MALE Nurse, Female Police Officer, Female Dr.

[likemike]

I find the term "Male Nurse" discriminatory. If you were stopped by the police for speeding, would you call the police officer "Oh, you are a female police officer!" In taking an order would you identify the attending as a "Female Doctor!" Would you refer to a firefighter or paramedic as a female medic or Firefighter. Try it and see what happens, that is mysoginist.

Lets take it a step further. Oh, you are a nurse of color. Is it ok to call a nurse the "African American Nurse or Asian Nurse etc."

We are all brothers and sisters in the profession.

[Rage, RN]

Hmmmmm the biggest problem I have is being called "doctor" by the patients. I correct them by simply stating that I'm a nurse and they still call me doctor..............and I'm still in NS

I have never had a problem with the nursing staff at clinicals considering me as "one of them" especially when they need to do a turn on a morbidly obese patient (I'm 6'2" and 235......he he he)

[Atheos]

People can call me what they want. I have no problem being a nurse or male nurse or murse lol. If someone gets mean though or tries to intimate that men shouldn't be in nursing, I just remind them of the fact that men started nursing, nursing is a male profession, we just gave it up because we had to keep fighting silly wars. They just don't know their history. Shrug.

[frail316]

I feel the the term Male Nurse is not necessary among professionals for the most part. But I feel that IT IS necessary from a patient's perspective. Most of the world is not ready to accept male nurses as a reality, thus the term is just a warning to the unprepared. How would you like it if you were told that a "nurse" was going to give you a (pardon the extreme) bed bath? Are you going to keep your eyes closed to make things right or are you a bigger person than that?

[jackson145]

My husband had a "female officer" working with him. She was always referred to as the "girl cop" and the men said she was just there to get them coffee. She knew she was a good cop and she just ignored them. Hardest part was her training. None of the men would work with her and some of their wives called the chief and insisted their husbands not be placed with her. I insisted my husband help her out. Now, couple years later, he's had to quit and she's still there doing a great job.

[maelstrom143]

I am a female nurse, I was a female soldier, and neither term ever offended me. It is just what I am. As for the Male Forum, I love having an area dedicated to the men in our profession. As the mother of three sons, I am often angered by the fact that we are a very woman-oriented society and often our male population is ignored. It would be nice to have a well-balanced society where men and women were considered equally. Thanks to the owner of this board for all he does for us as a profession.:balloons:

[Quig]

I find the term "Male Nurse" discriminatory. If you were stopped by the police for speeding, would you call the police officer "Oh, you are a female police officer!" In taking an order would you identify the attending as a "Female Doctor!" Would you refer to a firefighter or paramedic as a female medic or Firefighter. Try it and see what happens, that is mysoginist.

Lets take it a step further. Oh, you are a nurse of color. Is it ok to call a nurse the "African American Nurse or Asian Nurse etc."

We are all brothers and sisters in the profession.

Brohers and sisters, don't you mean comrades, darn it, lets get rid of this fascist gender thing. There are legal criteria pertaining to M/F policing etc. and so that is simply that. It just is, end of story, never going to change, even in Montgomery County, Maryland.

[wymnwise]

"I think there is coming a time, especially in this time of nursing shortage where statements like no males in my room will be viewed as any other discriminatory remarks."

Interesting. Well let's see do black men go about raping white men in large numbers, women raping men; you see women not wanting men is not like any other form of discrimination. Men do women harm in large numbers every day. Doctors and nurses have raped, many left to continue practicing (at least the doctors). So, when a woman asks, "No males" do not assume it is modesty or a hate of men; most often it is a well earned mistrust. Part of being a good nurse must be understanding this reality and not degrading the women who make gender specific requests.

[claybob]

Knew of one woman who cxl'ed a surgery when she found out that the scrub nurse was a male.

If I found out that a female doctor or nurse would be involved I would cancel the surgery too.

Also if I was surprised with a female nurse/tech/assistant to do the Pre-Op shaving and scrubbing I would request a male. If they didn't comply I would demand one. If they still refused I would then cancel the surgery.

[e-dice]

why be bothered on how a profession is perceived by others?

how one perceives themself in relation to being a nurse, is all that really matters.

leslie

I'd have to agree with earle58. at first a few of my close friends would comment on me going to school as a male nurse, but they were really just joking around with me. If people see you are dedicated and serious about your work they'll take you serious, otherwise they might just have some weird hang up over a male nurse. It might also have something to do with the area of the country you are in: rural, suburbs, urban?