Male Nurses and CNA's

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Nov 18, 2013

Are you uncomfortable with women in general or is it just he idea of working with them or having a female boss?

PapaBearRN, BSN · Nov 18, 2013

I'm a male student nurse and I love it. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Nov 18, 2013

You need to get used to it. Even though male nurse percentages are increasing, it is primarily still a female dominated profession. Males are not treated any different by their female coworkers (except getting roped into the heavy lifting).

Rn 1979 · Nov 18, 2013

I am totally comfortable with women and I am married guy but at some moments I felt so shy of being the only guy especially with some skills like bed bathing.

PapaBearRN, BSN · Nov 19, 2013

I am totally comfortable with women and I am married guy but at some moments I felt so shy of being the only guy especially with some skills like bed bathing.

I hear you about giving a bed bath to a female, I haven't had to do one yet but I can see where you would be some what uncomfortable. I would just ask the client if it's alright.

cbstarkey · Nov 19, 2013

Good for you about being open and honest about your concerns. Although I wasn't the only male in my CNA skills course we were in smaller groups in the clinical portion and I can relate to some of what you've mentioned as I was the only male in that group.

If you focus on your skills and what you are doing for your patients you will likely forget about the gender concerns that you've expressed. You'll be busy and you won't think about it as much. There was one time when a female patient objected to having a male/me insert a catherter. It wasn't anything that I did or said, it just happens.

If you really want to be a nurse then go for it. I don't have any regrets.

Good luck.

Rn 1979 · Nov 19, 2013

Thank for your replay it really encourages me a lot, yes I love to be a nurse and actually I am pursuing and old dream. I had an Engineering degree and Nursing is a major career change for me, sometimes I feel old because I am 33 now but I am working hard I finished all my prerequisites with 4 GPA and I am staring my clinical portion next Jan.

ionatan · Nov 19, 2013

There are some advantages to being the only guy in the workplace. In female dominated fields, you will find that women tend to be at each others' throats a lot of times. In most of the places I have worked, most of women like me (strictly platonically). I'm the only guy around usually, so it seems to work to my benefit. If one of them treats me poorly or bothers me, the others usually come to my defense. Me and my home girls.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Nov 21, 2013

Nursing school is different. My cohort has 11 males out of 29 and the traditional class has about 7/50. It has the feel of any other major, the females and instructors don't treat the males any different. Even in clinicals there really hasn't been a problem with female patients.

DustinShadbolt · Nov 24, 2013

Just remember why you are there and the rest seems to not even matter. I just started as a CNA and I understand the bedbath comment you made. Just remember that you are providing care to the resident. I always made it a habit to ask the resident if they were fine with me helping them. Most of them won't care as long as you are caring.

My Nursing classes are always 1-2 guys and the rest are females. I don't really care. I kind of just got used to it after awhile.

Kipahni, RN · Nov 25, 2013

Hi!

my husband was also a engineer and became a cna, then a nurse!

Here is his advice. When it comes to things like bed baths, cath placements always get another person to help you if you feel uncomfortable. Your classmates will always be happy to help and when you get out on your own you can always ask for help from the CNA, or the student that follows you or your co workers.

You will get use to it because you will begin to recognize the context for which you are working.

Good luck with your studies!