Dear John,

If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?

Have you been a Nurse for a long time? Do you have a specialty or
favorite part?


Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
towards an RN program right now. I'm always interested in what other
nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
are also men.

Thanks!

-J



p.s., I seem to have a hard time making decent coffee lately too. I
can't tell if the fact that I drink mostly tea now is either cause or
effect.

On Oct 27, 10:48*pm, phaeton > wrote:
> Dear John,
>
> If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?

My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.


> Have you been a Nurse for a long time? *

No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
license.


>Do you have a specialty or favorite part?

So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
have a job now.


> Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> towards an RN program right now. *I'm always interested in what other
> nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> are also men.

Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
Licensed Practical Nurse.

But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
and learning things every day.

There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
nurses are still female though.


> p.s., I seem to have a hard time making decent coffee lately too. *I
> can't tell if the fact that I drink mostly tea now is either cause or
> effect.

Oh, I can make a VERY decent cup of coffee! Been doing it for years
now. I just got a grinder after using an effective "coffee slicer" for
years.

John Kuthe...

On 10/28/2011 10:15 AM, John Kuthe wrote:

> So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
> most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
> nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
> have a job now.

This might sound funny, but check Lockheed Martin for nursing jobs.

On 10/28/2011 8:48 PM, Cheryl wrote:
> On 10/28/2011 10:15 AM, John Kuthe wrote:
>
>> So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
>> most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
>> nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
>> have a job now.
>
> This might sound funny, but check Lockheed Martin for nursing jobs.

I was an RN in nursing homes for years. I enjoyed it. Saw a lot of
changes over those couple of decades!

On Oct 28, 10:15*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Oct 27, 10:48*pm, phaeton > wrote:
>
> > Dear John,
>
> > If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?
>
> My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
> licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
> after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.
>
> > Have you been a Nurse for a long time? *
>
> No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
> accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
> already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
> in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
> state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
> license.
>
> >Do you have a specialty or favorite part?
>
> So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
> most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
> nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
> have a job now.
>
> > Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> > towards an RN program right now. *I'm always interested in what other
> > nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> > are also men.
>
> Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
> you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
> NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
> easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
> Licensed Practical Nurse.
>
> But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
> with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
> nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
> and learning things every day.
>
> There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
> class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
> nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
> nurses are still female though.
>
> > p.s., I seem to have a hard time making decent coffee lately too. *I
> > can't tell if the fact that I drink mostly tea now is either cause or
> > effect.
>
> Oh, I can make a VERY decent cup of coffee! Been doing it for years
> now. I just got a grinder after using an effective "coffee slicer" for
> years.
>
> John Kuthe...

I could say something unkind about having 3 very marketable degrees
and winding up working in a nursing home, but I know all about
circumstances, etc. What I would say, most sincerely, is that with
your education even a couple of years of real nursing experience would
make you a VERY desirable hire as an IT person in the area of
electronic medical records. Epic is the big push right now and people
are tripling their salaries by switching into IT. Hospital IT
departments LOVE nurses.

As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing. And
as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
Many of them wind up as VPs.

On 10/29/2011 11:11 AM, BillyZoom wrote:
>
> As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
> can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing. And
> as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
> Many of them wind up as VPs.

As an added bonus, male nurses can get away with things that female ones
cannot. Yay! (-:

On Oct 29, 4:31*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
> On 10/29/2011 11:11 AM, BillyZoom wrote:
>
>
>
> > As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
> > can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing. And
> > as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
> > Many of them wind up as VPs.
>
> As an added bonus, male nurses can get away with things that female ones
> cannot. Yay! (-:

Like what?

John Kuthe...

On 10/29/2011 1:26 PM, John Kuthe wrote:
> On Oct 29, 4:31 pm, > wrote:
>> On 10/29/2011 11:11 AM, BillyZoom wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
>>> can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing. And
>>> as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
>>> Many of them wind up as VPs.
>>
>> As an added bonus, male nurses can get away with things that female ones
>> cannot. Yay! (-:
>
> Like what?
>
> John Kuthe...

Beats the heck out of me, that's just what my wife says. OTOH, my guess
is that she knows what she's talking about.

On 10/29/2011 3:11 PM, BillyZoom wrote:

> I could say something unkind about having 3 very marketable degrees
> and winding up working in a nursing home, but I know all about
> circumstances, etc. What I would say, most sincerely, is that with
> your education even a couple of years of real nursing experience would
> make you a VERY desirable hire as an IT person in the area of
> electronic medical records. Epic is the big push right now and people
> are tripling their salaries by switching into IT. Hospital IT
> departments LOVE nurses.

But nurses don't love IT and EMRs. And how long will it be before
medical/hospital IT departments have to scale back, insist on degrees in
IT, incorporate general facility IT, and push the nurses out. Think it
won't happen? Hah!!




> As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
> can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing.


Don't bet on that. Although there hasn't been a "nursing shortage" for a
few years now, employers and nursing schools still say that there is and
they use it to justify their odd recruitment practices. In the last
year, there's been another push to bring in foreign nurses to work in U.
S. healthcare, using the nursing shortage lie. Meanwhile, employed
nurses are being cut back or laid off outright, and employers hire less
expensive foreign nurses or middling-experienced newer nurses whose pay
rates are still low. There are many, many, many nurses in the U.S. who
cannot find reliable work, and who have to hang onto whatever work they
find by their fingernails while employers remind them to show some
gratitude for the crumbs they get or talk a walk. That's as close to
off-shoring as it gets in nursing, and damn! It's pretty close!!




> And
> as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
> Many of them wind up as VPs.

As VPs of what?

On Oct 29, 6:26*pm, Pennyaline >
wrote:
> On 10/29/2011 3:11 PM, BillyZoom wrote:
>
> > I could say something unkind about having 3 very marketable degrees
> > and winding up working in a nursing home, but I know all about
> > circumstances, etc. What I would say, most sincerely, is that with
> > your education even a couple of years of real nursing experience would
> > make you a VERY desirable hire as an IT person in the area of
> > electronic medical records. Epic is the big push right now and people
> > are tripling their salaries by switching into IT. Hospital IT
> > departments LOVE nurses.
>
> But nurses don't love IT and EMRs. And how long will it be before
> medical/hospital IT departments have to scale back, insist on degrees in
> IT, incorporate general facility IT, and push the nurses out. Think it
> won't happen? Hah!!
>
> > As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
> > can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing.
>
> Don't bet on that. Although there hasn't been a "nursing shortage" for a
> few years now, employers and nursing schools still say that there is and
> they use it to justify their odd recruitment practices. In the last
> year, there's been another push to bring in foreign nurses to work in U.
> S. healthcare, using the nursing shortage lie. Meanwhile, employed
> nurses are being cut back or laid off outright, and employers hire less
> expensive foreign nurses or middling-experienced newer nurses whose pay
> rates are still low. There are many, many, many nurses in the U.S. who
> cannot find reliable work, and who have to hang onto whatever work they
> find by their fingernails while employers remind them to show some
> gratitude for the crumbs they get or talk a walk. That's as close to
> off-shoring as it gets in nursing, and damn! It's pretty close!!
>
> > And
> > as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
> > Many of them wind up as VPs.
>
> As VPs of what?

Nursing
Operations
IT

On Oct 29, 6:26*pm, Pennyaline >
wrote:
> On 10/29/2011 3:11 PM, BillyZoom wrote:
>
> > I could say something unkind about having 3 very marketable degrees
> > and winding up working in a nursing home, but I know all about
> > circumstances, etc. What I would say, most sincerely, is that with
> > your education even a couple of years of real nursing experience would
> > make you a VERY desirable hire as an IT person in the area of
> > electronic medical records. Epic is the big push right now and people
> > are tripling their salaries by switching into IT. Hospital IT
> > departments LOVE nurses.ink that
>
> But nurses don't love IT and EMRs. And how long will it be before
> medical/hospital IT departments have to scale back, insist on degrees in
> IT, incorporate general facility IT, and push the nurses out. Think it
> won't happen? Hah!!
>

I work in an IT department in Healthcare. I have for 20 years. No
nurse I've met ever went back to nursing after getting into IT.
Further, of the 100+ employees in our department, only a handful, like
me, have an IT degree. And it doesn't buy me squat. We have pharmacy
techs, radiology techs, nurses - all working in IT. Making far more
than they would have. I didn't say nurses love IT and EMRs, but the
person I was replying to has an IT degree, so I wouldn't that is an
issue. And if you think medical IT is scaling back you're deranged.

> > As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
> > can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing.
>
> Don't bet on that. Although there hasn't been a "nursing shortage" for a
> few years now, employers and nursing schools still say that there is and
> they use it to justify their odd recruitment practices. In the last
> year, there's been another push to bring in foreign nurses to work in U.
> S. healthcare, using the nursing shortage lie. Meanwhile, employed
> nurses are being cut back or laid off outright, and employers hire less
> expensive foreign nurses or middling-experienced newer nurses whose pay
> rates are still low. There are many, many, many nurses in the U.S. who
> cannot find reliable work, and who have to hang onto whatever work they
> find by their fingernails while employers remind them to show some
> gratitude for the crumbs they get or talk a walk. That's as close to
> off-shoring as it gets in nursing, and damn! It's pretty close!!

Like all professions, local demand is quirky. If you're willing to
relocate, you can have a job tomorrow. IF you have a BSN. Bet against
me and I'll meet you in HR at your orientation. Put up or shut up.
Wait a minute...aren't you the dumbass who can't figure out facebook?
Never mind. Go back to the hardware store.

>
> > And
> > as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
> > Many of them wind up as VPs.
>
> As VPs of what?

On Oct 29, 4:11*pm, BillyZoom > wrote:
> On Oct 28, 10:15*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Oct 27, 10:48*pm, phaeton > wrote:
>
> > > Dear John,
>
> > > If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?
>
> > My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
> > licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
> > after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.
>
> > > Have you been a Nurse for a long time? *
>
> > No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
> > accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
> > already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
> > in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
> > state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
> > license.
>
> > >Do you have a specialty or favorite part?
>
> > So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
> > most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
> > nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
> > have a job now.
>
> > > Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> > > towards an RN program right now. *I'm always interested in what other
> > > nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> > > are also men.
>
> > Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
> > you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
> > NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
> > easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
> > Licensed Practical Nurse.
>
> > But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
> > with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
> > nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
> > and learning things every day.
>
> > There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
> > class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
> > nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
> > nurses are still female though.
>
> > > p.s., I seem to have a hard time making decent coffee lately too. *I
> > > can't tell if the fact that I drink mostly tea now is either cause or
> > > effect.
>
> > Oh, I can make a VERY decent cup of coffee! Been doing it for years
> > now. I just got a grinder after using an effective "coffee slicer" for
> > years.
>
> > John Kuthe...
>
> I could say something unkind about having 3 very marketable degrees
> and winding up working in a nursing home, but I know all about
> circumstances, etc. What I would say, most sincerely, is that with
> your education even a couple of years of real nursing experience would
> make you a VERY desirable hire as an IT person in the area of
> electronic medical records. Epic is the big push right now and people
> are tripling their salaries by switching into IT. Hospital IT
> departments LOVE nurses.

Yeah yeah yeah. SHOW me the jobs!!


> As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
> can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing. And
> as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
> Many of them wind up as VPs.

It was 2 *pages* of want-ads several years ago that was the trigger
that sent me towards nursing. But nursing like every other job market
has it's high and low cycles for hiring. When I saw those 2 pages of
ads, nursing was on a hiring frenzy. Anyone with an RN could get a
job. Now, not so much.


John Kuthe...

On Oct 29, 7:25*pm, John Kuthe > wrote:
> On Oct 29, 4:11*pm, BillyZoom > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Oct 28, 10:15*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
>
> > > On Oct 27, 10:48*pm, phaeton > wrote:
>
> > > > Dear John,
>
> > > > If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?
>
> > > My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
> > > licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
> > > after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.
>
> > > > Have you been a Nurse for a long time? *
>
> > > No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
> > > accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
> > > already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
> > > in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
> > > state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
> > > license.
>
> > > >Do you have a specialty or favorite part?
>
> > > So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
> > > most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
> > > nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
> > > have a job now.
>
> > > > Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> > > > towards an RN program right now. *I'm always interested in what other
> > > > nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> > > > are also men.
>
> > > Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
> > > you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
> > > NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
> > > easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
> > > Licensed Practical Nurse.
>
> > > But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
> > > with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
> > > nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
> > > and learning things every day.
>
> > > There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
> > > class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
> > > nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
> > > nurses are still female though.
>
> > > > p.s., I seem to have a hard time making decent coffee lately too. *I
> > > > can't tell if the fact that I drink mostly tea now is either cause or
> > > > effect.
>
> > > Oh, I can make a VERY decent cup of coffee! Been doing it for years
> > > now. I just got a grinder after using an effective "coffee slicer" for
> > > years.
>
> > > John Kuthe...
>
> > I could say something unkind about having 3 very marketable degrees
> > and winding up working in a nursing home, but I know all about
> > circumstances, etc. What I would say, most sincerely, is that with
> > your education even a couple of years of real nursing experience would
> > make you a VERY desirable hire as an IT person in the area of
> > electronic medical records. Epic is the big push right now and people
> > are tripling their salaries by switching into IT. Hospital IT
> > departments LOVE nurses.
>
> Yeah yeah yeah. SHOW me the jobs!!
>
> > As for male nurses, in this economy it's about the smartest thing you
> > can go into, male or female. Nobody is going to offshore nursing. And
> > as I've alluded to, starting out as a nurse is just the beginning.
> > Many of them wind up as VPs.
>
> It was 2 *pages* of want-ads several years ago that was the trigger
> that sent me towards nursing. But nursing like every other job market
> has it's high and low cycles for hiring. When I saw those 2 pages of
> ads, nursing was on a hiring frenzy. Anyone with an RN could get a
> job. Now, not so much.
>
> John Kuthe...

Hmmm, Well, you're right to a certain extent. 2-3 years ago was a
frenzy. But you should still be fine, especially if you're willing to
relocate. And your degrees don't hurt. Don't go by or use want ads.
You HAVE to go directly to the sites of the places you want to work
for. There is no reason you should be working in a Nursing Home with
your qualifications, although I'm sure they're happy to have you.

On Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:45:01 -0700 (PDT), BillyZoom
> wrote:

> Hmmm, Well, you're right to a certain extent. 2-3 years ago was a
> frenzy. But you should still be fine, especially if you're willing to
> relocate. And your degrees don't hurt. Don't go by or use want ads.
> You HAVE to go directly to the sites of the places you want to work
> for. There is no reason you should be working in a Nursing Home with
> your qualifications, although I'm sure they're happy to have you.

Isn't the entire field of healthcare expanding to accommodate the
aging population?

--
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.

On Oct 29, 4:11*pm, BillyZoom > wrote:
> On Oct 28, 10:15*am, John Kuthe > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Oct 27, 10:48*pm, phaeton > wrote:
>
> > > Dear John,
>
> > > If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?
>
> > My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
> > licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
> > after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.
>
> > > Have you been a Nurse for a long time? *
>
> > No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
> > accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
> > already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
> > in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
> > state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
> > license.
>
> > >Do you have a specialty or favorite part?
>
> > So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
> > most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
> > nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
> > have a job now.
>
> > > Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> > > towards an RN program right now. *I'm always interested in what other
> > > nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> > > are also men.
>
> > Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
> > you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
> > NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
> > easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
> > Licensed Practical Nurse.
>
> > But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
> > with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
> > nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
> > and learning things every day.
>
> > There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
> > class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
> > nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
> > nurses are still female though.
>
> > > p.s., I seem to have a hard time making decent coffee lately too. *I
> > > can't tell if the fact that I drink mostly tea now is either cause or
> > > effect.
>
> > Oh, I can make a VERY decent cup of coffee! Been doing it for years
> > now. I just got a grinder after using an effective "coffee slicer" for
> > years.
>
> > John Kuthe...
>
> I could say something unkind about having 3 very marketable degrees
> and winding up working in a nursing home, but I know all about
> circumstances, etc. What I would say, most sincerely, is that with
> your education even a couple of years of real nursing experience would
> make you a VERY desirable hire as an IT person in the area of
> electronic medical records. Epic is the big push right now and people
> are tripling their salaries by switching into IT. Hospital IT
> departments LOVE nurses.
>
I've told John similar things. His bachelor's degrees in CS/EE are
from a prestigious
university (Washington University in St. Louis). A few years of
working as a nurse, and
he could well find himself in a better position. He's certainly got
the work ethic.

--Bryan

"John Kuthe" > wrote in message
...
On Oct 27, 10:48 pm, phaeton > wrote:
> Dear John,
>
> If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?

My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.


> Have you been a Nurse for a long time?

No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
license.


>Do you have a specialty or favorite part?

So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
have a job now.


> Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> towards an RN program right now. I'm always interested in what other
> nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> are also men.

Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
Licensed Practical Nurse.

But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
and learning things every day.

There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
nurses are still female though.


> p.s., I seem to have a hard time making decent coffee lately too. I
> can't tell if the fact that I drink mostly tea now is either cause or
> effect.

Oh, I can make a VERY decent cup of coffee! Been doing it for years
now. I just got a grinder after using an effective "coffee slicer" for
years.

John Kuthe...

"With your credentials, in a small town with a very severe nursing shortage
would you be able to get a position as an intensive care unit nurse ?

Kent

On Oct 29, 7:35*pm, "Kent" > wrote:
> "John Kuthe" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On Oct 27, 10:48 pm, phaeton > wrote:
>
> > Dear John,
>
> > If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?
>
> My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
> licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
> after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.
>
> > Have you been a Nurse for a long time?
>
> No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
> accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
> already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
> in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
> state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
> license.
>
> >Do you have a specialty or favorite part?
>
> So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
> most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
> nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
> have a job now.
>
> > Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> > towards an RN program right now. I'm always interested in what other
> > nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> > are also men.
>
> Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
> you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
> NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
> easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
> Licensed Practical Nurse.
>
> But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
> with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
> nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
> and learning things every day.
>
> There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
> class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
> nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
> nurses are still female though.
>

>
> "With your credentials, in a small town with a very severe nursing shortage
> would you be able to get a position as an intensive care unit nurse ?

Many nurses don't want to be in a position where they are some
doctor's bitch. A friend of mine started out working for the VNA, then
became a public health nurse. For years now, she has been working with
pregnant women -- what to expect, infant and child care, etc. Never
has she worked for a doctor.

On Oct 29, 10:11*pm, spamtrap1888 > wrote:
> On Oct 29, 7:35*pm, "Kent" > wrote:
>
>
>
> > "John Kuthe" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> > On Oct 27, 10:48 pm, phaeton > wrote:
>
> > > Dear John,
>
> > > If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?
>
> > My nursing degree is BSN, Bachelors of Science in Nursing. I'm a
> > licensed registered nurse (RN) because I passed the NCLEX-RN exam
> > after achieving my BSN. So I can sign my name as John Kuthe, BSN, RN.
>
> > > Have you been a Nurse for a long time?
>
> > No, I went to nursing school 2 years ago, and went through an
> > accelerated BSN program, which are programs offered to people who
> > already have a BS degree in some other area. (I also have BS degrees
> > in CS or Computer Science and EE or Electrical Engineering.) I passed
> > state boards (the NCLEX-RN exam) last Sept, which gave me my RN
> > license.
>
> > >Do you have a specialty or favorite part?
>
> > So far I've only worked in "nursing homes", which is not at all the
> > most high tech or most glamorous nursing job, but they are the only
> > nursing jobs i was able to get. That's OK though, cause at least I
> > have a job now.
>
> > > Just curious, as someone who is working his way through the congestion
> > > towards an RN program right now. I'm always interested in what other
> > > nurses have to say about school and work, especially from nurses who
> > > are also men.
>
> > Nursing school is designed for one thing and one thing only: to allow
> > you to pass the state boards exam, known as the NCLEX exam. There's an
> > NCLEX-RN which if you pass, you become a licensed RN, There's also an
> > easier NCLEX-LPN, which allows you to become a licensed LPN or
> > Licensed Practical Nurse.
>
> > But nursing school does not teach you how to be a nurse. That comes
> > with nursing experience. You have to have the license to work as a
> > nurse (RN or LPN) but you learn nursing on the job. And I'm very new,
> > and learning things every day.
>
> > There are more and more male nurses too. My accelerated nursing school
> > class had many males in it. Where I'm working now has at least 4 male
> > nurses, me and three others I can think of. The preponderance of
> > nurses are still female though.
>
> > "With your credentials, in a small town with a very severe nursing shortage
> > would you be able to get a position as an intensive care unit nurse ?
>
> Many nurses don't want to be in a position where they are some
> doctor's bitch. A friend of mine started out working for the VNA, then
> became a public health nurse. For years now, she has been working with
> pregnant women -- what to expect, infant and child care, etc. Never
> has she worked for a doctor.

These days a nurse should never be a "doctor's bitch". Nursing today
is a profession unto itself, where MDs, RNs, CNAs, CMTs, dietary,
therapy, etc. all form integral parts of the health care team. The MD
is the captain of the ship, but the *patient* steers it and is the
ultimate "boss".

John Kuthe...

On 10/30/2011 5:23 AM, John Kuthe wrote:
> On Oct 29, 10:11 pm, > wrote:

>> Many nurses don't want to be in a position where they are some
>> doctor's bitch. A friend of mine started out working for the VNA, then
>> became a public health nurse. For years now, she has been working with
>> pregnant women -- what to expect, infant and child care, etc. Never
>> has she worked for a doctor.
>
> These days a nurse should never be a "doctor's bitch". Nursing today
> is a profession unto itself, where MDs, RNs, CNAs, CMTs, dietary,
> therapy, etc. all form integral parts of the health care team. The MD
> is the captain of the ship, but the *patient* steers it and is the
> ultimate "boss".


People still think that nurses work for doctors. How sad. We don't stand
around waiting to be told what to do, you know. Unless nurses are
employed specifically by a private physician's practice, nurses don't
work for doctors.

On Oct 28, 10:51*pm, Sqwertz > wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 20:48:29 -0700 (PDT), phaeton wrote:
> > Dear John,
>
> I thought you were going to say he died now, too.
>
> > If I may ask, are you an LPN, RN, BSN, APN?
>
> Oh, c'mon!
>
> Calgon! *Take me away!

So sharing that you're taking a bubble bath isn't off topic as well?
>
> -sw

--Bryan