Anyone in medical?

[Malkria]

So i'm 6'4, and I can fill a door-frame. I've been trying to desperately lose weight since I want to fit in my old clothes back when I was 250ibs (300 now). While most of the night shift knows about me, and we even have conversations about it at times, what really worries me is that I said I wanted to go back to full time at the end of May.

So I just did a crash course in hair management and...well I feel like a fat guy dressing as a girl. I'm on hormones, been so for the last three months even with a hiccup where two weeks I wasn't. So i'm really REALLY worried about coming out officially to my job.

I work as a CNA on the night shift at a local surgical hospital. I'm in the midwest, and...frankly I don't want to lose my job. Again. Anyone have any tips for coming out to a hospital? Or when you work night shift and the management probably doesn't know you? The night shift has been very supporting, heck the girls are basically the reason my diet has been going so well. But it's management that worries me.

[Dena]

Welcome to Susan's Place. I am 6'2" at about 170 pounds so I am not exactly small. As far as coming out on the job, your best bet may be to have a talk with personal first. Most medical care is aware of what transgender is and they have policies in place to assist you. The fact that the others you work with support you will be a strong argument that your transition won't be disruptive. You may want to review the hospital policy on LGBT before coming out so if anyone tell you something that's not right, you can point it out.

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[kittenpower]

The hardest part about transitioning at a hospital is that it is like a small city where each floor is a neighborhood, and you have to come out on every single block. And a lot of healthcare professionals are conservatives, so in my experience it is challenging to transition in the medical field. Best wishes

[Malkria]

Well my hospital is a surgical one, so there aren't really any floors or anything. There are a few different departments, but it all revolves around surgery. It is 'physician owned' (sort of, there is corporate but I'm not sure how much pull they vs the owning physicians have) and it's a right to work state.

I was planning to do my coming out in stages. Getting my hair and eyebrows, redoing laser for my face, and maybe getting my ears pierced (with HR approval). Basically going for the 'boiled lobster' approach, where by the time I fully come out hopefully it won't be as much of a deal.

[Christinetobe]

I also woek in the medical field as a nurse.  I am not out yet and will be starting a new job in a few weeks doing night shift (yuck). I will be presenting as male but will be wearing soft pastel colored scrubs right from the start to ease people into acceptance.  I dont know what your uniform requirements are but perhaps that is something you could try to ease your own mind while still playing by the rules

[Malkria]

Well I came out to my CoN a few days ago. I stressed that as much as I would like to move forward with this I would be willing not to if it would threaten my job. She seemed very ok with it, and said she would talk to HR and the two CEOs about it. I will know on thursday what the result is.

Meantime, to hopefully speed up my transition and possibly get my surgery in the next four years, since i'm already thirty one, I'm thinking of picking up a second job. Currently my job is twelve hours for three days, and I was thinking of picking up two shifts at a local nursing home to make some extra money while trying to go back to school online. So...anyone have experience with this? Is this doable or am I biting off more then I can chew in your opinion?

[Tessa James]

Hey Malkria,  (darn spell check tried to give you malaria)

What a hard working girl you are!  Much depends on your corporate policies and the jurisdiction you live in.  Many states do have legal protections for us.  Consider checking out the Transgender Law Center list of states or maybe that info is also available here?

I was a CRNA for decades and sometimes worked three 12 hour shifts and often 24 hour shifts.  Those can be burn out hours and the impact to our circadian rhythms can be distressing and even permanent with some studies indicating after a night shift we drive worse than drunks!  I admire your determination and desire but hope you don't add too much stress to the mix.  I'm told it adds belly fat and I can frustratingly see that happening to me.

And then you are relatively young and enthusiastic right?