deadrn

I'm a male nurse, have been in health care since I was 16 (now 42) started in highschool as a nursing assistant because the pay was so much better than the other jobs available. Anyway it was a real eye opener and a bit strange to work with pretty much women only, but I adjusted. I got to the point where I prefered to work with mostly women as I "got" how the operate, funny thing is it's been harder to adjust to working more with other men because I wasn't accustomed to it. The first few times I worked with other men, it was odd, I had been used to being the "big fish" in the small pond. Anyway nursing is a great profession regardless of your gender.

I'm a male, and have been a NICU nurse for just about a year now, love it. Great place for men to work, we have 4 male nurses and 1 male NNP.

I want to make sure I explain this correctly to parents when they ask why the baby still needs oxygen if he/she is at 21%. I hear the other nurses and RT's say, "he is getting the same O2 as you and me, it's just that he's getting more flow." I am correct in saying that while the oxygen concentration is the same as what we are breathing, at 21%, the baby is basicaly having the air pushed at him. No one explains the concept of "more flow" to the parents and they often seem just as perplexed as before they asked the question. Also, on the O2 subject, what percentage is O2 delivered via nasal canula. For example, if a baby is recieving a 1/8 liter, off the wall with no blender, is it considered 100% 02 at 1/8th liter? Sorry if these are silly questions, but I'm relatively new to NICU and these two things have been bugging me. Thanks

Hello, I'm new to this discussion. I wouldn't necesarily say health care is a basic human right, but it is a basic human need. Doesn't really matter if it is a right or not, the fact is people need it and there has to be some way to provide it for everyone. Is bigger government the answer? Is a free market in the abscence of crony capitalism the answer? Is charity the answer? No one has really proposed any solutions or honest facts in this thread, it's all been opinion and seems to have gotten out of control. How about a new thread where we can post some statistics and offer honest ideas about how to change or improve healthcare in the US? Keep it factual, honest, and free of emotion.

I doubt there would be any restrictions on getting a nursing license unless you were very unstable and unable to function. I don't think the board of nursing or your employer have any buisness knowing about it as long as you are able to do your job. You probably only need to disclose the information perhaps when applying for insurance, life insurance, that kind of stuff. I live with depression, my employer doesn't know, no reason to know, the only impact it has on my job is maybe 1-2 sick days a year. The diagnosis does cause me to have to pay a little bit more for the extra life insurance I get outside of work.

I have Aspergers Syndrome, as well as chronic depression, and have been a nurse for 16 years. It has certainly been a challenge, but I have managed. I'm currently a NICU nurse and love the job, although small talk with the parents and teaching them is difficult. No one but my immediate family is aware of the Aspergers. I have not disclosed this to my employer as it doesn't affect my ability to do my job on any tangible level. The depression is more of a player in this regard as it results in the occasional ill call, but it interferes no more with my ability to do my job than acid reflux does, ha. The primary problem an autism spectrum disorder is going to have as far as nursing is concerned is in your social interactions. As previously stated, nursing is a very dynamic field; you will find your niche. Personally, I think working in the OR, either as a nurse or a surg/scrub tech, would be the ideal healthcare job for someone with an autism spectrum disorder. Many of the surgeons and anesthesia people would probably have the same diagnosis as you, honestly. Sorry, I can't offer more other than to say you can do anything you put your mind to.

I just read an article about a woman whose doctor, in telling her she had lordosis, refered to it as booty butt or something like that. Sorry, lame first post, I started typing then forgot what the term was the doctor used. Anyway I think she plans to sue.