Would You Prefer a Male Nurse?

I had a patient last rotation tell me immediately upon finding out I was the student nurse to care for her that, "Men shouldn't be nurses, you don't belong as nurses and I don't want you taking care of me" without a grin on her face - she was dead serious. She then went on to say that she changed her mind and would keep me as her nurse, but would make my day as miserable as she could - she was not suffering from dementia or any other potential psychiatric issue according to the chart (and meds .

My reply, "You don't have to have me as your nurse, but if I can't be a nurse because i'm a male, tell women they can't be doctors and i'll go to medical school." - semi-unprofessional? Yes, but I don't get to choose what way my genitalia differentiate any more than any other person. I told my instructor that I didn't want her, and I was changed. I have to try real hard to be a nice guy - it doesn't come easy

Abuse is very different from being tolerant of others. If you'd prefer abuse, then you will undoubtedly experience it.

I also want to clarify that hindsight is 20/20.

I don't really have a problem with a patient preferring care from one gender or the other, but I DO have a problem with a patient threatening to make my day miserable and behaving with hostility because they don't care for my gender.