[TheGymNerd]

I am currently going through an Rn program. I am one of a few men in my class. I love the clinical setting
and in a strange way i love to study. Took me along time to get where i am currently at. I've graduated
college and went back. I had to take some of the pre-req's before i applied to the nursing program cause
my current diploma didn't have all of the classes needed. After jumping the pre-req, pre-test, and
numerous hurdles i find myself here now with only year and half left before i become an RN. I feel along
the road i have been doubted along my journey by those closest to me. I have already proved many
wrong with my success. A staple to my endurance to not quit has been weightlifting. Being that i have
weight lifted for 8 years straight, it has show me what it takes to push through and get stuff done. Even
on my most sluggest days where i feel i cant even lift a nickel i was in the gym pouring sweat. I didn't
want to be there on those days. I wanted to be somewhere else. Maybe escaping reality on the internet
, playing a video game, watching tv, who knows where i wanted to be cause sometimes i wouldnt even
know. But there i was, and there is an old saying, friends may come and go but 300lbs is always
300lbs. Back to my main point though, so far it has been alot of hard work in nursing school. I have
passed my nursing classes to this point with flying colors. It wasn't without hard work. I have found
myself reading in my car at wal-mart parking lots under the street lamps at night time, in mall
parking garages, in libraries all around my region, in my room until i fall asleep with my face in the
book, and a few other stranger places i'd rather not mention. I am almost 25 now and just cant wait
to be done and help people during my 9-5. Anyone here going through school to be an RN or finish?

Share your stories please.

[Skittlez]

I'm not personally an RN, but my mother is and I have worked in the health care industry (both for humans and pets!). My mother has worked as a nurse for almost 30 years now, mainly in the psych area but also a bit of neonatal. A lot of people (my grandparents especially) didn't think that she was smart enough to be an RN but she proved them wrong just like it sounds like you will :-P Being an RN can be stressful, and sometimes you work crazy hours, but if you love helping people you won't regret it.


Side note, but why do you type so strangely? You don't have to use enter unless you're marking another paragraph, which are also nice to have :-P

[ddc]

I'm not a nurse, but I work in a hospital and see a lot of nurses.
Some love their jobs, others do not. It's like any other job, I guess.
I just wanted to say that as a new nurse right out of school, you're probably not going to be working 9-5. Most of the nurses (if not all) at the hospital where I work, work 12 hr shifts and you most likely will start out on the night shift.

I think that's one of the drawbacks of healthcare jobs--shift work, working holidays, etc. We just had our extra shift pay cut back

[brownsugah]

RN here. I work on a vascular floor and it took me a long time to be able to say it but now I can honestly say that I like my job. I do three 12-hour night shifts per week and my schedule is awesome. When I started though I worked two 8 and two 12 hour day/eve shifts per week and I hated it. I just could not get used to how hectic our floor was during the day especially for a new grad like myself. Now it is two years later and I feel confident and competent in my capacity. Being a nurse is such a fulfilling and versatile job. I am glad you are a male who wants to be a nurse. We definitely need more of you! Inbox me if you like

[GonnaTurnHeads]

I'm an RN. I've been a nurse for 8 years... I work in a trauma ICU at a large teaching hospital and I did travel nursing for several years.

[murphmitch]

RN for 34 years. I work on Postpartum/Nursery area but worked Med/Surg for 10 years when first out of school. Nursing has afforded me a lot of opportunities and worked well for flexibility when I had little ones at home. Hospital pay is great but not the off shifts or weekend & holiday shifts. Love my job though!

[Determinedat47]

I am a Family Nurse Practitioner. Rn for 20 years then went back to graduate school. Cover Emergency Room and love it.

[RNmomof5]

Ive been a RN for 10 years. Lots of those years spent in ICU/CCU. I currently work in the ER. Great thing about being a RN is all of the different opportunities. If you don't like one area, you can do something else completely different, and have a whole new experience. Good luck!

[Sabletora]

I am a neonatal nurse and love my job and can not imagine being anywhere else. I graduated my nursing program 4 years ago it was a lot of hard work but well worth it. While I was in the program time seemed to move so slowly but now I look back and think wow that went fast.

My advice is to find an area you like and if it is a specialized area (most are now even med/surg) start your specialty courses now. I had several instructors and seasoned nurses tell me that as a new grad I should just start in general nursing and build my assessment skills then specialize I am thankful for their advice but even more thankful I specialized right away.

Assessing a neonate is very different from assessing an adult patient. Had I started in general nursing I feel I would have lost time because of the difference in assessments and would have had to learn general nursing then later learn neonatal nursing.

I love the time I get to spend with my patients and their families. Watching new parents move from being scared to touch their baby to the excitement when discharge comes is very rewarding for me!

You need to do what feels right for you!

It's a wonderful career with many opportunities. Welcome to the wonderful world of nursing!

[JMfan]

This thread is a godsend. I'll be entering nursing school next year and after 2 yrs waiting, I'm still doubtful about the career choice.

[WannaBeLoserAgain]

Night nurse here. Nursing can be very stressful at times. Good organizational and priority skills will keep you ahead of the game.

You will have your good days, steady days, days from H...e...double L, stressful days, crazy days, slow days, and days that drag and other days in-between! You will learn something everyday and you will love the relationships you build with your patients.

Welcome to Nursing!

[Abigail207]

I will be starting my Freshmen/Sophmore year this fall at UMFK. I have been a CNA for 3 and 1/2 years and have been working towards getting into a nursing program for about a year. I love helping people and the variety that nursing will give me, I also love how fast pace it can be. I have hopes of maybe someday being a Nurse practitioner =D!

[loloi2]

I am an LVN, but have been off work on disability since Nov of last year, so I decided to take this time to get my pre-reqs done. Hopefully I will start the lvn/rn bridge next fall. Good luck and dont stress too much!! DDC is correct in that you will prob not be working 9-5, unless you work someplace like Kaiser. But you will get used to those 3 12hour shifts a week, really quick.