[futureTMA]

Part of it is what texas-rn-fnp wrote, but the majority of it unfortunately, is just the traditional stereotype. It's pretty accepted that male patients don't mind or even prefer female nurses (whether it's true or not) but the opposite is not true.

[epiphany]

Our birthing center is run by a male midwife.

[futureTMA]

Wow, what an epiphany!

[epiphany]

Originally Posted by futureTMA

Wow, what an epiphany!

[RN34TX]

Originally Posted by futureTMA

Part of it is what texas-rn-fnp wrote, but the majority of it unfortunately, is just the traditional stereotype. It's pretty accepted that male patients don't mind or even prefer female nurses (whether it's true or not) but the opposite is not true.

I also believe that some pure paranoia is involved here as well.

We see the sensationalized news coverage of some psycho male nurse or aide who raped a patient and suddenly some women are at the clinic/hospital on guard looking suspiciously at the male staff thinking that they are waiting to get into a room alone with them and hurt them.

No different than family members seeing news coverage of nursing home abuse and looking at the staff differently with suspicion after seeing it on TV.

[futureTMA]

Yes, the media (news, especially) loves to portray us as a broken gender mostly by promoting us as sexual predators. The incidence of female sexual predators (which is rising) is handled very differently even in the courts.

[MissouriBSNstudent]

I'm a male BSN student (starting clinicals in August of this year.) I work as an aide in abortion-care now (which is a very female dominated field) and have aspirations to work L&D and go to midwifery school. I anticipate some comments or questions concerning my gender, but it won't be anything I'm not used to after working in an abortion clinic.

[margaretptz]

My I had my first child at 20 years old, that was thirty five years ago. My labor nurse was a male nurse and he was the absolute best of them all. I had a very long and painful labor that cumulated in a C Section after 24 hrs. I had the drugs that they say make you forget, but I remember alot, writhing and screaming etc. It was said that I even went as far as being combative but thankfully I don't recall that. He was supportive the entire time, but some of the other old biddies were not in the least supportive.
It is something I will never forget. I say Yes to the male midwives. Now thirty five years later I am in the first semester of an AND program!!!!
Margaret

[APNgonnabe]

To the original post...I think it would be great to have more midwife's. I am a BSN and had a wonderful time in my L&D rotation, however, It was a difficult time because of the preconceptions. I guess this is just the times...

[sissyboo]

I guess I'm kinda old fashioned...but I just think that L&D is a "womans work". I have no doubt in my mind that men could be just as good OB nurses as any female can... I've never met any male OB nurses though!!...I'd give it a chance...