Men in Nursing

arbley · Nov 3, 2003

Not often, but every once in a while a patient will ask me if I am a male nurse. My answer is usually, "Last time I checked." That whole male thing just gets old. I tell patients my name and that I am their nurse. I think it is funny when folks feel compelled to remark on my gender. as if I, or they would not know otherwise.

sparrowSN · Nov 10, 2003

We have one surviving male nursing student in our class. He is in OB class now. Much applause! At our last study group, he remarked how he was privy to information that most women do not share with men. Yes, it's true we accept him as one of the girls. He shared that when asked to be the example for the instructor's 5-minute physical assessment, he was actually quite embarrassed. We thought nothing of it, but apparently at that time it was about the third week of class and he was asked to take his shirt of for the exam in front of 20 strange women. All he could think was, "must suck in stomach."

Thanks guys for sticking in there!!!

Sable's mom · Nov 10, 2003

I'm confused - why is this in "Nursing humor"?

Tink RN · Nov 10, 2003

Rule #1 guys - If female nurses can hold urinals and cath men, then male nurses need to get used to the idea of helping ladies with bed pans and cath'ing women!

:specs:

JennyJ · Nov 10, 2003

My husband is currently in nursing school (the same program I graduated from 5 years ago) and in listening to some of the stories he has, I find a new respect for some of the difficulties for men in this field. For example, his study group consists of him and 4 women. He started driving his truck (complete with camper) to school so that he and the group could have a quiet, private oasis (we all remember how important that was in school). Often he will cook breakfast for the girls before they dive into the lecture notes and study. Well, he has been called into one of the instructor's office to discuss the "inappropriateness" of the fact that he is in a camper with 4 women. He says that he feels his actions are constantly being monitored, even more closely than his female counterparts. Nevermind the fact that he has yet to earn lower than a "B" on any exam, or not pass a clinical checkout. I guess I never thought that men in nursing are such a minority that they would warrent such monitoring.

Medic946RN · Nov 20, 2003

Originally posted by Tink RN
Rule #1 guys - If female nurses can hold urinals and cath men, then male nurses need to get used to the idea of helping ladies with bed pans and cath'ing women!

I am a male nurse and I have no probelm with cathing females, assisting with bedpans etc, however even in this enlightened age of the 21st Century many female patients ask for a female nurse for things as benign as shot in the butt. It doesn't bother me, I respect their privacy.

Tink RN · Nov 20, 2003

Sorry ... poor wording on my part - I should have been more specific because I certainly didn't mean to offend any of you guys. I was making light of an on going situation where I work. SOME of the male nurses that work with me brag about not having to "go there" on the little ladies with Alzheimers from the nursing home that come in the ER for septic work-ups. (Usually UTIs ofcourse and some are not even responsive) But anyway, when a cath U/A and Cx is ordered, they look at the female staff and smile as they say, "Hey - it's a female! Guess you have to do it!" I always quote my original post to them, but ofcourse I by no means mind doing the cath ... it's just one of those things we give each other a hard time about.

For the record - I totally understand and agree with honoring the gender request from alert and oriented patients when able to do so.

cathalemt · Nov 20, 2003

I am a male student nurse (mature student) and i live here in Dublin. I would love to know about how male nurses get on in maternity as this is what i hope to end up in...........

MrsWampthang, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2003

One of the ER docs came through one day with his daughter's school class. My boyfriend happened to walk by about that time (male RN) and the doc asked him if he had any body parts he could pull out to show the kids. When my boyfriend rather shocked said NO; the doc then realized what he said! Just wouldn't have been as funny if he had asked one of the female nurses.:chuckle :chuckle

Pam

Sable's mom · Nov 27, 2003

Pam,

You'll have to come get the diet coke out of my keyboard - That was hysterical!

Linda

slyhrtbt · Nov 28, 2003

Originally posted by sparrowSN
We have one surviving male nursing student in our class. He is in OB class now. Much applause! At our last study group, he remarked how he was privy to information that most women do not share with men. Yes, it's true we accept him as one of the girls. [quote}

Hey I know the feeling. Sometimes it is a compliment to be thought of as "one of the girls" so to speak. But when I hear the girls in my class or at work talk about how they can't find a nice guy it makes me wonder what is wrong with me. Why do girl not see what is right under there nose. Hey I have my thoughts on girls I dare any girl to prove me wrong:)