Re: Discrimination Against Men in Nursing Originally Posted by NurseKitty NC There is a male nursing student who has clinicals at my hospital. He is extremely strange, almost sociopathic in nature. He appears to lack basic social skills, manners, and ability to show emotion. He basically paces up and down the halls when not with his patient (the students get only one patient per day), and then when he does go in, he acts like a robot. This guy is due to graduate this year. What do you think about his ability to be a decent nurse upon graduation?
It's pretty hard to form an impression based on a one-sided, second-hand description, but I'm open to the possibility that this man may have a difficult time becoming an effective nurse. He will certainly need to develop a strong work ethic, social skills with both patients and peers, and the ability to project empathy and concern. (I can't begin to guess whether or not he feels these things, but many who seem to lack them actually only lack the ability to communicate their feelings.)
My initial inclination was to ignore your post, since the topic is discrimination against males and not whether some particular male will be a competent nurse. But, in a way, your post seems to be an example of such discrimination--why is it remotely relevent whether the student you describe is a male? Are you suggesting that men are less able to be nurses? Would the pattern you describe be less disturbing in a female?
We guys have a lot to overcome to become good nurses. I think it's still fair to say that our culture (U.S., at least) doesn't encourage nurturing skills in boys as they grow up, and as adults we do get more than a few sidelong glances from others who learn of our career choices. I don't mean to cry about it, and there are plenty of women who face challenges of their own. But in my short time as a nurse, I've learned to respect anyone who is willing to take on the challenges all of us face, day in and day out. It is probably a sad truth that not everyone who wants to be a nurse will ultimately be up to it, but I give credit to anyone who tries.
If I saw a student behaving as you describe, I hope I would encourage him to roll up his sleeves and get into it.
Even with some prior background in healthcare, I've had a few moments when I was nearly paralyzed with anxiety, and I'm keenly aware of how stupid and useless one can appear while in that state. But it is possible to get through it, and each little success can bring with it a world of personal growth.
My first shift after orientation, I committed one of those "wrong orifice" errors alluded to in a previous post. I had to check a female patient for impaction, and despite every effort to be as professional as I possibly could, I inadvertantly checked her vagina. God bless my charge nurse, who said just the right thing, but I was still right on the verge of walking out the door and never coming back. She was right, though--moments like these build character.
My point is that during school, throughout orientation, and on into my own practice, there have been numerous times when people could have easily written me off as a hopeless male idiot, or to be more politically correct, a hopeless idiot. I'm still far from perfect, but my mistakes these days tend not to be amazingly stupid mistakes. I hope that as I become more competent, I may be able to help some who are having trouble finding their way, as others have helped me.
Re: Discrimination Against Men in Nursing
Nursing News