Mitchell Said:

Career advise? Why is Nursing not respected as a profession?

We Answered:

First, as nursing does not qualify as a profession, it often does not reach a level of respect with occupations which are considered to be at the professional level. Sociologist agree that nursing is only a semi-profession or at best an emerging profession, but there are issues which prevent nursing from reaching the profession level.

Males have had problems with the role nursing took, males stopped controlling the role and it became a position dominated and controlled by females. For many centuries, the role became, what the accepted title was... to nuture patients. The advent of new medical practices, and to a large extent the involvement of nurses in the military roles during WWII and Korea started a change in nursing. Concepts and theories were developed, and a science was created.

When I started in nursing 1% of nurses in the US were male, now it is 7%. This is rapidly changing, especially in BSN programs where in a recent survey of 2 major nursing programs both had over 24% males in the BSN program. Both schools had over 30% males in the graduate school courses.

Males in nursing usually do not work long in long term, or sub intensive settings. In the civilian nursing sector the highest percentage of male nurses are found in the ED, ICU, and OR.

The chances of having an all male team of nurses is more than five times as likely to occur in the Military than in the civilian healthcare world. One of the little known facts of military nursing is the high percentage of men in all three services. In the Army 35.5% of its 3,381 nurses are men; in the Air Force, 30% of 3,790 nurses are men; and in the Navy, 36% of the 3,125 nurses are men. One must remember that in the nursing profession that only 7% is male. In the Army, 67% of CRNAs are men, 40% of the OR nurses are men, 34% of ED nurses are men, 29% of critical care nurses are men and 39% of medical/surgical nurses are men.

Male nurses perform well in the role of CRNA or Nurse Practitioner and these levels are considered professional levels of nursing and are well respected.

Don't get discouraged...the face of nursing is changing slowly...but it is beginning to need a shave.

EDIT: I just read the remarks by "Brunette Cutie" and wanted to make some corrections. CRNAs are highly respected. Physician ansethesiologist have issues with CRNA because they take cases that the anesthesiologist would like to be paid to do. There is the issue, that CRNAs do not have the length of educational preparation that the physicians have. This is an issue, and I have never met a CRNA who would not have preferred to have more time when they had to start doing cases on their own. The arguement about the physicians education being longer would be more effective if all their education was dedicated to anesthesia. However, much of their clinical and educational preparation is as a general physician and enables them to jump down from the head of the bed to do a pap smear, and other clinical rotation issues. Yes they have more time for education, but the CRNAs educational preparation is directed. FOr that reason CRNAs have been shown to be safe and have no significantly different outcomes from procedures than physicians.

In a situation where the CRNA is employed by the hospital, they might get the easier cases. But many CRNAs are independent, and contract by the case. They have no anesthesiologist oversight, and are not kicked out during a case for any reason. In some areas of the country CRNAs make $300,000 per year or more.

I have worked in many areas where there were no anesthesiologist in the area of the country we were in. In the military CRNAs are deployed into combat ORs and perform whatever case arrives, there is none of the anesthesiologist walks in, looks and nods so he can make his salary garbage you see in the stateside ORs on occasion.

Similarly, in some states NPs work under a physician, similar to a PA, in others they work in a collaborative relationship. and in many NPs can set up separate practices.

Advanced Nursing Practice is becoming recognized as safe, efficient, and a reasonable alternative to physician care. In a resonse to the states wanting the independent NPs to have a professional degree, many schools are now offering the DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice).

Good luck with your career! Don't give up!

Emma Said:

I am confused on what I want to do as a career. Teaching or Nursing? Why? Thanks!?

We Answered:

Go into nursing, and after a few years go into teaching nursing!

I know that sounds like I am being goofy, but I'm serious. Nurse Educators make serious money. Nurses are in such high demand, schools are popping up all over.

I work in a hospital, and I know a few nurse educators. They are all very happy in their fields, and they all drive super nice cars :)

Terry Said:

Why do a lot of Filipinos do Nursing as a career or they are in the Medical field?

We Answered:

I'm related to 2 Filipinos and they're both ER nurses. They told me they only did it for the money. Which I think isn't a good reason. I say go with what your heart tells you. You don't have to be a doctor or nurse to be successful.

Wendy Said:

Nursing as a Career: what do you think?

We Answered:

I'm a nursing student, so I guess I think it would be a good career. The most appealing things about it to me are:
1. I can find work anywhere.
2. I'll actually be doing something concrete that improves peoples' lives
3. There are lots of specialties and I don't see how I could ever get bored.
4. Flexible hours.
5. Decent money.

The down sides as I see them are:
1. Lots of responsibility. A mistake could kill someone, get you sued, get your license taken away and get you fired or fined.
2. Dealing with emotional, sometimes irrational patients and their families.
3. Vomit, feces, urine and blood all around you, all the time.
4. Keeping everyone happy since you're caught between the doctors, hospital staff and the patients.
5. Nursing can be very physically demanding and hard on the back/joints.