Guys in Nursing...What's your Input?

[MarcusKspn]

Hello fellow nurses.

I'm a 21 year old male practical nursing student. I have worked in nursing for a little over a year now as a CNA and CMA. One think I have noticed is the very small percentage of males in this profession. I know the stereotype of male doctors have opened up to accept women doctors, but it seems that nursing is still an all women profession in many people's mind. Many of the ladies I take care of in the nursing home adress me doctor, only because I am a man (although it comes in helpfull when feeding sometimes "The doctor said I need to eat", but I always correct the patient when they refer to me as a doctor, don't need any felony charches for impersonating an MD, lol). The few people who are used to see guys in nursing always ask me if I am gay. (I am happily engaged and getting married next september .:roll )

What I would like to know is your experiences with guys in nursing, is it this unusual for a straight guy to consider nursing as a profession. I really love being in nursing.

[sjoe]

Marcus--to get back to the questions you asked:

Yes, it is statistically unusual for guys to go to nursing school. The percentage of guys who go into nursing as compared to guys going into MANY other vocational fields is VERY low.

On the other side of the coin, it is also statistically unusual for nuring students to be guys, less than 8% instead of the 50% that would be statistically expected, and more than half of us quit the nursing field within 5 years of graduation. (There is a thread to this effect in this very forum.)

Yes, male nurses are often called "doctor," and it is wise to politely correct those who make this small mistake, if they are coherent enough for the correction to make a dent, for legal reasons as well as for social ones. It is an honest and understandable mistake, after all, and certainly nothing to get huffy about. Just as we might call a female patient "Mrs. so-and-so," when the title is more accurately "Miss so-and-so." (Though hopefully we would be too tactful to ask "Why aren't you married?" in such an event.)

IN MY EXPERIENCE at 8 or 9 jobs as well as in nursing school, about half of us male nurses are gay, though this is ordinarly not an issue (except when we are in the military and need to keep it a secret, even from people like Esther who might not personally object).

[mark_LD_RN]

well as you can tell from my nick i am a male and a labor and delivery nurse.I have worked all areasof nursing and have had no problemat all from my patients most really love me and think i am a fantastic nurse. have only had one female patient refuse my care since i havebeen a nurse but have had 2 males refuse my care thinking i was gay which i am not. nursing is viewed by many as a female career but that preception is changing as more males get into it.Ithink the stereotyping of male nurses willimprove with time.so be a nurse if you really want to.if you do it for that reason chances are you will be a great nurse:)

ohthe only females i ever had problems with were older female nurses,but that to seems to happen less nothan it used to.

[pianonurse]

Out of about 45 students, there were about 7 males in my class. Male nurses rock, as do female nurses. In my humble opinion, nurses rock - period! :)

[Rena RN 2003, RN]

statistically the number is obviously lower. look at any hospital or nursing school and you can see the difference.

but i must say that i like the fact that the number of males entering the profession is on the rise from say 10 years ago.

when i started school (a year ago) there was 1 guy in our class. 1 other later transferred in.

in this years starting class there are 7.

nothin but good going on there.

[JAYNE DANCE]

IN MY CLASS THERE WERE NO GUYS, BUT IN THE NEW CLASS THAT STARTED IN JULY THERE ARE NINE GUYS>>>>>I THINK NO MATTER WHAT SEX NURSES ARE>>>>>>> WE ALL ROCK :):):p

[Polrbaer]

Reading this thread gave me reassurance, when I told my parents I was leaving business school to nursing school, first thing out of my moms mouth so why not medical school..Nursing??? She got used to it. And it is great to have a support unit when going through school. I graduate in May and will focus on Emergency Nursing. Male or Female; Nurses must stop eating their young!

[AAHZ]

The only problem that I have really had came from a female. she was yelling at me that i was taking a job away from a woman. i told her that my girlfriend(at the time), had gotten my job framing houses so we were even. no matter how hard you try, ignorant people will continue to be ignorant. Do what you need to do to make yourself happy, don't worry what the idiots say or think and just push on. If someone asks if your the doctor, just say "no, I am a NURSE, I work for a living."

[jdomep]

I am a first year student (and a mom of 4 boys) There is one man in our class of 18 students. He is 40 something and a father of 5 children (obviosly not a gay man ) I do think he will have to work harder to thrive in this female dominated field but with his personality and ambition he'll be a better nurse than some of the "girls" in our class. You'll do great! Good Luck!

[JonRN]

I became a male nurse way back in the 60's. I was a veteran and an ex-army medic. I heard my share of gay innuendos for yrs, even though I happen to be straight. One Dr. was always riding me about being gay. He had a beautiful wife. One day I told him "give me 30 minutes with your wife, then ask her". He got really p.o.'ed but never brought it up again.

If females refusing your care bothers you, go to work at the VA like I did, 99% of the patients are male and they accept you because they are used to medics in the military. Good luck in your career, if I can do anything to help you in any way pm me.

Pappy

[Peeps Mcarthur]

Ok,

Chiming in here.

When I started talking about becoming a nurse about 15 years ago,I looked into it briefly and went back to my construction job. I think anybody that's got a circle of freinds is going to ask what they think before making any career change.

It's just a fact that it is still socialy akward for a man to become a nurse,but it was much more so 15 years ago. I decided that I didn't want to feel that way and went to resp school instead............what a mistake. Here I am going to nursing school just as my heart had tried to lead me 15 years ago. The real difference was divorcing my ex and finding a woman that loves me. There has been no question since I decided to go back to the medical field, she's supported me 100% and said I would make a great nurse. The evil shrew I used to be married to always told me it was kind of ridiculous,and would I be wearing one of those hats?

It takes alot of money,and dedication to get a nursing degree,but it also requires some kind of emotional support.

That's what's missing in society for males. There are males and females alike that have seen that need,and have responded with their feelings outwardly,but society is not yet ready to give up the stigma of something being wrong with a man wanting to be a nurse.

I just got tired of waiting for all this great new age of tolerance,and understanding of role changes to trickle down to nursing. Men can be nannies,and househusbands staying home with the kids,cooking,sewing,and women can be CEOs,truckdrivers,construction workers,soldiers...........................and as a society we will tolerate male nurses,and bite our lip,kicking and screaming as it all changes.

It's a matter of our biology to seek firm gender roles,but we are destined to evolve.

And I'm getting started right now.

[researchrabbit]

Originally posted by JonRN

One Dr. was always riding me about being gay. He had a beautiful wife. One day I told him "give me 30 minutes with your wife, then ask her". He got really p.o.'ed but never brought it up again.

:roll

[Mattigan, RN]

Where in the world is Burns Flat?

I've been in nursing for 26 years and have worked with so many male nurses I can't remember them all. Only one was gay ( that I know of ) I only know he is because we got to be good friends. He long ago gave up nursing and works in tribal government.-being gay had nothing to do with it.He was a great nurse.

I don't inventory co-workers sexual preferences and it has never been an issue with the patients we get. Every now and then a little old lady doesn't want a male to give her a bed bath because they are so modest but that's it.

I am also in Oklahoma.