Can Male RNs get jobs in Maternity Nursing?

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So anyway, I'm a guy in nursing school, and I'm currently 'undeclared' re: my track for this accelerated MSN program.

Of the tracks I could apply to at my school, I can choose from Adult Health, Public Health, Child Health, and Maternity.

Public Health's pretty interesting, but the words "Adult Health" will make me run for the hills in terror. Pathophysiology is the bane of my existence :/

Starting next week, I'll take my Maternity and Child Health courses. I've heard that the job market's tough for Child Health tracked grads, but it's relatively better for Maternity.

But they only hire women for Maternity nursing, right? Even if the track's administrative, the female patients obviously want a female maternity nurse?

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Specializes in LDRP.

i know of 3 male rn staff nurses in maternity units in my hospital network alone.. plus 2 that recently did their preceptorship for NS in the maternity unit. its not impossible. it would be illegal to not hire you because you are a man. youd be surprised at how many women DONT care if their L&D nurse is a man. a lot of the OBGYNs are men, so why not the nurses. just be confident and act professional.

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There's a male midwife in my city. I'd be okay with it. . .there were no male RNs where I delivered, though.

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Why not? You can be there when I deliver! ;) The times are changing, I'm sure there is a job out there for you!

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Its rear but and I'm sure they'd rather have a woman. My thing though is alot of women are cool with male OBGYN, but not male nurses who work on a maternity floor. Its a really weird double standard.

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I've had 5 children, and I think it would have been very hypocritical of me to accept my male OBGYN and frown upon a male RN in the maternity ward.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

When I was completing my clinical rotations in L&D/Postpartum at a Los Angeles area hospital back in 2005, one of the RNs who worked in the L&D department was a man. According to the other staff members there, none of the birthing mothers has ever rejected him or requested another nurse.

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kudos to you guys, but it does happen.

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i am a male nurse and i also would love to be a labor nurse. if you want to do it go for it!

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Specializes in OB, critical care, hospice, farm/industr.

One caveat: If you want to be an MSN in Maternal/child health, you had better know your Pathophys backwards and forwards. OB conditions can mask serious diseases you will need to be able to catch. Just sayin'

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

Rare, especially in the South. That being said, the one I've worked with has been great, and the patients didn't have issues with him. Besides my life as a labor nurse, I'm also a grand multip. I wouldn't have cared who helped me during my labors or births.

One thing to consider, though, for those that don't understand why a person who would have a male OBGYN but would prefer not to have a male L/D RN...your labor RN is much more present, active, and personal in your care. Your OB shows up maybe to break water and to catch. MUCH different, especially when you consider a labor without epidural...your labor nurse may spend 10 hours with you bare naked, holding monitors on, having hands all over your belly to palpate contractions, uterine tonus, perform leopold's, do vag exams, massage your back, apply counterpressure to your hips or low back...a good labor nurse really isn't what you call your hands off.

Good luck to you, in whatever you do.

T

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We have many guys that work in L/D and NICU where I am ...we love them! They even out all the estrogen we have floating around lol

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