Nursing Profiles

Eliot S.

Greenville, SC
RN; Cardiac Surgery

I was enlisted in the Navy for three years before I decided to go to college. When I researched ROTC scholarships I found that the Navy offered scholarships that were set aside just for nursing candidates. I have now been in the Navy for two years and I think nursing is a great profession. I make good money, I received a signing bonus, and I got additional medical training upfront. Working in a critical care unit, I take care of patients that are one to two days out of heart or lung surgery. I manage the logistics of their care by ensuring they have enough personnel assigned to their case. I also change wound dressings, ambulate the patient and manage their pain. It is my job to try and move patients toward health as quickly as possible. Being a male in a profession that's mostly women has not been a hindrance to me at all. I am well respected and have never felt out of place. I would tell any male that is thinking about a medical career to see beyond the stereotypes and consider a career in nursing. If the job meets your needs and helps you to fulfill your goals in life, then go for it! The patient-to-nurse interaction is what I find most rewarding about nursing. Being stationed here at Bethesda Medical I have the opportunity to work with many retired military members. I just think they're great and I really enjoy talking to them. I am proud to tell people that I am a Navy nurse.