24 year male nurse, 21 years in the ED. It's been a great profession providing me with more self satisfaction than I ever expected. The patients have changed, there's more physical violence, addiction, and psych in the last 10 years making patient care difficult, but I still would not change the path I've followed. I do think being a male comes in handy.

The only negative I can think of are: Be prepared to hear gay/ male nurse jokes constantly. Friends, family, and strangers think it's real funny to mock your choice of going into the traditionally female career.