Raymond CA

Hi Lucia, I'm no longer a nursing student and left Rush before I finished the program. Long story. They don't have an ABSN program any more, as posters below have said. I work in medicine now. Good luck.

Bravo, man. Well said. I think your point is that "nice guy" and "bad boy" are too limiting and simplistic ways to look at being a man. "Real men" act like the unique individuals they are, continually growing and adapting to circumstances and women as they see fit. And if a certain woman doesn't appreciate the value of such a genuine man, tough. I'm sensitive or insensitive to a woman because that's what I choose to be at the time, not because I read it in a self-help book.

I have problems with the image of nurses and the assumptions people make about them. I've met plenty of driven, multitalented, ambitious people who want to help patients in different and more comprehensive ways than a doctor could. But I don't care about negative images. I will achieve my goals, despite how many comments from ignorant people I get to the contrary. Posters like this help kick those stereotypes in the ***. Descriptions of the above guys, from left to right: Sang Kim RN Cardiac Telemetry Nurse Snowboarder Terry Misener RN, PhD Dean, School of Nursing Retired Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army Yuri Chavez RN, CRNA Nurse Anesthetist 2:54 LA Marathon Roland Jomerson RN Post Anesthesia Recovery Nurse Decorated Vietnam Combat Medic and Retired Major, U.S. Army Don Mucciprosso RN Poison Specialist Nurse Harley Rider Walter Moore, Jr. RN Intensive Care Unit Nurse U.S. Navy Seal Team One Bill Maddalena SN Student Nurse 3rd Degree Black Belt Kenpo L. Rey Ariola RN Cardiology Nurse Rugby Right Prop Jason Scott Carrick SN Student Nurse Basketball Power Forward

I feel for ya, lady! I work as a private tutor now, for high school students in math, science, the SAT, etc. Most of my students are nice and have good attitudes (usually the Asian ones), but I do have some rotten apples that help ruin my good mood. Most of my students are rich and some are very spoiled. One of my friends is a junior high teacher who keeps having to discipline and control disruptive behavior in her class, and she's very frustrated. She's thinking of leaving the country for Hong Kong to teach there, where teachers are treated with great respect as part of Asian culture. I will start nursing school next year in an accelerated BSN program, and I was an engineer for several years before. I think the hardest part of nursing for me will be the mean and nasty patients and families I will inevitably meet. I just hope the ratio of nice to nasty patients will be worth it. Good luck, and I truly empathize.

Congrats for getting into one of the top nursing programs in the nation! I'll be starting at Rush next year, right next to UIC. We get to join the UIC gym and I'll probably be swimming there often! :)

Deleted

Hi Lee! It's ABSOLUTELY possible to overcome a poor GPA in the past. I got low grades in a very competitive school a decade ago, but after 2.5 years of incredible sweat, I just got accepted to one of the top nursing schools in the nation last month. :) For details: https://allnurses.com/forums/f198/got-into-rush-universitys-absn-program-chicago-148631.html Don't worry about what the counselors say. You can and should retake any relevant classes in which you got low grades. Just take them at community colleges. Admissions committees want to see proof that you are a new, more mature, improved person who is damned committed to succeeding in nursing. They want a consistent record of growth and achievement. Also, in your application and interview, you can and should explain any academic deficiencies. For example, organic chemistry was my nemesis for several years. I took it three times when I was getting my first BS degree. D the first time, C the second, and a "not pass" the third time at a local community college. Last year I faced it again in preparation in nursing school, and my study habits, maturity, and drive had shifted big time by then. I got an A. Just make sure your new record clearly shows a new you, and you will make it! :)

Awesome, Andrea! Thank you for offering to help. I'm in contact with some Rush students now and people have been fantastically nice to me. :) I'm trying to study patho and pharm in advance now, for next January. Which textbooks did you use for them, and will they use the same books next year? Also, I know that their syllabi are on the WebCT site. May I see a copy of your syllabi for patho and pharm? It would help me know what to study. Just curious---what did you study at UCLA, and what's your background before joining nursing? Good luck! I know Rush is super tough and am looking forward to working like hell. :)

Thanks for your excellent dating posts, man! (I've added you as a buddy.) I looked through some of what you wrote on other forums too, and it's exciting to see what I envisioned coming true for someone like you. I also am planning to go the ICU/CRNA path. Hmm...that's sad. Did you personally observe a bunch of your classmates breaking up? Sounds like the difficulties couples have when someone is in med school, too. Any suggestions on avoiding wrecking our relationships while in nursing school? How about when we are working as a nurse---does life get more manageable for relationships? Why would you NOT want to date a nurse again?

I couldn't have said it better, man! I got a CNA license in January, and not only did it help me get into a top nursing school, it taught me time management with patients, respect for CNAs and the importance of their job, insight into how patient care may go wrong in a nursing home, conscientiousness, and most important of all---HUMILITY. Guess what most student nurses do in the hospital? CNA work! The better and more familiar one is with it BEFORE nursing school, the happier and more effective one will be IN nursing school. Don't ever look down on CNA work, guys. It's the bread and butter of nursing itself. The arrogant folks who think they are too good to change a diaper or make sure a patient is fed correctly will have hell to pay when they get their nose out of their books and meet real patients.

I always say that nursing is a great field to meet those 80-year-old hottie patients! Hehe...

Thanks for that excellent and refreshing poster, Ken! I have seen but never read it carefully before. I will spread it to my nursing friends. :) It's definitely possible and preferable for a guy to be both confident, goal-oriented, and take-charge PLUS sensitive, empathetic, caring, and considerate. Women love that. Not only that---these qualities are what nursing teaches and requires of ALL nurses, male or female! Look at how women idolize what they call the "gamma male" in romance novels or films---a Highlander or Mel Gibson type who conquers the world, protects his woman, overcomes great odds, and holds a baby's hand, listens well, and shows great compassion for the downtrodden and unhappy. Just don't get stuck in the stereotypical "nice guy" category---a doormat, a pushover, a guy who tries too hard to please, or a guy with no idea of whom he is. It's all about balance and showing the appropriate side of ourselves at the right times. Also, I view a negative reaction by women to a man in nursing as a quick way to filter out those women who are too backward, narrowminded, conformist, or too much of a social climber to be worth more than a few moments of my time.

Congratulations! Excellent! One of my proctors got into the ABSN too and will start in May. Where is the SF campus? Back in January, the admissions people still didn't know where it was. May I ask what your background and stats are? I'm just curious about what it takes to get in.

Ok, let's broaden the discussion. My original questions were: Has dating been easier for you, now that you are a minority in a field of women? Have you learned and grown from your more frequent contact with women? What pros and cons have you seen as a man dating in nursing school or nursing?

Wow, thank you for such a fantastically detailed and thorough answer! I had no clue about how greed helps reduce the pleasure out of your husband's life. (DH means "dear husband," I assume?) As someone changing careers from engineering to nursing, who is also interested in business, I will always remember your comments---both about greedy management and about the decreasing quality of life in nursing. If I ever get into a position to make decisions that affect employees, I will keep your stories in mind.

How did your interview and the TEAS go? What's your background?

Welcome! Just wondering, why are you sick of aviation? What advice would you give to someone considering a pilot's career?

Hi! I just started this thread on "Dating for Men in Nursing/Nursing School." Please feel free to share your stories here! https://allnurses.com/forums/f213/dating-men-nursing-nursing-school-152374.html Personally, I have had barely any problems or strange looks from women when I've told them I'm entering nursing. Many of them nod and show approval. In fact, many women have complained to me about how their husbands or boyfriends are not empathetic/understanding/nurturing enough, and they welcome that combination of a guy who shows leadership, assertiveness, focus, etc. PLUS the traits of compassion, great listening skills, determination, and good people skills that nursing develops. I'm in Silicon Valley---engineering heaven. Many women here date and marry engineers or business guys. I was an engineer myself, but my women friends who have dated engineers really like the fact that guys like me have more emotional intelligence and versatility than the one-dimensional, tone deaf guys they have been meeting. Plus we have that black sense of humor that comes from dealing with life and death situations with grace. :) Personally, I have gone out with scientists, engineers, a VP of marketing, finance and accounting women, nursing students, a girl who just started medical school, and even a plumber! It's more about the confidence, character, and caring you show as a man than your "job status." Also, nursing has gotten a reputation around here as a job that pays well, has excellent job security, gives career and family flexibility, and lets one buy a house within a few years of working. What's not attractive about THAT to a potential girlfriend? :) Good luck!

Hi everyone, I'm delighted to read all of these real and heartfelt posts on this male forum! Let me introduce myself. I am a former chemical engineer/software consultant who will start in a top 12-month Accelerated BSN program next January. Changing from a male-dominated field to a female-dominated field has been enlightening and enjoyable, and I wonder what kind of experiences the rest of you guys have had. In changing from the male world of engineering and business to the touchy-feely world of nursing, I've sometimes missed the more analytical, let's-get-the-job-done attitude we had in our startup companies. But since I plan to enter critical care, I know I will find the right balance of analysis and empathy in my future job! :) My question: how has your dating/social life been, for those single men out there? The nursing school I will be attending will have a ratio of 10 women to every man. In preparing for nursing school, I also worked as both a medical assistant and a nursing assistant, and I have gotten used to being one of the few men in my classes and activities. Has dating been easier for you, now that you are a minority in a field of women? Have you learned and grown from your more frequent contact with women? What pros and cons have you seen as a man dating in nursing school or nursing? In several of my classes, many of the women already have husbands or boyfriends. The female majority and women in general do not bother or intimidate me in the least, and I welcome the experience. I've always been curious about how women think and have had long, great experiences with many female friends. I truly enjoy dealing with women. :) Let's hear your dating/relating stories!

Thanks for noticing that! I did not. You are right, and I had no idea Georgia still did not give NPs authority to write prescriptions.

Also, please read this article, comparing the clinical preparation of NPs vs. Physician Assistants: Evaluating The Clinical Preparation Of Physician Assistant Versus Nurse Practitioner Students And The Characteristics Of Their Preceptors http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijapa/vol4n1/mhe.xml They say that new NPs typically have a less rigorous background in pathophysiology and other "hard" sciences than PAs. That's a problem for me, with my hard science and engineering background, and it may worry you. I considered becoming a PA vs. NP when I first started on my trek into nursing, and I prefer the "medical model" of education (biochemistry, pathology, histology, hard sciences) to the "nursing model" (nursing theory, nursing diagnoses, assessment, etc), which feels more watered down. If this difference concerns you, perhaps you could get extra pathophysiology and pharmacology on your own somehow. If it doesn't, great. By the way, if you hadn't heard, the biggest difference between a nurse and a doctor is that a nurse does NOT treat or cure disease. A nurse does not make medical diagnoses. A nurse tries to alleviate symptoms of disease, monitors and assesses patients, and deals with the EFFECTS of a disease. Of course, an NP does make "medical" diagnoses and does try to cure disease, but in the process of becoming a BSN nurse (which you must do first), you must forget acting like a medical intern.

Hi! I graduated from UC Berkeley's College of Chemistry and understand some of what you must feel. I just got into an Accelerated BSN program and explained what it took to do so here: https://allnurses.com/forums/f198/got-into-rush-universitys-absn-program-chicago-148631.html With your background, you would probably feel out of place with your classmates in a community college nursing program. If you TRULY know you want to be a nurse practitioner, DEFINITELY go for a direct-entry MSN program! Actually, some of those direct-entry programs even let you change your mind after your first year and leave to work with a BSN, if you wish. My friend who's now in Johns Hopkins's direct-entry MSN program told me this. She has a BS in chemistry and an MBA. How can you know if you really want to be an NP? Keep in touch with NPs near you or on allnurses.com and develop a mentoring relationship with them. A mentor really has helped me throughout my whole application process and career transition. Ask if you may shadow some of them around their office, as they see patients. (I got a medical assistant certificate and volunteered for a doctor for a few months, working with a nurse practitioner and physician assistant as well, and seeing intimately what they did.) Yes, you must take all of their prereqs! In fact, I retook something like Chem 1A because one of my schools required it had to be taken within the last 5 years. My community college teacher let me challenge it successfully by examination within the first 2 weeks of class, however, so I never actually took the class. Although in the short term it may not matter which NP school you attend, I have lived through 2 recessions here in Silicon Valley and never want to be caught in a weak job position ever again. One of my Los Angeles friends, who was an Acute Care NP, says in some places NPs do have a harder time finding a job. Don't assume you will always be able to have one, and strive for the best universities and credentials possible. Always keep growing and adding to your repertoire, and stay flexible and resourceful. That's the way to have job security. Yes, get as MUCH actual health care experience as possible. From my link above, you see that I volunteered in an ER for two years, got a medical assistant certificate from a vocational school, worked for a doctor's office, got a nursing assistant certificate from another vocational school and thus trained in a nursing home, and now am getting my EMT certificate. When I interviewed for admission, the professor told me I had more experience than most of the other applicants. What is it like day-to-day as a student nurse? The best experience I have found is to actually be a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). To get the CNA license, you train in all the "menial" but important tasks that every nurse must not only know, but be efficient and good at (changing diapers, bathing patients, etc). It's a far far cry from being an academic and intellectual, but if you can handle doing CNA work, and you can do it quickly, with grace, that is excellent preparation for nursing school. And it will impress the socks off of admissions committees who are tired of seeing arrogant applicants who know nothing about the day-to-day reality of being a nurse. Good luck and let me know if you have questions!

Many congratulations, MBA2BRN! Which school will you be attending?

Also I have only had wonderful experiences with their admissions and financial aid depts. In fact, the head of admissions personally called me only TWO DAYS after I submitted my online application, asking me to interview. She said because I was in California, she wanted to tell me as soon as possible to give me time to buy a plane ticket. Before that, she would always reply to my emails within a day or so. When I called their financial aid office, I got a human being right away, and he answered my question perfectly and immediately. I've dealt with other nursing schools (esp. in California), and the customer service was consistently both slow and awful. It's one reason I decided to leave California for nursing school. Rush has treated me excellently from start to finish!

Please read this forum on what it may take to get into Rush: https://allnurses.com/forums/f198/got-into-rush-universitys-absn-program-chicago-148631.html