Busy nursing student writes his way to national scholarship

By Kate Day Sager
Source: Olean Times Herald

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When Keith Weekley wasn’t taking nursing classes at Jamestown Community College (JCC) this year, he was working as a full-time groundskeeper at St. Mary of the Angels Church and managing the Genesis House men’s shelter.

In addition to all that, Mr. Weekley found time to write an essay about nursing character that was good enough to win a national contest sponsored by Cherokee Uniforms.

Mr. Weekley was recently notified that his essay was one of 10 selected in a contest that drew 350 entries from nursing students around the country. He was awarded a $2,000 scholarship as well as the online posting of his essay and photo on the nurseiam.com Web site.

For Mr. Weekley, news of the scholarship came as something of a surprise. He noted that he is the first JCC nursing student to have won the contest.

“I wasn’t sure if I would win because of the number of applicants from around the country and from different schools who entered,” Mr. Weekley said.

He said those who entered were required to watch a “Nurse I Am” documentary about nursing that reviewed the nursing careers of three individuals. In his essay, Mr. Weekley reviewed two individuals in the documentary and wrote about their convictions to the profession. In particular, Mr. Weekley reviewed another male nurse’s career who was profiled in the documentary.

“I will face similar obstacles that I am sure (the other male nurse) has encountered being a male in a predominately female career,” Mr. Weekley wrote. “The ability to express genuine compassion toward others who will look at me as a source of support and hope is a quality in (the other male nurse) that I wish to emulate.”

Mr. Weekley also wrote, “Every individual in my care is special and deserves personal attention. Even through the future rising needs of competent nurses and the increasing number of clients, exceptional care is still expected. It is simply not enough to possess higher education or advanced degrees. If one is impersonal in the application of their nursing training, then mankind suffers.”

Those who know Mr. Weekley say that his actions match his words.

Lenore Lounsbury, executive director of Genesis House, said Mr. Weekley has been an attribute to the men’s shelter since it opened in December.

“He is a good role model for everybody,” Mrs. Lounsbury said of Mr. Weekley. “He’s also a good listener for the men, and helps them with their goals in finding employment and services.

“We’re very proud of him, he’s a sweet, gentle man and multi-talented,” she added.

Mr. Weekley said he expects to graduate from JCC in May 2010 with his registered nurse certification. From there he plans to attend Penn State University to obtain his bachelor’s degree in nursing. His long-term goal is to become a certified nursing anesthetist.

Mrs. Lounsbury said Mr. Weekley plans to move on from Genesis House to seek other opportunities, and she’s hopeful of finding a solid replacement for him. While the position doesn’t pay a salary, it does offer room and board.

“We just have to believe that God will send the right person” to fill his position, she said.

(Contact reporter Kate Day Sager at kates_th@yahoo.com)

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Boys follow dad's lead in nursing career

By Jennifer Hogeland • For The Post-Crescent

Greg Southard said he saw the writing on the wall.

More than 25 years ago, the Menasha man's career as a welder was about to come to an end as tough economic times forced his employer to close their doors.

After 11 years in the industry, the then 30-year-old father was forced to explore a new profession. Today, he admits a career in nursing was always in the back of his mind thanks to Rosie Dodge, a close family friend and recovery-room nurse.

"Rosie was very influential in my life, probably completely without knowing it," Southard said. He recalled that anytime someone was ill or hurt, they would turn to Dodge for care or advice.

"I had a lot of respect for her; she was a real go-to person," he said.

Transitioning from a life as a blue-collar worker to a second career as a nurse is an amazing tale, but it doesn't end there — Southard's story has an interesting twist. His sons, Zach and Sam, both in their 20s, are following in their father's footsteps.

Zach, a nurse in the cardiothoracic ICU at the University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, said his father inspired him be become a nurse. "I saw the satisfaction he got out of his job," he said. "He always enjoyed his career and never minded going to work."

Sam just graduated from the University of Wisconsin School of Nursing and is also working in Madison as a nurse. He said he and his father are similar, so nursing was a natural fit. "I was also drawn by the service aspect of it," Sam said. "I like that you can make a difference and have an impact on other people's lives."

Southard said he wasn't completely surprised about his sons' career choice. "They were around it their whole lives, and I'm real comfortable with the idea of it. I certainly never discouraged it."

Southard's career quest began in 1983, when he started taking classes part-time at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton and added his name to the nursing program's three-year waiting list. After just one year, however, he was accepted into the program.

Southard and his wife, Julie, a dental assistant, had just had their first son, so changing careers wasn't easy on the family man. "I think it was a big challenge going back to school financially, figuring out how we were going to survive it and juggle it all. Nursing school was very demanding," recalled Southard.

Sporadic welding jobs and an evening stint at a nursing home provided the much-needed money to support his young family as he completed nursing school. After graduation in 1987, Southard passed the Wisconsin state boards and became a registered nurse. He spent one year as ICU nurse at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay until he found a job closer to home.

He has worked at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton as a post-surgical recovery room nurse — a position similar to the one Dodge held — for the last 20 years.

Southard's memories of school life and clinicals are long forgotten, but his sons are all too familiar with the challenging classes and overwhelming first days on the job. Zach has worked as an RN since June 2008; Sam just finished up his last semester of classes.

The boys share the same interest in critical care, and both now work in the cardiothoracic ICU at UW Hospital.

What do friends and family say about a family of three male nurses? Zach said, "The reaction is always positive, but people do find it interesting." Sam added, "People are initially surprised but it has been very well accepted."

Looking back at his decision to become a nurse, the elder Southard said, "I thought it would be a lot more rewarding (than welding), and it has been."

Jennifer Hogeland: pcfeatures@postcrescent.com
Source: Postcrescent.com

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Guys take on 'caring' professions (Part 3)

traditionally ruled by women
Part 3 of 3

Cao Jun, 36, used to be a professional sports and boxing coach. Since 2002 he has been teaching kindergartners games, skills and sportsmanship, taking turns and respecting others.

Cao, a graduate of Shanghai Sports University, says family and friends were astonished when he decided to switch careers.

"I wanted something new and teaching kids was a challenge," he says. "I like talking to and playing with those wonderful, innocent children. I treat them with respect."

The father of a 13-year-old boy also says that working with kids keeps him young.

"A good father should take time for his kids, no matter how busy he is."

Cao's son is preparing for a middle school entrance exam, but Cao says he won't put too much pressure on him.

"He will try his best, and the result is not that important," says dad. "He is not as interested in sports as I am, but I will let him do whatever he wants to do in life." A fellow who follows fashion Michelle Zhang

To most men, going shopping, especially going shopping with women, is a tedious job. Chen Jia, on the contrary, enjoys shopping from time to time. He loves giving girls advice on what they should wear, and what they should avoid.

He has a job that most girls envy - a fashion editor at one of the country's most influential women's fashion magazines. Every day, this 24-year-old Shanghai native reads all kinds of fashion magazines from home and abroad, searches for the latest fashion news on the Internet, flips through "look books" of luxury fashion houses and checks out the latest samples sent to him. These range from the most coveted "it" bags and heels of the season, to the exquisite gowns, dresses and coats that every girl wishes to put on.

Doesn't it sound like a dream job?

Most of Chen's colleagues are women. It is always complicated to work in an office with a lot of women, let alone one filled with fashionable girls who love gossiping and keeping up with the Joneses.

For Chen, things are much easier. As one of the very few men in the office, he is considered "harmless."

"They (women colleagues) all take care of me like a younger brother," he says.

Workwise, he tends to look at women's fashion from a man's point of view, which often makes his work distinctive.

"It's just like what happens when I go shopping with girls," he explains. "I give them suggestions from a man's point of view, which often surprises them but the result is good."

There are also disadvantages. For example, Chen always needs a female assistant during shooting projects. "It's not so easy for me to guide those female models," he explains. "Female editors can go straight and adjust the length of the straps or the skirt, but I can't."


Source: ShanghaiDaily.com

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Guys take on 'caring' professions (Part 2)

traditionally ruled by women
Part 2 of 3

So parenting is essential, and Zhu had a lot of experience being both mother and father to his daughter for seven years. When the girl was in second grade, her mother, also a gynecologist, left Shanghai to work in Macau for seven years.

Many Chinese people turn to grandparents for a lot of child-rearing. Not Dr Zhu.

"I do not approve of letting nannies or grandparents take care of children," he says. "Parents and children have a special bond. If we think of parenting as educating, then nannies and grandparents are clearly not good teachers."

Each night Zhu tucked his daughter in bed, and told her bedtime stories that strengthened the father-daughter bond.

"I never tell her exactly what is wrong or what is right, because it's very necessary for her to develop her own mindset and values and adopt new perspectives when looking at this modern world," says the doctor.

Zhu took his daughter on outings every weekend. She took an interest in piano, guitar, ballet, synchronized swimming and photography.

Now she has been admitted to the University of Sydney, majoring in medical science.

She wants to be a doctor, like her dad.

"I want her to see more of the world," he says, "and brace herself for the future." Real men teach kindergarten Nie Xin

Ten years ago it was weird to see a male kindergarten teacher. Most people thought men were not as caring and careful as women. And it wasn't manly. Teaching little kids was women's work, so they said.

Today, the prestigious China Welfare Institute Kindergarten in Pudong has 10 men on its teaching staff of around 70. Kids range from two to six years old.

The guys teach almost everything, drawing, singing, dancing, computer skills, swimming and sports.

Qian Gaofeng, 33, has taught kindergarten for more than 10 years since he graduated from Shanghai Normal University. There were only 40 men in the student body of 2,000.

His eyes light up when he's around children.

"I think playing, singing and dancing with kids is wonderful," says Qian who has been at this school for six years. "This profession is full of love."

"But 10 years ago people were shocked to see a male kindergarten teacher," he says. "Parents worried that men were not as careful as women and that their children wouldn't be well cared for."

Qian won them over, and some parents say they want both men and women teachers for their impressionable youngsters.

"We male teachers can be role models and establish a positive image of men," he says. "We can be very influential on kids' healthy development."

Qian got married in 2005 and has no children yet.

"My wife thinks I am too innocent and childish because of my job. She is afraid I cannot survive in this complicated society.

"But I can prove that I am a real man who loves life, job and family, and does his best in everything."

He says he is looking forward to fatherhood and says fathers should take a lot of responsibility in child-rearing. Parenting, he says, "is more difficult than giving birth."

China has more than 200 male kindergarten teachers, a minuscule number, according to Fang Ye, deputy director of the kindergarten. The figure was released at a recent national conference of male kindie teachers.

"People are not as surprised these day to seen male teachers," says Fang.

Men can never replace women in preschool education, but they can improve the system and make it more complete," he says.

Women are supposed to be gentle, men are supposed to be brave, firm and resolute, also tolerant. Thus, male teachers are supposed to have a good influence on boys.

Many years ago Fang was a male pioneer in preschool education and one of China's first male kindergarten teachers.

Today he wants to hire more men.

"I want a male and female tutor for each class of around 20 kids," says Fang. "Just like a family, we need a father and a mother to make the education environment complete."


Source: ShanghaiDaily.com

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Guys take on 'caring' professions (Part 1)

traditionally ruled by women
Part 1 of 3

GUYS' good bedside manner

Traditionally women have been nurses, but men are breaking into the profession and showing they are every bit as competent and caring as females.

And they have some advantages, such as relating to male patients, especially boys who see an elder brother, and lifting patients and moving heavy apparatus.

Ji Gang, 25, is one of four male nurses, among 300 females, at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.

He has worked there for more than a year after graduating from the Shanghai No. 1 Medical School (now part of Jiao Tong University).

When he started he was one of just two males.

He originally wanted to be a doctor, but his marks in the national college entrance examination were not high enough - he was assigned to four years of nursing school, plus one year of internship.

Now he loves his work, mostly with thoracic surgery patients.

He operates respirators and phlegm suction equipment, gently claps the back of kids to help them breathe.

"When I started work, my colleagues helped me a lot," says Ji, but parents were reluctant to believe in a male nurse.

"They thought female nurses would be more patient and gentle," he says.

"But parents came to trust me after they saw how I treated their children," says Ji.

Boys like him, he says "because they like to play with a big brother. Sometimes a female nurse in a white uniform can be intimidating, but when they see me they feel they have a playmate."

Nurse Ji Bin, no relation to Ji Gang, has been working at the Children's Medical Center for more than a year.

"Guys clearly have more strength to lift heavy apparatus. We can do anything a female nurse can do, and we have our advantages," says Ji Bin.

Both men say the nursing profession will become more mature as more men join.

Neither young man is married, but both plan to do something for their fathers for Father's Day.

Ji Bin says, "A good father should be loving, patient and responsible - just like a nurse." Male gynecologist a pioneer Chen Qianqing

Even rarer than male nurses are male gynecologists in a conservative culture where women are often uncomfortable exposing their private parts and discussing reproduction and intimacy.

One of the few males, and a distinguished physician, in this sensitive field is Zhu Mingwei, 50, of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of the Fudan University.

He has been there for almost 30 years.

Gynecology wasn't his first choice. Like most medical college graduates, he was assigned to a specialty.

"At first it was quite upsetting to work as a male gynecologist," says Zhu. "Most patients preferred a female gynecologist. All I could do was to adjust."

But times have changed and so have women's attitudes. "Patients know that what they need is an excellent doctor, no matter what gender."

"It doesn't matter whether I like the job as a male gynecologist. Every one in society has a duty. I must be responsible for my patients because not a single mistake is allowed," says the doctor.

A twenty-something woman turned to Dr Zhu when she suffered ovarian failure and, of course, could not get pregnant. Her mother-in-law was revolted by the idea of a male gynecologist, but the woman chose Zhu because of his outstanding reputation.

After a series of treatments, the woman became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby. The whole family expressed their gratitude to the doctor.

Due to his outstanding work, Zhu was selected in 1990 for a four-year Australian training related to molecular biology and reproduction. In 2000, his scientific paper received first prize for National Outstanding Thesis in Science and Technology.

Being a dad

Asked how he would define "success," Zhu says an individual's success depends on two factors, career and family. "Both are irreplaceable," he says. "The definition of success should include whether one's offsprings are successful."

Source: ShanghaiDaily.com

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Recession Alleviates Shortage of Nurses

in Pittsburgh and across the nation

By Allison M. Heinrichs, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Source: PittsburghLive.com

Gaylene Samples planned to retire from nursing last year.

"But then my husband passed away in October and, at that point, I was grateful to have my job because it was a lifeline for me," said Samples, 68, of White Oak, a registered nurse at UPMC Shadyside. "And then came the economy, and I lost so much money in my 401(k) and my other investments, that I really could not afford to retire."

Many nurses are delaying retirement or returning to the work force because of the recession. Others are turning from unrelated careers to nursing because of the job stability the profession offers. The trend has eased the nursing shortage that began a decade ago and was forecast to continue for another decade.

"In 2007 and 2008, there was an increase of (registered nurse) employment of 243,000," said Peter Buerhaus, director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Health Workforce Studies at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "Going back in our data set to the early 1970s, there is no two-year increase in employment that comes remotely close to this."

Of those 243,000 nurses joining the work force, half were older than 50, said Buerhaus, who recently published a report analyzing the recession-driven surge in nurses.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center implemented at least two programs to accommodate returning and older nurses, said Holly Lorenz, chief nursing officer.

One program helps returning nurses by recognizing that they already have bedside experience but need to learn new technologies.

Another program, called UPMC Life Stages, lets retirement-age nurses cut their hours from 40 per week to 32 and lessens the amount of bedside care they provide to cut down on strenuous work.

"Why shouldn't we focus some of our initiatives on that person who has been someone we've relied on for 30 years?" Lorenz said. "They have this knowledge base that we don't want to lose and that they can share with others."

The number of applicants to West Penn Hospital's School of Nursing increased 16 percent this year to 394 people. Anecdotal evidence shows that the boost comes from higher unemployment rates, said Nancy Cobb, director of the School of Nursing.

"We interview every potential applicant that meets our criteria and, for example, my recruiter said that one applicant, a male, indicated that (he) had lost two jobs in the last year," said Cobb, herself a registered nurse. "Another applicant, he said that he had been in sales but the sales are drying up."

Before the recession, Buerhaus predicted a national nursing shortage of 500,000 by 2025. Based on numbers in his new report, he forecasts the shortage will be 260,000 by 2025.

Lorenz said UPMC is wary of a shortage but said the forecast for Western Pennsylvania is more favorable than the rest of the country.

"Pittsburgh is clearly more stable," she said. "We've actually had people that are graduating from some of the Eastern schools of nursing that are applying here. ... We also have a lot of schools of nursing here turning out graduates. As much as we'll still have some positions that we're recruiting for, the group that we're able to pull from has actually gotten larger."

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Should you let a male nurse deliver your baby?

Women spent decades fighting for equal rights, yet we still want to toss male nurses out of maternity wards? Or should a laboring woman have the right to dictate exactly who she wants in the room?

What do you think?

Take a look at some of the comments on this page from Boston.com

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A Nurse Like No Other

By Eunice Lai (Source: Theurbanwire.com)

Reporting on patients, making rounds and ensuring that the patients are comfortable – Who says only girls can do all these tasks?

Second-year Nursing student Teo Koon Teck, 24, believes that nursing allows him to meet and interact with people from all walks of life.

The life lessons gained from his work experiences with his patients often become the topic of the conversations he has with his family, especially his younger siblings and relatives.

“Youngsters think they are invincible and often do things recklessly, landing themselves in the hospital. What they don’t take into consideration is when they encounter a mishap, their family suffers as well,” he says.

Despite the rigorous physical and mental requirement of the job, Koon Teck finds it especially rewarding when patients under his care recover.

“When a patient is discharged, the appreciation you get is different from the one you get by doing a friend a favour. You know you’ve just helped someone recover from his illness and there is a sense of satisfaction.”

Fellow second-year Nursing schoolmate Mohamed Ridzuan B. Sulaiman, 24, took up this course as he felt compelled to help those in need.

He says, “I have the knowledge and skills, but what’s most important is how I make use of it to help people.”

“In a hospital, there are always patients with financial difficulties and have various issues to deal with. This drives me to find the best possible way to help them.”

MISSY SISSY
An informal check found that there are currently about 20 final-year male nursing students, as compared to 200 female students.

Ridzuan says, “A female nurse is known as a missy, so a male nurse would then be called a sissy!”

Koon Teck feels this stereotype should be addressed. He says, “It depends on the individual. You don’t have to be feminine to show care and concern to patients.”

Stressing on gender equality, Koon Teck adds, “Why make nursing a female job? Ladies can take up the guys’ jobs, so why not the other way round? There are women engineers, chefs and lawyers, and that doesn’t make them manly. So how would men taking up nursing make them feminine?”

He adds that although women may be perceived as more attentive, there are certain things which men can do better.

“Some patients are heavy and a man’s strength is needed to carry them out of their beds. In terms of showing care and concern, the guys don’t lose out to the ladies.”

Both agree that jobs in the healthcare industry should be gender-blind, since they feel that passion is all one needs for the job.

“It all depends on your heart and mind. If you have the heart and the correct attitude, where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

As part of their academic requirement, nursing students in NP are attached to a local medical care centre where they put what they have learnt from class to practical use.

THE BENEFITS
Both Koon Teck and Ridzuan agree that interaction with the patients has positively influenced who they are as a person.

“Every day we encounter different types of patients who are in pain. But people don’t see the hidden problems they’re going through, like financial difficulties and family problems,” Koon Teck says.

To those who are afraid of being stereotyped as a “sissy”, Koon Teck and Ridzuan have this to say: It is time to rid those worries and rise to the occasion.

“Initially, it might be difficult as people might not understand your decision. But don’t be overly conscious of what others say. They would come to realise that nursing is hard work eventually and respect you for that,” Koon Teck says.

He adds that there are insufficient men in this growing industry, which might be an advantage for those who choose to seize the moment since a 34 percent increase of public health-care nurses is expected within the next five years.

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Report: Second-degree nurses report higher pay, more work-family conflict

Registered nurses whose first bachelor's degree is in a field other than nursing report higher levels of work-family conflict, more job certainty and greater pay than first-degree nurses. However, motivation and attitudes of so-called second- and first-degree nurses tend to be the same according to a new study.

Second-degree nurses are typically older than first-degree nurses, and tend to be married and have children, according to researchers at the New York University College of Nursing. There is also a larger percentage of male second-degree nurses compared with male first-degree nurses, researchers note. According to the results of the survey, which is part of a larger 10-year project from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation, second-degree nurses earn an average of $2,400 per year more, and work about 1.2 hours per week less than first-degree nurses.

Differences in work motivation and attitude are not quite as pronounced, survey results suggest. In addition, first- and second-degree nurses tend to be equally satisfied with their jobs. Survey results appear in the Journal of Professional Nursing.

Source: www.mcknights.com

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4AllNurses.Net

New Nursing Website www.4AllNurses.Net Sharpen Skills, NCLEX Review, Nursing Scrubs

The website www.4AllNurses.net was created in April 2009 to help meet the needs of all nurses and student nurses. Buy Nursing Scrubs, study for NCLEX, get Nursing PDA Reference Software, research Nursing Jobs, and use the Nursing Resource Center to sharpen skills and study for tests.

4AllNurses.Net was created by a nurse for nurses and student nurses. The creator graduated from nursing school in December of 2007. He gathered many resources to help aid in his studies. Those resources were the foundation for building the website. They can be found at 4allnurses.net/nursing_resources.php along with others that have already been added. 4AllNurses.Net will continue to look for more resources to add to the already wonderful list of nursing guides and tutorials.

The Nursing PDA Reference Software is another great resource for nurses. These programs can be used in place of many different textbooks while in school, especially during clinical when the students have to look up diseases, labs, medicines, and treatments. The Nursing PDA References place this information in the palm of the student’s hand. The software can be a great asset on the job as well. A nurse will never know it all; instead of having to run and get the nursing drug guide or look up a disorder, all a nurse would have to do is pull their PDA or phone out and look the information up on the spot. An awesome tool to have (4allnurses.net/nursing_pda_software.php).

The idea of building a site for all nurses started to take off. After developing the resource section, other sections where added where nurses can buy scrubs at the lowest prices from the best online stores and, if bought through 4AllNurses.Net, they can get even more discounts not available directly through the merchant’s site. Other links give the nurse access to Nursing Supplies, Nursing CEUs, Nursing Schools, State Nursing Associations, Nursing Jobs, and NCLEX Review for the student nurse.

Source: PR-inside.com

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