Any advice for a new grad Male CNA

allnurses Guide · Nov 5, 2015

Honestly, one of the best steps you can make is to stop defining your job/role by your gender. It's great to be aware of it and aware of how it might affect your patients, but you shouldn't define yourself by it. Your goals should be the same as other CNAs not just males.

Larry3373 · Nov 5, 2015

I think it is good to try to work as a cna or as they are called in the hospital, patient care tech (PCT), while in nursing school. Also look for student nurse positions in your area once you get accepted into an RN program. I wouldn't do LPN because your options will be limited, unless you want to only work in a nursing home. Perineal care and bed baths are just a part of nursing care so get used to it. You might try working as an ER tech though (or surgery for that matter) which at least do not require every patient to be bathed.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Nov 12, 2015

Many hospitals I've worked with have chaperon precautions for male staff... which means that a female staff member has to be within observation range. Before anyone gets his shorts in a bunch, this was created as a result of a false accusation of improper behavior against a male clinician. I don't have any experience with SNFs, so I don't know if this is something that they have in place.

Acute care patients may be disoriented due to meds or underlying physical issues... which leads them to misinterpret activities such as peri care or Foley insertion. They honestly believe that they have been assaulted. Without a 'witness' to protect him, the male staffer could be subjected to a horrible and potentially career-limiting ordeal.

As part of your orientation, it would be a good idea to make sure you understand and follow your employer's policies. The best approach is pro-active. If you notice any negative or odd/inappropriate reactions from a female patient, be sure to notify the nurse with whom you're working. I'm so sorry that you have to be 'extra vigilant' - it's not fair, but it's realistic.

Best of luck on your new career!

MrNurse(x2), ADN · Dec 4, 2015

It is possible to have too much empathy to provide nursing care. When your compassion interferes with the ability to do what is best for a patient, that may be the sign that health care is not your gift. Only you can decide where you fall on that scale. All patients prefer no one help with peri care, the best way to ease their anxiety is to act like you do when washing their arm. Chaperoned nursing care seems like it will limit nursing care, any female pt. assigned to males would essentially have 2:1 care and I would tend to avoid that room until a chaperone could be found. We have had instances where the nurse and CNA were both males for a lady who said they were "uncomfortable" with having males escort them to the BR quickly changed her opinion when there was no one else to help at that moment. The hilarious part of this is if asked, most of these women had male OB/GYNs.

twelvetreeez · Dec 6, 2015

It's doable, I did it as a tech in the busiest trauma center in Houston...on the night shift. Don't get your LPN, you would be back stepping inevitably. Unless you just want to work in an old folks home. Soak it all in, and pester your cohorts with every question that pops in your head. Keep your eyes open, and just watch things happening around you. I started in a medsurg floor, and cleaned a lot of people's junk, it's what you do. Simply gonna have to get over it, and get used to it. Just remember, it's doable

Susie2310 · Dec 7, 2015

I The hilarious part of this is if asked, most of these women had male OB/GYNs.

You might find this more understandable if you consider that women usually choose their male OB/GYN carefully, and then spend time developing a professional relationship with the doctor, until the point is reached where the woman feels comfortable trusting the doctor and is confident in his care. The point I am making is that the doctor is usually personally selected by the woman, just as she would choose her primary care physician, and is not just a male MD/RN/CNA who is assigned to her care, whom she has not had the opportunity to vet and personally choose as her caregiver.

sharkdiver · Dec 7, 2015

It is possible to have too much empathy to provide nursing care. When your compassion interferes with the ability to do what is best for a patient, that may be the sign that health care is not your gift. Only you can decide where you fall on that scale. All patients prefer no one help with peri care, the best way to ease their anxiety is to act like you do when washing their arm. Chaperoned nursing care seems like it will limit nursing care, any female pt. assigned to males would essentially have 2:1 care and I would tend to avoid that room until a chaperone could be found. We have had instances where the nurse and CNA were both males for a lady who said they were "uncomfortable" with having males escort them to the BR quickly changed her opinion when there was no one else to help at that moment. The hilarious part of this is if asked, most of these women had male OB/GYNs.

You might want to rethink this....

Whether you like it or not, instances of sexual abuse of patients by nurses and other health care workers do occur. If you don't think so, just google "Jeffrey McCallister"....health care facilities have very valid reasons for instituting chaperon policies in opposite gender care situations, and while women can and do commit sex offenses, over 90% are committed by males (FBI statistics).

Tkelley96 · Dec 10, 2015

I would recommend in home care since you're working for a higher license. You get plenty of down time that you could use to study. That's what I do and I'm able to work full time and go to school full time!

On the subject of being a male nurse, I haven't really had any issues. Every client has different comfort levels, just keep good communication and honor their wishes and you'll be fine. Good luck! :)

MrNurse(x2), ADN · Dec 10, 2015

You might want to rethink this....
Whether you like it or not, instances of sexual abuse of patients by nurses and other health care workers do occur. If you don't think so, just google "Jeffrey McCallister"....health care facilities have very valid reasons for instituting chaperon policies in opposite gender care situations, and while women can and do commit sex offenses, over 90% are committed by males (FBI statistics).

Given the financial focus of hospitals, I find it hard for medical centers to be able to justify the added expense to have 2:1 care for patients. This will lead to discrimination against male nurses. I have personally seen far more inappropriate interactions in my 29 years in hospitals between female staff and male patients than males. I keep doors open, curtains drawn when in rooms and ask if they would prefer a female to do certain procedures (this was much easier when I worked with my wife) or respect their request for a female. I work with a team that has been together for decades, so we have each other's backs. I find the chaperone idea pretty archaic. So, should this extend to teachers? Lawyers, with female clients? Sporting goods store clerks? The funny thing is, the same proponents of this are probably those that want nurses to be more professional. There is a serious disconnect here. There are hundreds of thousands of male nurses giving care every day and incidence is so small that this seems like such a waste of resources. The incidence of female teachers abusing students is higher, yet I don't see segregated classrooms. Sorry, can't agree with this, and must say, for someone who isn't offended easily, I am offended by this.

honeyforasalteyfish · Feb 1, 2016

I know this is an old thread, but I would like to thank every one for their feedback. I went MIA for a little while.