Questions from a newbie

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Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and even more new to the field of nursing, in fact I haven't entered it yet. I am a teacher at a junior high school and even though my job is going well (I actually don't have any horror stories to share about my experiences with students, staff or parents and actually to the contrary things are going really well), I feel I am called to do something else with my life.

In 2 years I would like to enter college and get a nursing diploma to become an RN. I would like to be able to go to Africa or the Middle East with my nursing degree and do some humanitarian work with an NGO, preferably a Christian one, before coming back to Manitoba where there is a nursing shortage.

I have almost zero experience in nursing other than volunteering at a hospital in the ER this summer and teaching my grade 8s about the human body (an interesting story in itself).

So some really newbie questions:

1) What is this job like? What are some really great components? What are some really terrible components?

2) Is nursing school really intense?

3) Is it true the hours are crazy (with lesson planning and marking I put in about 12 to 14 hours of work a day and am used to functioning on minimal sleep), or is it like that only in the first few years?

4) If you go abroad for a while, do you think you would be welcomed when you came back and hired in a hospital?

5) If you're a guy nurse do people look at you weird?

Sorry if any or all of these questions sound really naive, but if you could post some responses I would really appreciate it. Since I am very busy at work I may not be able to respond for some time but I will when I can.

Thanks so much, everyone!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

So some really newbie questions:

1) What is this job like? What are some really great components? What are some really terrible components? It really depends on your unit. You browse through the forums here and see there are different positives and negatives people experience. I like to teach parents about their baby's care while they are in the NICU and see the kids grow and go home.

2) Is nursing school really intense? Yes! I don't know if there are any programs that are not intense. It's hard, but it is definitely doable.

3) Is it true the hours are crazy (with lesson planning and marking I put in about 12 to 14 hours of work a day and am used to functioning on minimal sleep), or is it like that only in the first few years? A lot of shifts you'll find are 12 hrs, 3 days or nights a week.SOme places offer 8s. Best part is you don't take work home with you.

4) If you go abroad for a while, do you think you would be welcomed when you came back and hired in a hospital? Depends on your hospital. I know of a nurse that does volunteer work overseas and she's gone a few weeks here and there.

5) If you're a guy nurse do people look at you weird? No!

Thanks so much, everyone!

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Hello redefinition,

Thanks for getting back to me! Just some more questions...

If you work 12 hour shifts, that means there are only 3 shifts a week? That is really great!

How much do most nurses make? I'm currently making $22,000 this year. It's not a bad amount (I'm in a Christian school), as a nurse does it go up?

Take care!

Tomasz

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

I presume that you are in Canada? If so check out the Canadian forum in the International section there is something about pay in that forum plus working shifts

International forum

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

First, let me say that it is awesome that you want to do some overseas work....really something that this world needs.

To answer your questions

1. The job is interesting everyday. No two days are ever the same. It does depend on who your patient population is. You can have really sweet patients, confused ones, snippy ones, etc. I personally LOVE being able to make people feel better and answer their questions about what they are going through. I do NOT like family members or patients who talk down to me as though I am not a educated professional.

2. School is intense. But no more intense than any other program. It's different. You have your classroom part, and your patient care part. So, it takes some getting used to.

3. The hours depend. I work 3 12 hr shifts a week. You don't take the job home with you. Once I punch out, I don't think about work unless they call me. It's nice.

Pay wise, I went from making 20,000 a year as a CNA to making 50,000 before taxes. Big jump. You have to be careful not to overspend.

4. Depends on how understanding your facility is. It would be tough to do in your first few years, but if you got it approved, there you go.

5. On occasion, some men are uncomfortable having a man..or some older folks. However, I have sweet LOLs who think it's nice to have a man around....or some men open up to you and really talk to you about things that they won't tell the women. Some nights I'm the enforcer with the confused patients...convincing them not to get out of bed. I do not usually get weird looks...but I am a minority. 3 male nurses out of 18 on the floor.

Hope this helps!

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
Hello redefinition,

Thanks for getting back to me! Just some more questions...

If you work 12 hour shifts, that means there are only 3 shifts a week? That is really great!

How much do most nurses make? I'm currently making $22,000 this year. It's not a bad amount (I'm in a Christian school), as a nurse does it go up?

Take care!

Tomasz

Pay depends on the area of specialty and area of the country in which you live. I live in the west(not CA) and am an LPN and, with December's paycheck, will have made over $61,000 this year(of course I do 1-2 overtime shifts a week)--pretty close to what the RNs make in this area of the country. It IS good money but there are a lot of hazards and responsibilities to my job.

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Thanks for the answers everyone! I will check out the international forums as well to hear about nursing in Canada (not that your input if you are not Canadian is any less important).

Drifternurse, you mentioned hazards and responsibilities of the job. What kind of hazards are we talking about? Legal hazards if you make a mistake? Or the possibility of catching a disease?

Locorenzo22, I was thinking of going overseas right after getting a degree, before looking at a hospital in Canada, then coming back looking for work. Do you think a hospital would be keen to hire someone with only student and international experience?

Take care everyone and thank you again!

Tomasz

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Specializes in NICU Level III.
Pay depends on the area of specialty and area of the country in which you live. I live in the west(not CA) and am an LPN and, with December's paycheck, will have made over $61,000 this year(of course I do 1-2 overtime shifts a week)--pretty close to what the RNs make in this area of the country. It IS good money but there are a lot of hazards and responsibilities to my job.

Ditto that. I actually think I've made WAY less than that so far this year, but I don't really do OT.

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