gender as a qualification

As long as there are male doctors in L&D I will uphold your right as a nurse to work there too..............


bobbi

Mark,

When I was in labor with my two kids I could of cared less whether or not my nurse was male or female. I delivered in a teaching facility and had residents and med students checking me all the time.
They were all male and so was my doctor. Having a good nurse is what I would want male or female it wouldn't bother me. I think you have every right to work in whatever area of nursing you like and are good at. I bet if you polled patients they wouldn't care. Seems to be a rule made up by hospitals. I'm too old to have any more babies but I would have no problems with you as my nurse in any area including L&D.

I COMPLETELY agree with you. I work L&D with no males except for the students and I have never had any problems with any of them.

Carry on mark !!!!

dear gawd!!!!!!!! FINALLY WE AGREE ON SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!

Being involved in working with the emergence of a new being into the world would be one of the greatest things I can imagine! My experiece here in Tampa Florida with the L&D industry has been not to even bother.

How in the world could a "male nurse" ever become involved with L&D nursing? The administration and recruting folks I run into are polite to my face but I never get a call to interview. I guess I do not have experience in L&D and therefore do not even desirve consideration.

The fact I do not have experience has precluded me from getting many jobs. I've applied for UR UM no experience - declined. ICU - no experience - declined. ER - no experience - declined.

I realize that Tampa Florida is an aberation in the nursing world. Employers want only experienced nurses to work for them. They want only the best and the brightest. Too bad that none are willing to teach me and provide me with an environment condusive toward me becoming one of those nurses they clamor for so loudly!

Nursing shortage my pututie! I'll probally be the last choice nurse hired if I am hired at all.

Still looking!

Hello Norbert,

I am so sorry that you are given a rough time when applying for work, especially in L&D. I agree with the other posters that if a male doctor and male med students can examine and care for females in L&D, then why shouldn't male nurses be there.

My baby making days are over, but I remember when one of my daughter's delivered her first child, she had a male nurse, which is quite often the case when working in a military environment. I was at her bedside the day this male nurse showed her how to get the baby to latch on to the breast. She didn't mind since she, too, was a soldier at the time. Soldiers are used to being cared for by either gender whereas it may take some doing to become an acceptable practice in the civilian arena of healthcare in L&D.

I hope you'll soon find the kind of nursing job you want. Don't give up. You may have to change cities or states, but I know the perfect job is waiting for you somewhere. Good luck to you!

I think it is better to have female nurse in delivery areas. It’s like having separate toilets for males and females. The people who support males to be in delivery areas also support having mixed toilet for both genders. If we have enough female nurses to work in delivery areas why we need males to work in such places?!!

Keep on doing what you are doing. There are so many male OB/GYNs that no one should ever gripe about having a male nurse. OB is about the least exciting place a guy could go for thrills of a sexual nature. However, the thrill of seeing a new life begin is almost indescribable. I've never worked OB, but have "been there," both as a patient and as a student. I think patience and compassion (and skill/education, of course) are the most necessary elements for a nurse in that area. Seems to me that men are capable of both!