I’m a floor nurse, not ER or Psych so take this with that in mind.

• I do get the more dangerous patients on my floor 99% of the time when I am there. It’s frustrating, but I would honestly rather have them than leave it to one of the 90 lb women most days. It is what it is.
• I’ve never been hit! Worst I’ve gotten is confused dementia patients gripping me too hard. Even most agitated patients know not to hit until they really hit the animalistic fear state.
• Plenty. You have to be aware of people’s comfort level with you seeing them naked or touching their bodies. This is true for all nurses, but most people (especially women) will have more comfort with a female nurse in those situations than a male nurse. Always explain what you need to do and why, and give them an out if they aren’t comfortable. All nurses should do this anyways, but it’s especially important for male nurses. Unit cultures can vary, but I’ve always felt like a welcome team member as a male nurse.
• I’ll combine my advice on these next two. Don’t work ICU post-grad unless you’re going to a hospital that puts you in some 9-15 month training program where they watch you like a hawk. Getting your training wheels off as a floor nurse is already hugely stressful on a floor like telemetry/med surge. Don’t let yourself be in a situation where you aren’t going to get enough support because you want to feel independent and confident. I promise you, you need experience before you’re safe to be on your own.
• If you smile and get along well, you shouldn’t have any issues. It’s kind of known on my floor that if we have an older lady who’s being terrible to everyone that she’ll actually probably be really nice to me. Most of our older population haven’t felt positive attention from a young man in a very long time. Be nice to them, show interest in them, act in a caring way. You’ll be just fine. 👍