Is there any male nurses in the state of Florida that can tell me more about what being a male nurse in Floirda is like. Presently, I am completing my prerequisites to attend a nursing program to get my ADN and Rn licensing. Please give me a good overview of whst to expect in Florida as a male nurse. Also give me some of your experiances in nursing school.
Working in a female dominate field does not bother me at all. Where I live presently there is not really any other good jobs besides those in the health care. I though about Physical therapist assistant but the more flexible career options attracted me to the field.
I am particularly looking for male nurses within North and Central Florida. Southern Florida is a whole different atmosphere but if you wish to contribute you can.
I'm in Central Florida too, but in the same boat as you are. I am a male looking to start ADN in the fall. Looking forward to hearing more people contribute their experiences here. You're right as well about job prospects here in this area, nursing seems to be the most in demand.Originally Posted by somekindofstrange
I started my career as a nurse in Florida and had worked there for 15 years before deciding to take some travel positions in order to see if there were any differences in health care practices outside of Florida. Let me congratulate you on your decision to enter the RN program. It has been rewarding to me both financially as well as educationally and I hope it will be for you. The opportunities for growth in this position are excellent since there is a shortage of nurses.You will be afforded the opportunity to practice in many different settings such as OR, ICU, ER and I encourage you to accept the opportunities with an open mind and a willingness to learn. It is quite easy to command an excellent salary if you diversify. Currently, the biggest shortages in this country are in the specialties specifically in ICU and OR. While you are in school I encourage you to think about gearing yourself up for these opportunities by advancing your knowledge beyond what is in the textbooks. I know this is difficult but classes early on in ACLS, PALS, TNCC and other certifications will help you get jobs easier than those without them and will help you to understand the practice of nursing far more in depth than just being in a nursing program. Despite the shortage of nurses, hospitals are not hiring new grads as would be thought. Hospitals do not want to hire new grads because many of them don't want to train nurses who will leave. Hospitals are having a hard time retaining nurses who are often afforded opportunities to jump ship in order to get better salaries, benefits, job opportunities in specializations, etc. You will have to show employers that you are in potential jobs within a specific hospital system for the long haul. I urge you to determine early on what you think you may want to do in the future and have plans on how to get there. Hospitals will often ask you what your long term plans are and it will help you to show them what you want specifically. As far as the differences between male and female nurses in regards to hiring, I honestly don't think there are any anymore. When I first went to school, there may have been some favoritism for the males by female professors since male nurse were few and far between. However, there were also those that hated the guys simply because the RN was seen as a nurturing and females believed that male nurses were not capable of this which is simply not true. There are still some female dominated arenas where men have a hard time being accepted. These areas are OB and pediatrics. Men in these areas are very limited. If you have a passion for these areas be prepared to have a difficult time being accepted. I think it is important to experience these areas since areas such as ER will get both peds and adults. You must have the skills in these areas in order to thrive so do your best to get as much experience as possible. Competition to get into nursing school can be fierce. I don't believe that being a male will get you into nursing school more readily than your counterparts but it I do believe that schools feel that they should admit a few men to avoid discrimination suites so I may be wrong. When you do make it out of school please be aware the you will be in a female dominated profession which makes the atmosphere much different than being in one dominated by men. I hate to say this but the levels of gossip, chatting, nurse bashing and the rest are often associated with female dominated professions and you will have to get used to this. I can truthfully say that I have always tried to avoid these practices and have been seen as a person who is diligent in their work. This work ethic has allowed me the opportunity to be promoted to various high ranking positions. But it was also my job skills that helped me. In regards to Florida, it is well known that it is far more difficult to be a nurse there than anywhere else. In Florida, there are certain practices that still exist there that don't exist anywhere else. For instance, I was always used to taking verbal orders for admission which can be a complicated process. This practice does not exist outside of this state. When I first did a travel job I was shocked! Second, Techs have the ability to help nurses more than elsewhere. Thirdly, many nurses in Florida still draw there own labs, run EKGS and perform various activities that are often given to others such as the lab. As a nurse in Florida, you will probably learn more than you can imagine. It will also make your life far more complicated. I hope that this has given you a broad overview and I hope that it helps you. Good luck.
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