Peggy Said:

does the nursing school i go to affect my nursing career?

We Answered:

It is unlikely that it will have a huge effect since nurses are in such high demand currently.

Leslie Said:

Why are career opportunities different for men and women?

We Answered:

Well before we can see if these would improve society it might be important to evaluate the real reasons why women truck drivers and male nurses are frowned upon other than it is how it is.

Many women in career fields want to have it all, they want a career and they want children. While they can have it, their focus is divided, so they are less effective as parents and they are less focused on their job. the divided focus shows in the lessened results which is part of the evaluating factor for whether or not they get promoted.

Also, people prefer to deal with specific genders in certain matters. There are a great number of women who still prefer a female gynocologist to a male, for example. With male nurses, look at the duties of a nurse. How often would a man be accused of innapropriate conduct as opposed to a woman performing the same duties (bed baths, etc)?

The preference determines the demand in business and supply must try and match the demand. In the case of female truck drivers, menstrual cycles do requiremore restroom breaks, which costs time. Truck driving is all about how fast you can get your load to its destination, so trucking companies are going to be reluctant to hire someone with a built in time cost. They are also worried about the safety issue, after all, there are a lot of nuts on the road and nuts choose a smaller victim (usually a woman) over a larger victim (usually a man) every chance they get.

This is not to say that women should not want to be truck drivers or that men should not want to be nurses, but they have to be willing to put in the extra work to defuse the impact of the stereotype on the career they have chosen. This includes balancing their personal and their business choices for maximum effectiveness.

As to how eradicating these stereotypes would improve society, one has to look at why the stereotypes exist. A stereotype evolves from a series of examples, it doesn't just fall down out of the sky. Stereotype is a way of representing and judging other people. Stereotypes can revolve around a certain characteristic of the group of persons to which they are assigned. The persons of that group may even be reduced to being known and understood through a lens based on the stereotype that results from this, rather than being viewed as individuals. Stereotypes may refuse to recognize a distinction between an individual and the group to which he or she belongs. Stereotypes may represent people entirely in terms of narrow assumptions about their biology, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, or any other number of categories.

Factors Affecting Stereotypes:

Historical factors
Generalization
First impressions
Simplification
Exaggeration
Presentation of cultural attributes as being 'natural'
Racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination
Association of persons with other groups
An appearance or behaviour (or other feature) that stands out as different from that which the observing group is used to.

Stereotypes are not only part of the culture and identity of those groups who are stereotyped, but they are also part of the culture of those who recognize and utilize them for interpreting certain groups. Stereotypes not only define and place others as inferior, but also implicitly affirm and legitimate those who stereotype in their own position and identity.” Also, different cultures don't necessarily recognize the same stereotypes.

Some factors that affect or create stereotypes should be eradicated form the public mindset,some should not be. the stereotype of teens is that they make snap judgements based on trends and are less responsible than adults. Most of them fit that bill perfectly. Should great risks be taken by eradicating that stereotype for the few who do not fit the stereotype? No, because the greater number of them do fit the stereotype. Don't believe me, look around the average high school and tell me how many well behaved A students you find.

Tracy Said:

if i pursue a degree in nursing, what are the career opportunities other than being a nurse or clinical asst?

We Answered:

There may be positions that require more administrative work like Coding, Billing, etc... available. You can also look into Nursing Mgmt, or becoming a Shift Manager/Nursing Supervisor. The demand for nurses are high in some areas of the country (US), depending on where you are. You should consider sticking in the field and exploring various opportunities.

Crystal Said:

What are the career opportunities like for a RN (nurse) versus a Mental Health nurse?

We Answered:

No question about it! Mental health is very specialised and you wouldn't be qualified to work in any other area. On the other hand, if you qualify as a Registered Nurse and then decide you want to go into mental health, the additional training wouldn't be too long or too hard. As a RN you can travel the world and get a job just about anywhere. They are in short supply in most countries.

Teresa Said:

Career Opportunity in Nursing?

We Answered:

It depends on your abilities, personality and desires. Only you can make that decision. It's a big step and a big difference from engineering to nursing.

Eva Said:

Is nursing a fulfilling career?

We Answered:

I've been an RN for 8 years, and was an LVN for 15 before that. It isn't for everyone, but it is VERY fulfilling for me. You are in another person's life at their most vulnerable, and anything you can do to make that experience ANY easier is wonderful. But you have to be sure that you can handle the negative aspects, for example: you won't be wealthy, you will be overworked, not every patient will be receptive to care - some may even be downright nasty with you, and there is a huge divide in nursing staff and administration these days. (us vs them) I could go on, but honestly, to see the light in someone's eyes or the smile and heartfelt Thank you's I periodically get from patients makes up for all that in the end. (Well, more money would, too, but I take what I can get.) Good luck.