Hello, I'm a 25 yr old male, soon to be 26, currently a project coordinator with a large financial institution, and I am considering switching to the medical field and pursuing nursing. I would like to become a nurse anesthetist, and in the mean time learn and grow as an ICU/ER RN. My current job is simply too boring. The business end does nothing for me, and I feel I am tied to a desk all day. I love helping others, and get great gratification out of this. However, I do have my concerns which I will list below.
*To those who are thinking they see this all the time and this thread is pointless, it's my understanding that the field is constantly changing and I am seeking advice from those who are aware, not those with an ungrounded opinion*
Is the field becoming overpopulated? Will I have issue finding something? Is 26 too old to begin a new career in this?
Is it worth the hard work and dedication to studying? I will be broke, and very busy, from now until I land an RN job...
Are there any benefits to being a male in this profession? Will I catch a lot of crap from females?
How is the stress factor? I heard the reason there are tons of out of shape nurses is because they wear themselves out at work and have no energy when their shift is over.
How is the pay? I've heard decent, however I've also heard starting off it can be rather disappointing.
I understand becoming a CRNA is like going through med school for nurses, and this excites me as I know I am an intelligent person. I am anxiously looking forward to the challenge. With that said, is this a realistic goal?
Thanks in advance to everyone providing feedback! Much appreciated.
Nurses wash, clean, turn, suction secretions, change wounds, clean up vomit plus get scratched, bitten and punched sometimes. It's hard for people in the business sector to understand exactly how much "menial labor" nurses do. Usually in the ICU you will not have a CNA because you will only have 1-3 patients depending on acuity. It's not as structured as in other professional sectors where employees without degrees perform more "manual labor". In nursing you do everything for the patient, whatever needs to get done, you are responsible for doing it. If you don't clean and turn your patient they will develop wounds and maybe become septic and die not to mention your facility will not be reimbursed for any care they received there.
In regards to your main question, you can do it, 26 is not too old. I'm in the Philly area, pay is around $28-$34/hr start, it can take people about 6-8 months after graduation to find a job and you need 1 year of critical care experience to apply for an ICU job. I worked 8 months in an LTACH and got experience with vents and trachs and all that good stuff. It's a hard place to work but I was able to get an ICU job with less than a year of experience in LTACH. As others have mentioned you can get into a nurse residency program, but spots are very limited.
As far as being male, if you act like a duchebag it doesn't matter if you're male or female people won't like you. If you're nice and offer to help people plus take care of your patients people will like you.
So you will need BSN (you will need it for CRNA school anyway so might as well get it right away and make yourself more marketable), get BLS, ACLS, and PALS right when you're done school or before (most employers will pay for it but if you get it before applying for a job you are more marketable), then after you have 1750 critical care hours take your CCRN. As long as you study well and have a good GPA you can at least apply. Realistically if you don't have any degree now it will take you at least 6 years, honestly, plus about 3 more years for CRNA school.
Either way, if you have a dream go for it, if not CRNA there is NP, clin spec, and many other advance nursing degrees that can be obtained and will provide a good living. Good luck.
icu_rn88, BSN, RN
24 Posts
Nurses wash, clean, turn, suction secretions, change wounds, clean up vomit plus get scratched, bitten and punched sometimes. It's hard for people in the business sector to understand exactly how much "menial labor" nurses do. Usually in the ICU you will not have a CNA because you will only have 1-3 patients depending on acuity. It's not as structured as in other professional sectors where employees without degrees perform more "manual labor". In nursing you do everything for the patient, whatever needs to get done, you are responsible for doing it. If you don't clean and turn your patient they will develop wounds and maybe become septic and die not to mention your facility will not be reimbursed for any care they received there.
In regards to your main question, you can do it, 26 is not too old. I'm in the Philly area, pay is around $28-$34/hr start, it can take people about 6-8 months after graduation to find a job and you need 1 year of critical care experience to apply for an ICU job. I worked 8 months in an LTACH and got experience with vents and trachs and all that good stuff. It's a hard place to work but I was able to get an ICU job with less than a year of experience in LTACH. As others have mentioned you can get into a nurse residency program, but spots are very limited.
As far as being male, if you act like a duchebag it doesn't matter if you're male or female people won't like you. If you're nice and offer to help people plus take care of your patients people will like you.
So you will need BSN (you will need it for CRNA school anyway so might as well get it right away and make yourself more marketable), get BLS, ACLS, and PALS right when you're done school or before (most employers will pay for it but if you get it before applying for a job you are more marketable), then after you have 1750 critical care hours take your CCRN. As long as you study well and have a good GPA you can at least apply. Realistically if you don't have any degree now it will take you at least 6 years, honestly, plus about 3 more years for CRNA school.
Either way, if you have a dream go for it, if not CRNA there is NP, clin spec, and many other advance nursing degrees that can be obtained and will provide a good living. Good luck.