What to do, what to do?

[RNoby]

Hello my name is Richard and I am currently working for a DME/Respiratory company in central, FL. I am going through some troubles at work and seriously contemplating leaving. Throughout my time at this company I have worked with insurance companies, doctors, nurses, and most importantly the patients, and I love it. I am the epitome of a busy body and this industry seems to have endless work. I don't mind working every day, as long as there is something to do during the time you are there.

With that said, I am considering becoming a nurse so that I can stay in the industry and obviously because of the job security and benefits that come with it. I know that healthcare is the way to go to have stable life...well as stable as stable can be i guess. So I have some questions that I wanted answered and if you all could help me, I'd appreciate it much.

- Community College/State College vs. Technical School? What is better? Do offices/hospitals prefer one over the other? Obviously the price is a major difference but where will I get the bang for my buck?

- How does the career affect social/home life? Obviously nurses work like slaves due to the hours and workload, but is it a hard thing when you are managing a new marriage and hopefully a kid in the next couple-few years? Im sure any job can interfere with a lifestyle, just didn't know if there were certain points you readers could bring to my attention

- Gender, Gender, Gender...I have read soooo much about this gender conflict and its making me wonder; Is it detrimental to your work performance? Does it ruin your enjoyment of your job? or is it all mindless chatter that a person with a "hide" can brush off and keep trucking? or something that happens until you prove yourself once and stops thereafter?

- We all know companies put the "equal opportunity employer" label on everything, but does gender affect your ability to be hired, or move up the ranks?

Thank you readers for the attention to this post!

Richard N.

[Rob72]

Hi, Richard,
I'm a new AAS, waiting to sit for boards, but I've been in direct care (EMT/AUA/Phleb/Research Coord) for 20 years.
I went to a community college, because 1) shorter program, and 2) offered on-line/evening courses, which allowed me to work full-time and maintain a semblence of family life. Employers won't care too much, at this time, but the big push for BSN as the gold-standard is coming. The Associate degree would hinder you most in future advancement, but once you hire on, many if not most employers will work with you in scheduling and/or tuition assistence for your BSN.

Home life. Any career is what you make it. If your identity is RN/(choose the professional title) that doesn't bode well for family. If you do your job, and can leave it at the door, it really won't be much different than any other job in a tight economy. You may have to do OT/extra shifts, but you'd have to as a mechanic also...

Gender. Are you a jerk? Serious question, there. If you treat everything as a competition, if your male-female social paradigm is "flirtatious", if you are a know-it-all, it can be a big problem. Nursing is very much a Type A personality field, and everyone has their quirks, but if your quirks alienate most of the women on the unit, you won't last long. If you identify strongly with your marriage (don't whine to "the girls"-no offense, ladies- at work because your wife did/doesn't____), if you are willing to work and help when needed, and if you are courteous, it prevents most problems. Other than OB/NICU/Special Needs, I haven't encountered any units where being male was a problem, in and of itself.

If you DTW (Do The Work), you'll have respect, even when you make mistakes. If that isn't the case, that unit or hospital isn't someplace you'd want to be, regardless of gender.

[SoldierNurse]

Welcome Richard & Rob. BTW Rob, that was an awesome reply. Glad to have you come aboard.

Richard, if HR has two applicants, 1 male / 1 female, 9x's out of 10 gender is not a factor in the hiring process. I've been in the healthcare field since 1995; 3 yrs CST, and the rest RN. First, ADN at a Community college, then 6 yrs later completed RN-BSN program. My primary reason for the BSN was R/T requirement in AC (Full-time Active Duty) Army Nurse Corps. Entered RC (Reserve Component) ANC with ADN. However, even in the RC a BSN is required to be promotable to Major (O-4). Of course, as you might expect the male:female RN ratio in the Army Nurse Corps is 35:65. Whereas, 8:92 in the civilian sector. The Army Medical Dept also has Medics & LVNs with more males than females.

So, I'd say ADN via Community College rather than Tech Schools, which are not always accredited. You will find a higher number of males in ED, OR, ICU than male in other nursing fields. More times than not the Head Nurse is female. Regards to shift Charge RN usually depends on the staffing for that particular day. Bottom line, we all (gender, specialty, etc) work as a team. I've never seen or experienced a negative gender bias. Just keep in mind we males don't think like our gender counterparts, and vis versa. So, if you've never worked where the majority is female you will definitely be in uncharted territory. Nonetheless, I have no preference but it is nice when the gender ratio is more balanced on a given shift. BTW, my wife is an civilian RN (ADN) for whatever that's worth in the discussion.

Must close for now but just know far more challenges exist in the healthcare field than just the challenge of being in the minority.

[SoldierNurse]

LOL, I just love it when a thread goes to sleep. Wake-up Richard!

[Teeituptom]

I think he did go to sleep. Probably from worrying to much. Something I have never been accused of. I also think very little of this so called gender conflict. In all these years. I have never been affected by gender conflict. Except for the occasional, nurse who let me know she was attracted to me. Now Im older and that is really no more. The advantage of getting old. But I do not believe in a gender conflict.
It never affected home life. My wife and I have finished raising 7 kids. My golf game has blossomed. And as far as work I can do as much or as little as I desire. I certainly do not worry about it.

[SoldierNurse]

I think he did go to sleep. Probably from worrying to much. Something I have never been accused of. I also think very little of this so called gender conflict. In all these years. I have never been affected by gender conflict. Except for the occasional, nurse who let me know she was attracted to me. Now Im older and that is really no more. The advantage of getting old. But I do not believe in a gender conflict.
It never affected home life. My wife and I have finished raising 7 kids. My golf game has blossomed. And as far as work I can do as much or as little as I desire. I certainly do not worry about it.

LOL, you crack me up.