What's nursing school like?

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I'm working on my prereqs and hope to attend a nursing school next fall. What can I expect? Do you feel overwhelmed and outnumbered at times?

Coming from an arts and graphics background, not to mention being a part time ice skating instructor, I got accepted into the nursing program last year. Another year ahead with crossed fingers before an ASN degree. So far it's been a huge effort and whole lot of sacrifices - quitting a full time job, moving back home and now living in a basement with all the noise and lack of sunlight that comes along with. I read on the train ride into Manhattan, I barely see my friends outside of what I have in school and the last time I saw a movie was last Christmas I think.

I learned more from the past year than all the four years in art school. I'm 38 now and there's 11 males in our class of 38. But we all stick together which is not only a great feeling but absolutely necessary to keep your wits and sense of humor through all of this.

Good luck

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It is hard, so take it a day at a time. I often hear people saying that they were going to quit because of the stress. I just try not to let it get to me.

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I'm working on my prereqs and hope to attend a nursing school next fall. What can I expect? Do you feel overwhelmed and outnumbered at times?

I'm the only guy in the class, a crusty 52 y/o sarge with a buzz cut making it on the GI Bill and working security weekends. I went the (more expensive) diploma route 'cause I have zero healthcare exp. and needed the extra clinical hours. Seems overwhelming, but everything gets done (I'm not too old to pull an all-nighter to write 4 papers due the next day). Feel outnumbered? Nah.

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This forum is great. I haven't visited this website for a while and it's good to see this here. I have a BS in biology and have made a decent career in fish and wildlife management but have always been attracted to nursing. I'll start taking a couple of prerequisite classes at the local community college on Sunday afternoon and hope to begin a 2-year second degree program in a year or 2.

I enjoy reading about everyone's views and experiences. Nothing I've read in any of these forums has caused me to doubt that nursing is the right direction for my second career. My primary motivation is travel, possibly international. I was bitten by the travel bug while a Peace Corps Volunteer 10 years ago.

In addition to being male, I'm also Black. I wonder sometimes if this might be scary for a patient that is confused or someone that just doesn't like Black people. I read the comment that everyone that comes into the ER is happy to have help whether you are male or female. Do you think it will make any difference in general?

MJ

Are you Michael Jordan? :chuckle I only teased you about that because of your initials. When you talk about traveling, are you referring to being an "international nurse" of sorts? That would be neat to do, I think. Are you married? Sorry for the personal questions, just trying out different hats here, stuff that I will think about for myself when I get started on the prerequisites for an LPN license.

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My name is Marc and I am thinking about nursing as a profession that will allow me to live and work anywhere in the world. My mother is a med/surg nurse and I've always been attracted to the medical fields. I'd love to work for the Peace Corps but they only hire nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, and medical doctors. Plus, those positions are VERY competitive so I'd need to get some experience in tropical medicine and further my education first. I wouldn't mind working for Catholic Relief Services or something like that. I wouldn't rule out missionary work either but I would want to help meet basic needs as opposed to trying to convert people. Maybe I could work in a refugee camp and eat only what I need to maintain my own health and ability to work for awhile. I was a Peace Corps volunteer so I can live comfortably on very little. Maybe I'll move to Amsterdam and live a good life there instead...

I'm not married so there's nothing keeping me from going anywhere or doing anything except my own comfort zone. I'm 38 and considering a second career. Or is this a mid-life crisis? I'll probably be 40 when I actually start the second degree BSN program.

Good luck to you and travel as much as you can. I travel with just a carryon for a trip of any length. I learned to do that as a PCV but the website http://www.onebag.com is excellent if you want to keep on moving. Life's too short to accumulate and drag baggage!

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Pure hell ... plain and simple.

:banghead:

I concur :yeahthat:

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You'll make it Sarge. Nursing school is kiddy crap compared to the military. The hardest thing for me was to hold my tongue. I was a medic and I wanted to tell these b*7)%$s where they could put their care plans. I hated every minute of nursing school.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Hey!

I am now 26 days away from graduating with my BSN, and I can honestly say that medical school sounds like a walk in the park after 4 years of nursing school. I was one of 6 guys, then 4, 3, now 2. The others faded out either academically, or otherwise. Nursing school is hard! You take the same courses that premed students take, plus all your basic and specialized nursing classes.

I have had some teachers treat me better than my classmates b/c I was a guy, and others give me a heck of a time b/c you could tell they hated men. All you can do is grin and bear it...they hate that! 3 years of clinical went great, except for the lame feminine uniform of see-thru white. We finally got them to let us wear navy scrubs in practicum. You learn more than you ever wanted to know about humans. You see the best and worst side of people. I loved Labor & Delivery, personally, and all you have to do is be cool, walk in and tell them what you're there for, and just be one of the family, and part of their moment. I actually got to be in one family's home video at the birth! Looking back, it seemed like long 4 years, but also a very short 4 years. I love nursing. I always vehemently tell people who demand to know why I'm not a doctor, saying stuff like "you have a great bedside manner" or "you're too smart to be a nurse" that I wouldn't be a doctor for the world. I love my patients, and I love my job. Here I come NICU!!

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Isn't home birth great??? I filmed my best friend's 4th child being born into the world with family and friends waiting to receive him at home. I had watched the videos of her other 3 children being born in hospital and she told me what she liked and didn't like so it turned out to be a fantastic video. I ended it with the latch on to the breast and Mom feeding the baby. The whole experience was a beautiful one. I also convinced her that she shouldn't let a doctor take him into a room where she wouldn't be allowed to go so they could strap him down to a board and cut the end of his member off. She had allowed her first boy to be circumcised. The midwife uses that video to show her expectant mothers what they might expect in a home birth. I got in big trouble for leaving work to be there but I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

I'm not a nurse yet but am looking forward to it! Congrats on finishing your BSN and good luck on the NCLEX.

MJ

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This forum is great. I haven't visited this website for a while and it's good to see this here. I have a BS in biology and have made a decent career in fish and wildlife management but have always been attracted to nursing. I'll start taking a couple of prerequisite classes at the local community college on Sunday afternoon and hope to begin a 2-year second degree program in a year or 2.

I enjoy reading about everyone's views and experiences. Nothing I've read in any of these forums has caused me to doubt that nursing is the right direction for my second career. My primary motivation is travel, possibly international. I was bitten by the travel bug while a Peace Corps Volunteer 10 years ago.

In addition to being male, I'm also Black. I wonder sometimes if this might be scary for a patient that is confused or someone that just doesn't like Black people. I read the comment that everyone that comes into the ER is happy to have help whether you are male or female. Do you think it will make any difference in general?

MJ

I know this is a post from last month but you got me to thinking about something. I was the DON at a SNF and we had one male black nurse and he was great. I've been sitting here trying to determine what made him great and it was his people skills. He had the ability to put anyone at ease just by walking in the room. The issue I am considering in my own mind right now after reading your post is ... did his people skills come because he was male and black and in this field or was it the people skills that led him to nursing. I don't really know.

The SNF was medium size and in 7 years (can't believe I made it through 7 years in a SNF without cutting my own wrists) there was only one patient that I am aware of that said anything inappropriate because the gentleman was black. However, she was also a schizophrenic that happened to believe Jewish lawyers were living in a refrigerator in her head. She is also the one that was outside in the front lawn butt nek'ed mooing like a cow.

Ahhh, the joys of SMIs.

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Thanks for the feedback, Pickles. I suppose that whether it's an Asian, man, woman, or Black person coming into the room, you have to place your confidence in their training and skills. A nurse is a nurse. It then becomes up to the nurse to reassure the patient.

Thanks again. MJ

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What is Nursing School like? OMG, Like nothing you ever experienced before in your life!!! Say good bye to your wife, family, friends, and anyone else that you see on a regular basis. Just remind them that your in Nursing School and you'll be back better than ever in about 2 - 4 years.

It is now Monday 4/18/2005 at 5:33:51 PM

Event: Last Day of School

Scheduled For 5/11/2005 10:30:00 AM

22 days 16 hours 56 minutes 9 seconds or

3 weekends or

23 days or

544 hours (363 waking hours) or

32,696 minutes or

1,961,768 seconds

https://allnurses.com/forums/#

Melody

Does this say it all?

Scott :Melody:

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