questions for female nurses

Sylvia · Nov 13, 2000

Originally posted by sfowler:
I am doing research on male nurses and I have some questions if you could please help me out.
1)Have you ever seen or heard a male being treated different do to his gender? If so please describe
2)would you ask a male nurse to help you bath cath a male patient if he was down the hall from you?
3) do you know of any advantages or disadvantage being a male in the field?
Thank you for your help with my research for my class.

The only real difference I have seen in the way that male and female nurses are treated is that some patients, especially older women, do not always feel comfortable with a young man bathing them. I have also seen instances where the patient's family was uncomfortable.

I probably would not ask a male nurse to assist me bathing or cathing a male patient because I do not feel uncomfortable doing these tasks and in five years in the field I have never had a male patient indicate to me that he was uncomfortable with a female performing such tasks. However, if a male patient did indicate he was uncomfortable, then I probably would ask a male nurse for assistance

I do feel that male nurses have one advantage over female nurses and that is their physical size and strength. Nursing is hard work and some patients are quite heavy.

Good luck with your research

fergus51 · Nov 14, 2000

I have seen some women in OB/LD refuse to have male nurses (though they were fine with male doctors. Go figure!). And like the above post said the older women are sometimes uncomfortable. On the flip side I have seen male doctors and care aides treat male nurses with much more respect than they treat the female nurses on the floor. One male care aide lost his temper with 2 students (one male the other female). Later he apologized to the male student, but said nothing to the female one.

I would ask the male nurse for help, only if the patient really didn't want me to do it, but in my experience men are used to female nurses. The one exception I had was a new immigrant who would only allow me to examine him if another person was in the room so there was no question that everything was kosher. In return, I'd try to help the male nurse with one of his clients.

As for advantages, I have been told that male nurses move up the ladder faster than their female counterparts. (More males in management and administration based on the total number of men in nursing). Partly happens because women often take time off to start families at the expense of their career. Personally I would hate to be an administrator, so I don't consider it an advantage though I know most would.

goldilocksrn · Nov 14, 2000

I would say that I have seen male nurses get more respect and are viewed as more credible than female nurses.

I would ask a male nurse for assistance with cathing or bathing a patient only if I felt uncomfortable (pt. saying inappropriate things, etc) so far this hasn't happened.

Barbara Rose · Nov 14, 2000

Physicians seem to pay more attention to male nurses as far as being "nicer", don't jump down their throats like they do the women. Also, male nurses are confused to be doctors many, many times and especially older people seem to respect them more; you know don't ask them to fluff pillows, or the "handmaiden, waitress" duties like they do the women. I don't think I have ever gone out of my way to obtain the help of a male nurse unless I needed him to lift someone or something I couldn't (like in a code when you have to move a 250 lb. man). The advantage to being a male nurse? Well, I see them garner more respect that females. Perhaps they can help change the image of nursing.

mom22 · Nov 14, 2000

I never really thought about it, but in 7 years, I have never worked with a male nurse!