Wise Guy

I started prereq's when i was 23 and nursing school at 25

I have cried out of frustration, exhaustion, sadness, i cried when i woke up from hernia surgery (anesthesia), i cried when i watched Ladder 49, Rudy, Forrest Gump, and i have been made fun of for crying. I am a man and i believe it is ok for a man to cry. I will say this. I was twenty years old before i ever saw my dad cry. Not that he didn't cry, he just didn't let his kids see it. i've seen him cry three times. When his dad died, when his mom died, and when the doctor told him that i would probubly not make it through emergency surgery. I have looked up to him as the "rock" of the family and i believe that some cercumstances sort of call for not crying (at least not in front of people). I think we (nurses) are sometimes called on to be the "rock" for people regardless of gender.

I agree with everything Steve said, plus chicks dig male nurses.

-What makes a great nurse? -Who is the greatest nurse you know? Who are they? What are they like? What makes them the greatest nurse you know? -What makes a bed nurse? -Who is the worst nurse you know? I'm sure we all have our own ideas of what makes a great nurse. I'm interested in hearing other people's ideas, opinions, experiences, etc. I've spent a little time in hospitals in my life and i've met some really great nurses (few, unfortunately). I've also met some really ungreat nurses. I want to know what sort of things are important to people in this profession.

I very highly recomend the Zebra F-301... perfect size, stainless steel, very fine point, no smuge, it's a hangy clicky which is absolutely essential, durable, lasts forever, professional looking, inexpensive. Someone recomended the F-402... also a very nice pen but i prefer the thinner grip of the F-301. I keep a few, less valuable, spare pens on me too. I got that from being a waiter in restaurants for several years. This is just incase some wants to borrow your pen. When you have a zebra, everyone wants to borrow it. In my experience (waiter, etc.) pens are returned only about half of the time when borrowed (i.e. by costomers, other waiters, OTHER NURSES) and you're not going to want to give up your zebra. You don't have to read anymore posts now because nobody will give you a better suggestion. I've never met anyone who could show me a better pen. And no, i don't have stock in zebra. I'm just someone who writes alot, in confined spaces and is forced to write legibly and therefore very much value a quality pen.

This thread is discouraging... yes, educational, but discouraging. I'm a first year student in an RN program and I've been thinking (but haven't really made any decisions) about grad school and these statistics don't really give me a warm fussy feeling.

Wait until class starts so you can see what's required to have, or may or may not be allowed (i.e. tape recorders for lectures) and then re-read this thread.