I always correct anyone who referrs to a male collegeue as a "male nurse."
This will not revolutionize the world's thinking over night. Yet, we have to start somewhere.
The term "Male nurse" suggest that men in the profession are some how differently qualified. They are not. They take all the same nursing classes and pass the same NCLEX. There is no "male nursing school."
The idea that men should not care for female patients is redicilous. The idea that men should not be in OB is well....
S'cuse me the Vast majority of OB and or GYN physicians are MALE.
If it offends to have a man provide care to a woman who's medical issue is primairly OB or GYN then might I question why the person who's head is between the woman patient's legs is a male physician.
Think about it for a second. I am not suggesting that physicians are uncareing. However, they spend less time with the patient than either the nurse or midwife. Consequently a MUCH bigger part of thier time is not spent face to face but face to genitals.
Frankly I would think that a nurse who does spend time with the patient and who is holistically focused (by the nature of nursing) would be less offensive.
Have you never had the sense that when good ol doc is down there that the patient is seen as an object. Especially since he can see only a limited part of this person and it is not that part (face) that projects who this patient is.
Saying that women nurses, or older women nurse, or doctors, or any other catagory you can think of discriminates againt men who are nurses is falling into a trap.
When we refer to general catagories like these we failing to recognize and acknowlege that these are individuals not catagories that are detracting. This is what the detractors do. They catagorize men who are nurses. You can't win if you do the same thing your opponent is doing.
Educate. There are probably people out tthere that do not know that men receive the same education as women in this profession.
Educate your collegues, physicians and others. They probably never thought about it the way you do. Sometimes a word or two from a nurse can wake up these professionals.
