Gender Issues in Nursing

Peeps Mcarthur · Apr 14, 2003

Davegal,

As a former nursing student, I feel qualified to share my point of view.

It won't be popular opinnion because it's difficult to accept that there is such a thing as a 'female way of learning', so to speak, but I believe the curicculum is non-male friendly. I have been flamed in the past just for bringing it up for discussion, in fact, that's why you probably don't recognize my screename. The subject seemed to just hurt feelings instead of generating useful discussion. I was abandoned to exile for my sentiment.

Be very careful not to discuss this subject on this forum, it will be ugly. In the interest of a GREAT subject for a paper, I will simply make a statement:

In regards to the curicculum, females developed the standards for it, over time, driven by the customer base. Thier customers have been women and so then, the curicculum has been developed and refined in the way the customers prefer. This cycle will continue, perhapse forever. There is little pressure for nursing to attract men to its ranks when it has dificulty finding a place for them. It is much easier to recruit females to nursing while its curicculum is developed with them in mind as customers. The women will say "what's wrong with the curicculum?", silently keeping thier minds eye averted from the horror called........................change.

I'm not trying to sway popular opinnion, I hope it stays as it is actualy. There aren't many female dominated professions out there to choose from and nursing has worked hard to keep it that way. When heavy lifting is needed, a device of some kind is available, and it doesn't carry a chip on its shoulder.

I want others like me to know that it's not them. The square peg, will never fit into the round hole as it was made to fit in the square position.

Males in nursing are courageous and unique individuals, but the attrition rate of males, both in academic, as well as professional settings, when compared in relation to the abysmal percentage of males in the profession overall, is proving the assumption to be true.

Nursing is a female profession, which allows males, not a profession that includes males.

Men that make it through to fill the ranks of the workforce are unique individuals suited to adapt, and able to overcome the differences in psychological motivation between genders.

I admit to being too weak as to not be able to understand the female perspective more thoroughly as to avoid hurting someone's feelings with this post. Be assured that it is not my intention, I'm sorry. Please understand that it will not be possible to have a discussion about my post, whether positive or negative. The great divide between genders is too wide to leap with words that will certainly see us flailing to our literary death.

liberalrn · Apr 15, 2003

My "customers" are both men and women and have been since time immemorial.... I do think you may have a point, nursing schools are, imho, rigid, hierarchical institutions w/ no allowance made for creative thought and no encouragement to think out of the box. Maybe they've changed--it's been 20 years. I had only 2 instructors that I felt repsected us students and only 1 who actually listened to new ideas. I didn't buy into their goosestep routine then and I don't now.

All that said, I was not aware of a gender bias per se--but I'm female. We had 3 males in our class of 114. Frankly, the hardest time was given to returning students--the ones who already had practiced in acute care and were returning for their BSN--the instructors were brutal to them. One of those was a male ( he had been some sort of medic in vietnam) and they were horrible to this gentle bear of a man.

In all my life, I have never met such belittling, borderline personalities as in my nsg college--the memories stay w/ me even after 19 years.......but that's another thread!

mark_LD_RN · Apr 15, 2003

it would be a good idea to search the archives:)

but i will be glad to put my 2 cents in here one more time;

but first let me address Cokie's first post:

i never use gender to get out of work i do not ask other nurses to cath or help my patients to the restroom or with bed baths,unless the patient requests it. which is very rare accurance for me no mater what floor i work on. I have been called to cath male patients and occasionally to cath females that are diffucult.

but i have experienced the reverse, just think how often a male nurse will be called to lift a heavy patient, or how often they get the combative patient,because of the strength. or take for instance when our hospital calls a doctor strong, it is for ALL and only males to respond. even though we got some females that could whip so of the guys fannies.

in the past i have experience discrimination have had applied for jobs and told i could not work there because i was male, as you can tell from my name i am an L&D nurse.it is very diffucult for a male to get a job in this area.

where i work now i have won them over and the discrimination is almost non exsistant now.

and by the way i HATE the term MAlE nurse. i am a nurse just like females are. we do not call doctors female doctor and male doctor so why do we call men who are nurses male nurses!

it is a comon misconception that females will not allow or like males to care for them. from the response i have recieved from females of all ages including cards ,letters and phone calls to administration I know i am right. I am the most request nurse on my unit and the only male.

good luck with your project hope this helps:)

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2003

Originally posted by majrn
I find it refreshing to work with men as my equal because I dont have to deal with catty, back stabbing etc.

Like men don't backstab and aren't catty??????

And to the poster that said politically correct - No, I am not PC - I hang out on the weekend with the girls (all of whom are over 35 yo) and check the want ads in many newspapers and see the ads for girl Fridays.