Male Nurses

credit to: torontoemerg.wordpress

            In a profession with a vast majority women, increases in the number of male nurses are beginning to appear. According to the Census Bureau, the number of male nurses has tripled since 1970. Most male nurses are nurse anesthetists, and they have also been reported to have higher wages averaging $162,900 per year. Although this sounds quite nice, the perception people have towards male nurses differ from those of a female nurses. Misconceptions are sometimes made and male nurses are often times stereotyped for their choice to pursue a nursing career.

The most common of these misconceptions and stereotypes is that the nursing profession is for women, and males nurses are often seen as “feminine”, or even gay. I am wholeheartedly in disagreement with that because a person's career choice doesn't determine their sexuality. Nursing is for both males and females; it is not gender biased.

            Another controversial topic is the idea that male nurses work in the ob gyn and/or labor and delivery field. I support male nurses who may want to pursue an occupation in this area, but I would personally prefer to have a female assist me. There is NOTHING bad about a male in this occupation; it just can get a bit uncomfortable for me at times. 

         Some other issues male nurses may face is being said they don’t care enough, work under doctor’s, and that they are medical doctor rejects, just to name a few.

Nursing is a great opportunity for men and women. If any male has ever thought about a career in nursing, I think they should go for it. You shouldn't let the opinions or negative views of others decide for you. 

Other sources:

•  source.southuniversity.edu
• scrubmag.com
• chron.com

Crime Equals Time

By:winnipeg sun

For any one who may not know, filling fake prescriptions is 
ILLEGAL, along with forgery and trafficking them. Ultimately, 
what is at stake here is the consequent of jail time or even the lost of one's job There was an article about a nurse who was allegedly filling fake prescriptions for painkiller. She has been arrested with more than 50 charges ranging from trafficking in oxycodone to uttering a forged prescription.  I’m sure you’re wondering why anyone would think to do this, well there could be multiple reasons. 

In this case records showed that the nurse was opiate dependence, which is dependence on drugs such as: oxycodone, morphine, codeine, heroin, etc. People with it are usually physically dependent on the drug and rely on it to treat pain for injuries or illnesses. So with her filling all the prescriptions for herself, I believe she may have been using them to overcome some type of pain she was having.  
I'm also in agreement with her being charged with trafficking the oxycodone. She could have easily selling them underhandedly because there have been similar cases where this has occurred.  One in particular was a pharmacist who was arrested with these same charges (video and article), so as you see its not an uncommon case. In my opinion, they traffic the painkiller to make a quick money and know there are people out there willing to buy these drugs; whether its pain related or just an addiction. 
Now just like any other addiction, some people can be addicted to pain killers, prescribed ones more often. Though being dependent and addicted may seem the same they are different. An addiction comes about when a sensation to get “high” from the drug forms, contrary to dependency. It is possible to become addicted to the drug overtime, but it depends on the person and their psychological need for it.
All in all, if you want to keep your job and stay out of jail why take the risk of going to jail, losing your job, or even potentially hurting yourself? You might get away with something, but you won't for too long. 

Weighing Your Options

Maybe you have considered becoming a nurse, but wasn't sure if it was the right career choice. Just like any other job, being a nurse can have it advantages and disadvantages.  I think a good idea when making this decision would be to view its pros and cons.

To me one of the ultimate things of becoming a nurse is the fact that you get to help so many people, in the smallest or biggest ways.  From just a smile to saving a life, nurses can make a tremendous impact on others.  There are also more job opportunities available for nurses. Each year the jobs are growing and they are at greater demand for nurses. Others may choose this career solely based on its salary. The Advance Salary Survey 2008 listed the average RN nursing salary at $56,785. But the money isn't always the reason why people choose nursing as a profession. A lot of people actually care about other people’s needs and love the challenges that come with it.

Of course with pros there are going to be some cons. In the nursing field it can be stressful and have an emotional impact someone. It’s a lot of pressure to have other people’s lives in your hands, so it takes a lot of mental strength to cope with the tension. Trials will come, but you have to be prepared for the worst.  Nursing can also take a physical toll on the body. For the most, it requires you to be on your feet the majority of the day. They are constantly moving on the job so if you don’t like to walk much, nursing may not be the job for you. 

Nurses play a big role in our society and are important in the healthcare world.  Though nursing may have a few cons, you have to ask yourself if the good outweighs the bad.