Thinking about nursing and have some questions

Cleopf01 · May 3, 2010

I can't answer your questions, but I feel like I can relate a little bit. I dropped out of law school (mid way-thru) this past December to pursue nursing. I also clerked for a law firm for 3 years. People thought I was crazy.... I'm also in Houston.

Last month, I found out I got into UTHSC-H. Woo hoo!

So, what's your story, if you don't mind me asking...

PMFB-RN, RN · May 3, 2010

I have been considering a career switch to nursing (I am currently a lawyer). My ultimate goal would be to pursue a MSN, but in the meantime I need a BSN.

*** There are direct entry MSN programs where you got for about two years and graduate prepared to take the NCLEX. I live in Wisconsin and two I know of are in Minneapolis MN but there are more around the country. Just something to think about. Another thing to think about is that your previous degrees will mean nothing in nursing, at least for the first few years as a bedside nurse. You will be working with RNs who have associates degrees who make more than you and may very well be your boss - preceptor - charge nurse. In nursing how you know what you know isn't very important. What counts is that you know what you are supposed to do. The nursing field cares very little, if at all, for where you went to nursing school.

Since I have decided that my first career choice was the wrong one, I would like as much information as possible before making a second career choice. The problem is this: how do I get real world information about the day-to-day practice of nursing, about specialties, about what to expect working in a hospital versus a doctor's office, etc.?

*** Well asking here is a good start. My other suggestion would be for you to get CNA and work part time as an aid.

In my opinion nursing is a great career field for men. I enjoy it very much.

- Are you an RN or NP?

RN

- What is your specialty?

I work in a combined cardiovascular (open heart surgery), neurosurgery, trauma and medical intensive care unit of a large hospital. It has been my observation that you will find more male RNs in a hospital's ICU than in any other unit with ER being second. Out of 56 RNs in my unit exactly half are men.

- What are your hours? Are they flexible?

*** I am scheduled 36 hours a week in three 12 hour shifts. My hours are not flexible because I want them that way. They could be if I wanted. This is very specific to the unit you work on. One unit may bend over backwards to give you whatever schedule you want and the next unit, maybe in the same hospital, will not be flexible at all. Usually there is all the overtime I want available. I will usually pick up a shift here and there.

- What is the salary range for your specialty?

*** Most RN in a hospital will make the same regardless of their speciality. In the medical center where I work the flight nurses make exactly the same as all the other nurses. Here in the upper mid west hospital RNs make more than nurses who work in nursing homes or doctors offices. It may be different in other areas but usually doctors office nurses make the least.

For the last 3 years I have made $100K - $112K. However, and this is a big however I choose to work an every weekend schedule and so get time and a half for every hour I work. My base pay with an associates degree (I now have a BSN but don't get paid any more for it) and 4 years experience is $35.63 an hour. In most hospitals nurses with BSN and MSN who work as bedside nurses do not get paid any more than associates degree RNs. In those hospitals that do pay more for degree it is usually something very small like 50 cents an hour.

Nurse pay is highly variable depending on where you live. In many places like the south and some parts of the mid west new grads will start around $20 an hour, while in places like the bay area of California new grads will start out at $45 an hour. Nurses get paid for experience, much more so than for formal education.

- What are your likes and dislikes about your specialty? What daily do you find rewarding/stressful? Are you happy?

I very much enjoy ICU nursing. What I like most is the autonomy I get. I pretty much take care of my patients and do what I think is best. Where I work we have a large number of protocols and standing orders that combined with the trusting relationship I have developed with the physicians I work with allows me to pretty much do what I think is best. I also like the fast paced nature and the "you never know what's going to happen next" nature of my unit. I find helping people who are in a very difficult time of their lives very rewarding. For me the most stressful part of my job is dealing with certain types of patient family members.

- If you have experience in another specialty, are there any contrasts between the two that you think are important to know?

*** I have also worked in med-surg. The most striking contrast for me was the level of autonomy. I had MUCH less autonomy as a med-surg nurse. I was pretty much expected to call the physician and get an order for everything. Also the work load. In ICU I never have more than two patients and most of the time I have just one. On med-surg I have 4 or 5 on day sift and up to 8 on night shift.

- What skills/personality traits do you think are vital to success in your specialty?

*** Skills - attention to detail, decision making (often with limited information), communication. Personality traits - assertiveness, confidence, sense of humor.

- Anything you wish you knew before becoming a nurse? Anything else you want to tell me/any other questions I should be asking?

*** For me nursing is a very rewarding field that offers endless opportunities. However in some environments nurses are not respected by the physicians they work with. Being treated rudely and condescendingly by physicians is common in some unit. Not where I currently work but in some. As a bedside RN in most units your influence on the course of treatment is minimal. Not a good field if you are one who wants to "run the show". That said there are some areas, like medical transport and some ICUs and ERs where the nurses are very influential about the course of treatment.

If you have specific questions feel free to ask. You can PM me or ask them here. I think if more men really understood what nursing had to offer there would be a lot more men doing it.

One other thing. You will work night shift, weekends, and holidays. Yes there are jobs out there that do not require those hours but most times they are no open to inexperienced nurses, and they are boring IMO.

ConsideringBSN/MSN · May 4, 2010

Congratulations on your acceptance, Cleopf01! I hope to enroll there in Spring 2012 after I get my prereqs done.

I don't want to give any personal details as I need to remain employed for at least a year.

Do you know any RNs or NPs practicing in Houston that you can direct to this thread to answer my questions? Do you have any advice on getting the kind of information I'm asking for? I've considered contacting UTHSC to see if they would put me in contact with alums, but I'm not sure if they can release contact info. Any thoughts?

ConsideringBSN/MSN · May 4, 2010

Thanks PMFB-RN! That was a very comprehensive answer and I appreciate the effort.

I'm really drawn to critical or emergency care and am glad to hear your positive comments.

Do you work with any NPs? If so to what extent to their duties/responsibilities differ from your own?

Cleopf01 · May 4, 2010

Sorry, I really don't know any UT alum or Houston nurses.

I didn't mean to ask you for personal details--- I just wanted to know why the law isn't for you anymore... I suppose I just wanted to see if we had similar reasons for leaving that field.

When you're ready, I can answer questions about being accepted into UTHSC SON. It's in the top 5% of the nation. It's a very difficult program to get into. We had 1,200 applicants this round. 400 were interviewed, and of those, 130 got in. (50 more students spots were added this semester, because they're trying out the pacesetters program. Normally, it's only 80 acceptances.) You're competing against many whom already hold undergraduate & graduate degrees.

ConsideringBSN/MSN · May 4, 2010

Cleopf01,

As to why I want to quit the practice of law: I'm bored, I spend very little time interacting with clients, and I can't see myself doing this for the rest of my life. I could hack it for another few years but I want to quit soon before I have a child and a mortgage and I get dependant on the money (although it seems that NPs' salaries are competitive with those of young associates).

I had no idea UTHC was so competitive. Do you know if they have information available regarding gpas, test scores, etc. of their admitted students? I've poked around on the website and seen nothing. I need to see if I should look around for safety schools. I was hoping to stay in Houston.

I'm planning on taking my prereqs at HCC to save money. Do you think I should try to get those credits at UH (because it may look more prestigious on a transcript)? My undergrad is from a top tier private university (where I did mediocre) and I went to law school at UH (where I did very well).

Also, did you have any prior healthcare experience? Is that an unstated requirement? When my wife was applying to her graduate program the first time, she got to the interview stage and they told her she needed at least a year of experience in the field before they would accept her.

pdmech73 · May 4, 2010

Pretty interesting switch from law to nursing. I'm currently sitting in my very last lecture of my ADN program (4th semester) right now, and we have a guest speaker who was initially a nurse, attended law school, and deals with medical malpractice now.

Cleopf01 · May 4, 2010

Do you know if they have information available regarding gpas, test scores, etc. of their admitted students?

UT won't factor in your law school gpa. They do factor in your pre-requisite gpa, overall undergraduate GPA (every undergraduate class you've taken in your life), and science GPA. Most people had a pre-requisite gpa & science GPA of 3.5 or over. Overall undergrad GPAs ranged from a 2.95 -4.0. You can check out some of the UT threads to get more specifics on their GPA's. If you are chosen to interview, your competing against others whose GPAs are as good as yours or better.

I'm planning on taking my prereqs at HCC to save money. Do you think I should try to get those credits at UH (because it may look more prestigious on a transcript)?

HCC is fine. I took most of my sciences at Cyfair college and currently am finishing up my last prereq at HCC. Most applicants took their pre-reqs at community colleges, even if they had bachelors' degrees from elsewhere.

Also, did you have any prior healthcare experience? Is that an unstated requirement?

Most people didn't have prior healthcare experience. If anything, it's seen as a plus--not a requirement.

NeoNurseTX, RN · May 10, 2010

I know there are a lot of UTHSC alumni on this forum. I'm a TWU grad (yes, men go there!) so can't help you there. They've changed their admission requirements a lot since I graduated, too.

I worked with a judge before. She volunteered in my NICU and loved what the nurses did so she got an ADN and became one!

arabianeyez83 · May 11, 2010

- Are you an RN or NP?

RN

- What is your specialty?

ER

- What are your hours? Are they flexible?

36 hrs per week. 3 days a week 12 hr shifts..Very flexible..I can work 4 days a week 2 12 hr shift and 2 8 hr shifts.. i can work 5 days a week all 8 hr shifts...I can work 32 hrs 36 hrs or 40 hrs ..all considered full time..I can work 6 days on 8 days off....

- What is the salary range for your specialty?

I live in detroit..as a new grad i made like 23 an hr...Ive been a nurse for almost 4 years and i make now about 27 an hr..I also get a shift differential on nights and weekends..I also get 300 every 3rd paycheck for working evenings.

- What are your likes and dislikes about your specialty?

I love the ER, best decision I made. It's fast paced, exciting, never a dull moment..or if it's getting dull it won't last long.. I work in a level 1 trauma center...on average their are atleast 90-100 pt's in the ER at all times.

What daily do you find rewarding/stressful?

I love helping people...i help a diverse patient population..men, women, old, young...everybody

It can be very stressful, the longer you do it, the better u will cope with the stressful environment...There are nights where i would come home crying..

Are you happy?

Very Happy

- If you have experience in another specialty, are there any contrasts between the two that you think are important to know?

Have only worked ER

- What skills/personality traits do you think are vital to success in your specialty?

It's organized chaos in the ER..You need to know how to prioritize, you need to be a hard worker, more importantly a team worker...you will become part of a family..you have to be there for each other or else things will get out of control really quickly....you have to work well under pressure....you have to be able to work quick and efficiently or u will fall behind...you have to be able to work with all different kind of people. you can't be disgusted by stool, urine, mucous, blood, brains, guts, bone fractures..you'll see everything.

- Anything you wish you knew before becoming a nurse?

If you know what your plans are for the future as far as a master's..I would find a job that would act as a stepping stool...for example..If you want to be a CRNA..I would go to SICU....FNP.. probably the ER would be best..Midwife ..L&D would be best...you get it.

Hope that helped

ConsideringBSN/MSN · May 12, 2010

Thanks, arabianeyez83. Very helpful.