how do we change nurses opinions on male nurses?

[mark_LD_RN]

i guess this kinda goes along with my other post. I our discussion the topic came up that some older nurses do not seem to believe males should or can be nurses. especially in the ob areas. how could their opinions be changed or do you even think it is at all possible?

[FlyingED]

I am a male nurse in a CHI ed in the NW. A lol came into the ed c/o cp. In the room I helped her take her cloths off, hooked her up to the three lead, did a secondary from head to toes- and started an Iv. I was just finishing up when a Nun walked in and said "How are you feelling Sister Anne". I turned to her and said, "If I had known you were a nun I would have tortured you a little more." She just laughed and PINCHED me.

I figured that if a nun will allow me to do a full exam on her, any female patient that has difficulty with a male nurse is an anomoly and has issues that should be pittied not condemned.

As far as female nurses, I treat as individuals, period. But, I love pointing out, when I am the only male nurse in the ED, that there is to much estrogen floating in the air.

[efy2178]

Passing Thru

Methinks you are putting the cart before the horse. There is no greater percentage of men in nursing now than there was 20 years ago. Yes my salary has gone from $8.26/hr when I stated in 1985 to $23.23/hr when I left work last June. But when you account for experience, certification etc. that's really not great. 5% of nurse were men in 1985 and 5% are men today. Any other field that requires the licensure, expertise and dedication as ours would certainly command more money.

We need to attract men into the profession because they are a valuable asset to this women-dominated profession-- just as many women make great engineers.

When we increase the percentage of men the salaries will go up.

My fear is men will go to more socially acceptable health occupations and demand to do nursing tasks and then want licensure for a paraprofession that will not require nor demand the intense kind of learning/education nursing needs. I already see this happening. Yet nurses stay accountable for these delegated nursing tasks without the pay.

It's getting scary. So stay in the know about what UAP's can and cannot do. And watch were the men are. They tend to be in the OR, ER and cath lab or administration. (I don't have a study on that-it's just my personal experience).

[CCU NRS]

Originally posted by passing thru

THE FACTS/ statistics are:

Historically, male have ONLY entered females traditional occupations when the SALARIES rose to an amount acceptable to the males.

This is written in history books, re: 1920's, 1930's , 1940's to the present......

Re: bank tellers, secretaries, bookkeepers, and in the 80's a few teachers.

School teaching has not reached the salary level to attract large numbers of males.

Sociology: History of the WorkPlace: Male and Females

(take a peek on the net if you care to look for yourself, there's a few hundred thousand pages to study.)

Sorry you see the facts as an expression of my "hypocracy."

The truth/facts/statistics/history support my simple statement.

Actually the wages increase because of the male influx. Males unlike females will always demand the wage they beleive they are worth.. females have traditionally been too docile to demand raises and therefore get overlooked.

[Will Benson]

When I last checked my calendar, this was 2003!. I realize that there are STILL (surprisingly) a number of female nurses who believe males have no place in nursing. To them I say "Eisenhower is not president, the Model T is obsolete; and this is not 1950." To my knowledge there is no gender restriction on who is admitted to nursing school. (Just as it is acceptable for there to be female doctors, correct?). I'm sorry if you don't like the presence of males in a predominantly female profession, but you know what - GET OVER IT?

Male nurses owe no explanations or apologies for being nurses. I much prefer the term "nurse" . note there is no gender specifier.

[imenid37]

Whe I was a teenager, I volunteered at a local hospital and one of my favourite nurses to work w/ was a guy who worked in Peds ICU. He was always very nice about explaining things to me and would point out things I might be interested in, etc. This was back in the early 1980's, so a guy in Peds was a little unusual. I will always have a warm spot in myheart for him because he was one of several really exceptional nurses I met while volunteering who inspired me to be a nurse. Though, I am female, he inspired me because he was a great person who shared his love forwhat he did w/ me. It wasn't a male/female thing.

I think when we count our sons and brothers out of nursing, we are making a mistake and narrowing the pool of talent we should be drawing from. I have met a number of my daughters' teenage male friends who just wouldn't pursue nursing because "it's a female job." I tell them they'd be shocked at how physical, highly technical, and intellectually challenging it can be. A lot of their dads would be upset if their sons chose this career path. I just don't get it. Since when is doing something worthwhile to help others unmanly. Why is our occupation "off limits" for guys while EMT is considered acceptable? To me nursing is no more male/female than being a teacher or an accountant. If more men in nursing means better salaries for the rest of us too, I can only see this as yet another positive.

[lanilpn]

i think that "male" nurses are great. Unfortunantly there are not enough in the nursing field. One of the male nurses that i worked with as a cna inspired me to be a "female" nurse. I think that if anyone has a problem with "male" nurses they need to wake up-we are all nurses . The education is not different! I love nurses :kiss

[Joe Hill]

First, let's be clear, I am a Man who has chosen Nursing as a profession. I do not allow fellow Nurses or Pts to prefix the label "Male". My credentials are the same as any other nurse.

Second I do not allow other Nurses or Pts to think that I have nurses training. I have a nursing education. Dogs are trained.

I suggest the first stategy to all men in Nursing, do not allow yourself to be labeled. And I suggest that all nurses support this.

Also all nurses should be proud that they have an extensive education and demand that others recognize this also!

[lalaxton]

Well said Joe!

[icuabbie]

It has been enlightening to read the posts on this subject. I'm a 44 y.o. critical care nurse and have worked with alot of male nurses. The problems we have on our unit is that the majority of male rns are very young, many using the icu as a stepping stone to nurse anesthesist school and most work nights because of the differential and the decreased work load. I don't have a problem with male nurses unless they do a substandard job on the unit. Most are technically good but lack a certain professionalism and maturity and sense of real empathy and caring toward the pts. and family. Many do as little as they have to then sit down and read, watch tv or engage in immature boy pranks like rubber band fights. I have to admit that in my experience the majority of male nurses that I have worked with are mediocre. I challenge those of you out there to be a good role model and put your pts needs first. The secret to being a REAL NURSE is to always put your patients need before your own and take any extra time you have to give to your team, patients and their families.

[CCU NRS]

Originally posted by icuabbie

It has been enlightening to read the posts on this subject. I'm a 44 y.o. critical care nurse and have worked with alot of male nurses. The problems we have on our unit is that the majority of male rns are very young, many using the icu as a stepping stone to nurse anesthesist school and most work nights because of the differential and the decreased work load. I don't have a problem with male nurses unless they do a substandard job on the unit. Most are technically good but lack a certain professionalism and maturity and sense of real empathy and caring toward the pts. and family. Many do as little as they have to then sit down and read, watch tv or engage in immature boy pranks like rubber band fights. I have to admit that in my experience the majority of male nurses that I have worked with are mediocre. I challenge those of you out there to be a good role model and put your pts needs first. The secret to being a REAL NURSE is to always put your patients need before your own and take any extra time you have to give to your team, patients and their families.

Notice NO mass generalization such as all males are just in it for the $$$$ All nurses male or female should follow the advice of icuabbie.

I see these same behaviors from females and yes plenty of mediocre nurses that as you mentioned do the least amount possible are sitting around reading, or gabbing, working nightshift because of differential and for some unknown reason feeling that it is less work load. Yes the doctors mostly visit during business hours and yes there are more orders and procedures to carry out but that is why night shift is expected in most cases to perform ADLs linen changes and bathing, which I see my share of females neglecting as often if not more than males.

If you want to get me started just mention Smoking nurses (either gender) that seem to have time to go smoke 5/6 times a shift but then complain that they can't get everything done

And I personnally have never met a male that walks around all day every day complaining about everything that needs to be done and constantly whining that they just can't do it ALL! I hear this from females approx. one in ten carries this horrendous burden of being the only hard working nurse on the planet.

My original point is that each person is an individual each has and was taught their own work ethic and each shows affection, compassion and empathy in their own way. Mass generalization such as Males only got into nursing when the $$$$ became significant is like saying all Jews should die refence Hitler, and any person not caucasion should be hung reference KKK. Do you think a female surgeon goes to any less schooling than a male surgeon. Are all female surgeons incompitent. NO that is a mass generalization!

[Agnus]

CCU RN well put.

[Joe Hill]

Originally posted by icuabbie

It has been enlightening to read the posts on this subject. I'm a 44 y.o. critical care nurse and have worked with alot of male nurses. The problems we have on our unit is that the majority of male rns are very young, many using the icu as a stepping stone to nurse anesthesist school and most work nights because of the differential and the decreased work load. I don't have a problem with male nurses unless they do a substandard job on the unit. Most are technically good but lack a certain professionalism and maturity and sense of real empathy and caring toward the pts. and family. Many do as little as they have to then sit down and read, watch tv or engage in immature boy pranks like rubber band fights. I have to admit that in my experience the majority of male nurses that I have worked with are mediocre. I challenge those of you out there to be a good role model and put your pts needs first. The secret to being a REAL NURSE is to always put your patients need before your own and take any extra time you have to give to your team, patients and their families.

It seems to me that you are saying that one must be a woman to be a REAL NURSE. First, in most hospitals day position openings are the exception, so most new Nurses begin their careers working evenings and nights not for the shift differential or the so called decreased work load (I never found this in any night position I ever worked). You also seem to be saying that no one should have advanced career goals. I wish more nurses would be interested in advancing their careers, then whole Profession would benefit. As far as pranks, I remember several woman in a CCU I worked in having mucomyst wars at 3AM. I never felt that distracted from their pt care.

I also remember in the 70's the women who were moving into medicine being disparaged by the Docs and residents. They were only there to catch a husband (I heard this about women Nurses also) and would leave the profession when they became pregnant. As the father of three daughters, I only wish I had known enough to speak up then.

What I have seen in my career is that most experienced Nurses have little desire to mentor new Nurses, be they women or men. Our profession has a tendency to devour our young. As a REAL NURSE you have the responsibility and a duty to be a role model to your new Nurses men or women. If you don't accept mentoring as part of your a REAL NURSE role then, sexism is alive and well in the practice of nursing in Twenty First Century America.