had a suggestion you may wish to consider in his letter to Timothy (1 Timoth 6: 9-10): "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition :angryfire ... for the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Pretty strong word, huh...???

Thank you dan for responding to my query. I've gained a lot of insight from this forum. One of the things that disturbs me most about this new career I've embarked on in nursing is all the collegial conflict that seems so endemic in the profession. There are so many posts where this lack of appreciation and sometimes open "warfare" seem to be so rife and pitched. I have friends who are now working as RN's and the stories they tell make my hair stand on end. I would have thought in a profession where one of the main motivations in pursuing such a career was reaching out to others and sincerely wishing to be a true blessing in the lives of those who really need some serious help, that you would find more mutual care, devotion toward, and genuine appreciation for each other among colleagues. In a critical service where teamwork is so crucial and people's lives are literally at stake it's really kind of scary to see/hear the way people openly attack each other, and even sometimes seek to sabotage each other's work and reputation. Your comments about the respect that paramedics do not get was just another case in point. I'm still pretty new and ignorant, but my understanding is that paramedics go through a pretty extensive (up to 2 years?) and rigorous course of training, and as first responders are often called upon to address some pretty serious situations. Why there would not be a certain mutual respect and appreciation among health-care providers charged with such a magnitude of responsibility... working together... to me, is quite baffling. If you have any comments or observations relating to this I would be very grateful for any insight you may be able to offer. I don't know if it's appropriate to offer an e-mail address in this forum, but I'm at [email protected]. Again, thank you very much for responding to my post. Sincerely, Noah Livingston

Hello dan... I was a little intrigued by what may have prompted you to pursue a career in nursing when you were already a paramedic... particularly at age 56 :) Sincerely, Noah

When I used to chat on line I was always surprised to meet so many nurses who claimed to have worked as exotic dancers in their previous life. It surprised them, too. No one here, so far, seems to have come from such a former ... profession?

In alphabetical order over the last 40+ years... that I can remember LOL Baby-sitter (while still in high school) Barber Computer programmer/analyst Construction laborer/painter Cook Counselor Dishwasher Grocery store clerk Home health attendant Housekeeper/janitor Landscape yard worker/gardner Laundry worker Lifeguard Newspaper delivery person Sales person Security guard Soda fountain server Taxicab driver Teacher (private school) Telemarketer Truck-driver USN Missile Technician

(emphasis added)Thank you... again, kmcnelly. You seem to be "rescuing" me again and again :1luvu: Another favorite Biblical reference that I've always treasured that sort of relates to this issue is found in Psalm 18:35 where David, the warrior/king of Israel who, of course is always known for his bold response to the challenge of the giant Goliath reflects: "...thy gentleness hath made me great." (not His grace to enable him to prevail in all his military exploits). I would also like to agree with Suesquatch, however, in her suggestion that some traits are probably either more yin (intrinsically feminine) or yang (intrinsically masculine). I would just like to add to that what I believe is a fairly widely accepted observation: that we ALL (male and female) have both a lunar (feminine) and solar (male) nature which complement each other. How these "play out" in our individual personalities is what gives us our overall character/personality.

Eliza... I think the issue you raise and the rationale/quote you pose may be a little more nuanced, but I agree (as I've mentioned in a previous post on this thread) that the patient's wishes should always be honored if at all possible. This thread has certainly generated a lot of passionate discussion, and it's certainly evoked a plethora of perspectives... which have been helpful. Again, I still haven't read every post ... yet, but has anyone suggested clarifying this patient preference from the outset... as a routine part of intake? It seems like some of this conflict/discomfort, etc could be avoided if this issue was dealt with in the same way that allergies or patient history are dealt with... by asking the patient from the outset if they have a preference for the gender of their health-care provider... and just make it a permanent part of their patient record... until such time as it may change. I think it might help set the patient more at ease knowing that their concerns on this issue do matter, and that it's the institution's wish to honor and be sensitive to those preferences/desires... without the patient having to defend, justify, or explain them... particularly when they may already be traumatized or experiencing less than perfect health or well-being in a hospital setting where they may not actually feel they are being heard, or in control.

"And caring, nurturing, gentleness and kindness = nursing, and people think of that as feminine, I am happy." Is it only your patients you treat with... "caring, nurturing, gentleness and kindness"? I wonder what St. Paul had in mind when he wrote "...the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23.

Hmmmmmmm... am I missing something? "Y'know, I couldn't care less how many men go into nursing... Let the poopstorm commence"

I haven't read every post on this thread... yet, but so far I have not heard anyone mention that the male patient has the same right as the female patient... even though it may be more difficult to respond favorably to a request to have only a male nurse. There ARE some men who would prefer not to be subjected to intimate examination/treatment by a female health-care provider of any degree of education/professional attainment, etc... just like some women. Personally, I believe, whenever possible, it is best to place oneself in the other's "shoes," and try to be sensitive to and considerate of everyone's feeling and personal preferences... and I suspect I have a lot of company on this issue among my colleagues. Having said that, I think there are circumstances where I might be prompted to address racial discrimination from a patient... in a way that would hopefully help them feel more comfortable.