career change? electrician to RN? discouraged

I am a 27 year old male who has worked in construction ,as an electrician, for the last 7 years. In high school, I wanted to become a RN. when I went to colllege, I was young and liked to party at the time and didn't do as good in school as I should have. I got my nurse aide liscence and worked as a patient care assistant on a med/surg floor for a couple of months. I was very discouraged with school and work. At work, all I ever did was give baths and change dirty depends. With me being a male alot of female patients didn't want me to to bath them. With this discouragement I left the medical field and went to go work as an electrician. I have been doing this for about 7 years. I enjoy my job, but my body is taking a beating. Two years ago I dislocated 3 vertebre from a fall and just recently I had to have arthoscopic surjury on my knee for torn cartlidge. At this rate by time I'm 50 I'll be in a will chair. I decided it was time for a career change. I have always had a love for the medical field and nursing. My shows are all on discover health channel (the critical hour, trama; life in the ER). I know that I would love to work in the ER. But, I don't know what holding me back. I think I just need some words of encouragement. My wife is currently in her last year of nursing school. She knows I have a love for nursing but she's not giving me the encouragement I need to take the next steps. Anybody out there ever gone through this before? Any words of encouragement?

Your not alone. I'm 24 and have been an auto mechanic for 6 years. I'm going into LPN school in about a month and then onto RN. I did pretty much the same thing in college. You can do it, just be aggresive. It's really hard going from fields like ours into nursing. Everyone tells me I won't be able to do it, at least they did at first now they just don't say anything. Who cares if you don't get the support you need. If it's what you really want to do then go after it. Be selfish and forget about everyone else. I have a 10 month old and if home life starts getting distracting then I told them I'm going to leave until I'm done with school. It's for their own good too. If they can't see that than that's their problem. Go after your goals. Once they are met make new ones. I had goals to reach by the time I was 35 and I completed them when I was 23. Now I get to do even more stuff. You just have to go after it with everything you got. I look at it like mowing grass with a riding mower. If you try to do it at full throttle in 5th gear than it'll get done but something might get missed. Do it at full throttle in 3rd gear and nothing gets missed. Pace yourself and think of the outcome.

I'd hesitate to recommend nursing.

It is highly demanding physically and tough on the body. Unless you planned to go into it for the license, get a few years of experience then move to nonclinical nursing, I don't think you'd want to spend 20 years at the bedside.

Look into it very closely, back injuries are the #1 cause of disability among nurses. With your back already in poor shape, you're asking for trouble.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursefriendly.com

There are many areas of nursing that can be practiced without stressing your back. Diabetic educators are in demand right now, ours is retiring - we are currently looking for a replacement. This job will be offered in house first but if no one is certified it will be offered to the public. Clinic nursing is a great gig Monday to Friday no weekends, holidays, evenings or nights.

Thanks for the info. I am acutually A type 1 diabetic and I'm very educated in this area. I think it would be a rewarding career to being able to work with people that have the same illness as me. I am currently using an insulin pump and would love to educate people on insulin pumps. Not only patients put medical personel too. Thanks again for the input.

I can agree with Mako and the Diabetic Educators. Once you have some experience and bedside skills under your belt, there are lots of opportunities.

You can do Diabetic Education, Continuing Education, Legal Nurse Consulting, Nursing Research and a host of other possibilities that don't involve stressing your back.

You can find more than a few examples of where you can go as a nurse on http://www.nursingentrepreneurs.com it is a directory of nurse owned businesses for those looking to get away from bedside nursing.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com

[QUOTE=dave753]I am a 27 year old male who has worked in construction ,as an electrician.

Dave, I'm a 50 year old electrcal contractor who is starting my first term towards nursing. If I can do it I'm sure you can? Go for it and don't look back!

Hey Kelly Man just checking back to see how the schooling is going? Are you glad you did it now?

I'd like to give my congratulations to the two guys who are looking to go to or are in nursing school. Try not to let anyone discourage you from your interest. To the guy whose wife is a nursing student, does she know that you are sure you really want to do it? It would be surprising to learn that she wouldn't support you in your efforts. It sounds like you're both really motivated and have a lot to offer. There are a variety of alternative training programs in addition to the conventional way. If you have some medical background like I did, consider Excelsior College. I got my nursing degree from there when it was Regents College and was able to do it inside of two years and remain in the full time workforce all the while. We own a home and are raising a family so I had to work. If you have no medical background but have college credits especially sciences and mathematics, they will certainly transfer and shorten your education timeframe. As others have said, there are many career options in the field of nursing and there is definite need in the areas where you each are experienced. Diabetes is an epidemic and educators are in demand. Someone who has lived with diabetes will be extremely effective. Imagine how gratifying it would be to teach someone how to live better using a combination of medical knowledge and personal experience. Healthcare information systems are common. I've discovered that few programs are good, most are just adequate and many are simply poor. A nurse with program design experience might be able to write a program that operates the way that a nurse delivers care. My background is in respiratory care and I went into nursing because I was frustrated with such a limited scope of practice. I liked the life support management and critical care so currently I work in ICU. I plan to go into advanced practice and do anesthesia when I am able to go part time and sit in the classroom. I'd like to take a minute and focus on the physical aspect of nursing. The job is indeed physically challenging and it is true that back injury is common. What you haven't been told is that there is mandatory education annually on the subject of injury prevention and all necessary equipment for patient mobility is provided in the workplace. Those injuries you hear about are completely preventable. Nurses are busy people and there is a lot of short- cut taking especially when it requires taking a minute or two to get the proper equipment. I injured my back as a teenager while working in landscaping and again later in a rear-end collision. That was over twenty years ago and I have worked in healthcare all that while. I'm also the big guy that everyone gets to help move the large patients. Thankfully good rehabilitation and good education have enabled me to remain injury free. I'm stronger than I've ever been because I work out daily and even lift weights. As you can see, there are ways around your personal limitations. Go for your goals and please make it nursing. The field needs good people and you both sound like you would be great.

Another guy in the field.

mako2004 wrote:There are many areas of nursing that can be practiced without stressing your back. Diabetic educators are in demand right now, ours is retiring - we are currently looking for a replacement. This job will be offered in house first but if no one is certified it will be offered to the public. Clinic nursing is a great gig Monday to Friday no weekends, holidays, evenings or nights.

Once you've got some experience under your belt, preferably acute care hospital, you can go literally anywhere with the experience. Go work in a public health clinic, work for a home health agency, sign on with an insurance company doing case management (no patient lifting, etc).

You can also go the entrepreneur route and start your own business. Lots of possibilities out there. See: http://www.nursingentrepreneurs.com

I'd think long and hard on what you want to do with nursing. Find out if it is really for you. Try reading "Nurses' Views of The Nursing Profession" http://www.nursefriendly.com/views

They give strong arguments for and against going into nursing.

Hope that is helpful to you.

Andrew Lopez, RN
Nursing Associations, Degree Programs Online, Jokes, Schools, Scrubs & More
http://www.4nursing.com

[QUOTE=dave753]

Your life closely parallels mine. I also had too good a time in school and didn't go back to finish my degree for ten years. Without going into detail, I went back to school after a friend of mine encouraged me to go back and finish my degree. I'm 63 now and when I started LVN school(with the intention of going on for my BSN), I was not able to because my wife had a stroke at the time but I've made the most of my nursing. We went to California where the pay was better and for a change of scenery. I've always gone for the best pay while doing quality nursing. So don't become discouraged, psych yourself into doing what you have a passion for. In other words, set goals for yourself. This will get you out of your discouragement because you now have something to shoot for; like a dream you wish to attain. Get tunnel vision, don't allow outside influences to dictate your life. I am now making 30.00/hr and with overtime, and expect to make over 100.000 this year. Good luck to you, make it happen.

[QUOTE=savageone]

dave753 wrote:Your life closely parallels mine. I also had too good a time in school and didn't go back to finish my degree for ten years. Without going into detail, I went back to school after a friend of mine encouraged me to go back and finish my degree. I'm 63 now and when I started LVN school(with the intention of going on for my BSN), I was not able to because my wife had a stroke at the time but I've made the most of my nursing. We went to California where the pay was better and for a change of scenery. I've always gone for the best pay while doing quality nursing. So don't become discouraged, psych yourself into doing what you have a passion for. In other words, set goals for yourself. This will get you out of your discouragement because you now have something to shoot for; like a dream you wish to attain. Get tunnel vision, don't allow outside influences to dictate your life. I am now making 30.00/hr and with overtime, and expect to make over 100.000 this year. Good luck to you, make it happen.

Excellent advice!

BTW, I was an aircraft electrician & com/nav tech on F-4 Phantoms in the USMC from 1980-1988. After doing similar as a civilian from 1988-1992 I decided to make a career change. I went to college for the first time [in my early 30's!] with the healthcare profession in mind. Now have three degrees [AAS CST, AAS Nsg (ADN), and BSN] and very happy to be an active duty Soldier Nurse.

I was a carpenter for almost 20 years before beginning nursing school when I was 35. Like so many other men have reported, I had a number of negative experiences stemming from my gender. And studying was unbelievably hard. I had to work full-time as I went to school but I did it and kept a B+ average.
Now, it's 18 years later and I'm still an R.N. and often do more good in a day than some do in a lifetime.
The people who graduated and passed the Boards were the ones who simply stuck it out, even when they felt discouraged and scared and exhausted. You will experience combinations of those feelings all through your career so learn to deal with them. Nurses got to be tough.
I still encounter incidences of gender bias but I don't focus on them and my defense is to be really good at my job and of value to my employer.
Nursing is still a woman's profession and I've tried to see the world through their eyes and communicate with them in ways that work for both of us. Women have taught me a great deal about compassion and have helped me more clearly see my own. Along the way some women have been exposed a part of manhood that goes beyond current stereotypes.

Just my 2 cents - hope it helps.

Sailorbob wrote:I was a carpenter for almost 20 years before beginning nursing school when I was 35. Like so many other men have reported, I had a number of negative experiences stemming from my gender. And studying was unbelievably hard. I had to work full-time as I went to school but I did it and kept a B+ average.
Now, it's 18 years later and I'm still an R.N. and often do more good in a day than some do in a lifetime.
The people who graduated and passed the Boards were the ones who simply stuck it out, even when they felt discouraged and scared and exhausted. You will experience combinations of those feelings all through your career so learn to deal with them. Nurses got to be tough.
I still encounter incidences of gender bias but I don't focus on them and my defense is to be really good at my job and of value to my employer.
Nursing is still a woman's profession and I've tried to see the world through their eyes and communicate with them in ways that work for both of us. Women have taught me a great deal about compassion and have helped me more clearly see my own. Along the way some women have been exposed a part of manhood that goes beyond current stereotypes.

Just my 2 cents - hope it helps.

Hey SailorBob,


Thanks for your post. I like to read the "why I became a nurse" stories but being a man, I tend to focus more on the ones from other men. So many men are in nursing as a subsequent career and it's always interesting to read about their reasons for choosing nursing and once inside, what it's like for them to work in the profession. I really like two points that you made in your last paragraph. You spoke about how you've learned about compassion and more importantly, your own ability to be compassionate and that you were able to demonstrate aspects of masculinity that go against stereotype thereby, breaking down some barriers. In writing this, I think you did a lot for promoting awareness of how men and women can both teach and learn from and about the other. There is so much negative written about this subject, thanks for a really powerful positive.

R

Good new posts on this subject. I have had several excellent women role models in my nursing career.....I have learned much from women when it comes to demonstrating a good bedside manner....how to relate to patients.........you can't learn to be compassionate......you're either a compassionate person or you aren't.....as people grow older though, especially males you tend to "change your ways".......most people become more liberal shall we say and tend to live and let live......I went from chasing submarines to being a nurse.....some of my old friends couldn't understand how I could "do that".........It took a few years but I found my niche.......Nursing has about a million "niches".....everyone should be able to find theirs eventually......Nursing offers terrific career opportunities and excellent money........men just need to have the mental capacity to get past the stereotypes and do what's right for them.......there's a lot of narrow mined people in the world......:luck:

Ricu wrote:I'd like to give my congratulations to the two guys who are looking to go to or are in nursing school. Try not to let anyone discourage you from your interest. To the guy whose wife is a nursing student, does she know that you are sure you really want to do it? It would be surprising to learn that she wouldn't support you in your efforts. It sounds like you're both really motivated and have a lot to offer. There are a variety of alternative training programs in addition to the conventional way. If you have some medical background like I did, consider Excelsior College. I got my nursing degree from there when it was Regents College and was able to do it inside of two years and remain in the full time workforce all the while. We own a home and are raising a family so I had to work. If you have no medical background but have college credits especially sciences and mathematics, they will certainly transfer and shorten your education timeframe. As others have said, there are many career options in the field of nursing and there is definite need in the areas where you each are experienced. Diabetes is an epidemic and educators are in demand. Someone who has lived with diabetes will be extremely effective. Imagine how gratifying it would be to teach someone how to live better using a combination of medical knowledge and personal experience. Healthcare information systems are common. I've discovered that few programs are good, most are just adequate and many are simply poor. A nurse with program design experience might be able to write a program that operates the way that a nurse delivers care. My background is in respiratory care and I went into nursing because I was frustrated with such a limited scope of practice. I liked the life support management and critical care so currently I work in ICU. I plan to go into advanced practice and do anesthesia when I am able to go part time and sit in the classroom. I'd like to take a minute and focus on the physical aspect of nursing. The job is indeed physically challenging and it is true that back injury is common. What you haven't been told is that there is mandatory education annually on the subject of injury prevention and all necessary equipment for patient mobility is provided in the workplace. Those injuries you hear about are completely preventable. Nurses are busy people and there is a lot of short- cut taking especially when it requires taking a minute or two to get the proper equipment. I injured my back as a teenager while working in landscaping and again later in a rear-end collision. That was over twenty years ago and I have worked in healthcare all that while. I'm also the big guy that everyone gets to help move the large patients. Thankfully good rehabilitation and good education have enabled me to remain injury free. I'm stronger than I've ever been because I work out daily and even lift weights. As you can see, there are ways around your personal limitations. Go for your goals and please make it nursing. The field needs good people and you both sound like you would be great.

Another guy in the field.

Paragraphs, guys! Paragraphs are good. :eek:

its pretty simple. if you want to be a nurse you can. if you are worried about having options/choices nursing will provide it for you. i am very glad i became a nurse. i am able to support my family, enjoy my hobbies and past times, and save for the future. all of which are important to me in deciding on a career. i've been in nursing for about 6 yrs now and id have to say coworkers are the worst part of my job. as a male you will be faced with patients that allow or dont allow you to treat them dont worry they will be treated. its not anything against you its just thats how some people are. oh yeah and being a nurse has really helped with the ladies too. unlike what someone said above, i wasnt born in touch with my feelings but nursing has helped me locate those feelings and it helps with more than just treating the patient.:)

ps initially i went into nursing for the money but after working in the alzheimers dept as my 1st nursing job i realized this was my calling

Please don't allow us to scare you off. We as men in nursing have had a lot of bad experiences; most start with "Look here comes MUSCLES", or some such steriotypical retort. I personaly have had a fiew setbacks in my time as a nurse. I broke my neck on the farm just after graduating from Nursing School and had to have surgery to correct the problem. I had a great doctor, ("I was walking about two hours after leaving PACU (post anisthesia care unit) much to the surprise of my attending nurses)" that said, you can do anything you set your mind to and with most facilities becoming "No Lift" you shouldn't have much problem. I was a heavy equipment mechanic for 17 years and spent time in the U S Navy before setting out to become a nurse. Now that I am it is clear to me this is the field I should have chosen many years ago, for I too wanted to go down that road after high school but listened to REASON as my guidence counselor called it and wasted twenty years. DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED. As for your wife don't expect her to be overjoyed with your decision, "mine wasn't" she felt I was stepping on her toes. If she is behind you from the getgo great but don't count on it. My wife finaly came around when it was evident that this was what I was called to do with my life. We now have a wonderful relationship where we can actualy talk about work and understand each other. "A very rare thing in maried life today, or so I understand."
Please don't give up, We need you. :luck: