how do we change nurses opinions on male nurses?

zenman · Feb 1, 2004

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?

Don't they know the first nurses were men?

CarolineRn · Feb 1, 2004

Mark, I'm going to make my reply without reading the other posts, as I sometimes am swayed by the opinions of others.. (Being a Libra has it's pitfalls.)

Ok.. My take on it is this. Mmost male nurses that I have worked with (even the male nursing students who were my equals) got better treatment from Doctors, patients, and occaisonally from instructors. Why? I don't really know, but suspect that it's because equal rights for women aren't as solid as we think they are. However, I worked as a student nurse (nurse tech) in a very large OR for over a year, and never saw any kind of preferential treatment for my male counterpart, but in an OR situtuation, we were rarely involved in the same cases. We could only compare based on what we had both encountered. Although I never experienced it at the time, when comparing cases with each other (and we were classmates, so we frequently did) I found that he had certain doctors whom truely respected him, and I had some who kind of "liked me," because they liked to teach. In other words, the surgeons saw me as a "student," but saw him as an "equal," or something approaching that.

On the other hand, I know that there are some places where male nurses aren't as welcomed. I was just thinking of the term "midwife" today, and thinking that there needs to be a change in that word. What man wants to be called that? I think it's unfair to use gender specific words in nursing, and may on some level deter otherwise perfectly capable and potentially excellent male birth-care providers from enetering the field.

As a woman, not as a nurse, I would have absolutely NO problem with a male nurse caring for me during my childbirth experience. Honestly, when a woman is in the active phase of labor, I think nine out of ten times, CNN's entire camera crew could be present and as long as they stayed out of the way, we wouldnt care. Why do so many people have this idea that women aren't comfortable with male nurses?

Audreyfay · Feb 1, 2004

Mark, so nice to see a post by you. You were gone for awhile? On the subject of male nurses. I think you are going to find both sides of the coin. I have noticed that the male nurses I know are there because they really want to be...just like the female nurses. They are very dedicated and "know their stuff." I have noticed that men seem to do the best in the more intensive care type of units. I also notice that they seem to advance up the ladder quicker. However, I'm not sure if it's because they are promoted, or that they have the motivation to pursue it?

One thing I have noticed though is that some of the more difficult male physicians I've worked with, somehow seem to work better with male nurses. Go figure. :rolleyes:

NeuroICURN · Feb 1, 2004

Originally posted by MHN
one of the problems is that we are called "Male Nurses" why is it necessary everyone can see we are men.

Would any call a female police office a female policeman?
No!!! so why should we put up with it.

Uh, speaking as a former police officer, I can say that I was referred to many times as a "female officer", rather than just "officer"! Now there's a job that has SEVERE gender bias....don't even get me started!!!

fins · Feb 1, 2004

One time in college, my girlfriend at the time came to see one of my track meets. She was talking with someone who asked her who I was. I'm standing in a group with about ten of my teammates, who are all black. Of course, my girlfriend, being oh so very PC, spends a couple of minutes describing me as "...the tall one, with the brown hair, the big one over there..." Finally, the woman she's talking to looks at her like she's insane and asks "you mean the white guy?" Um, yeah.

As long as 95% of nurses are women, then men are going to be called male nurses. It's just descriptive - it isn't some subtle putdown of a man's abilities.

As far as all of the blather some people are writing about men being lazier, less competent, and less compassionate than women, I just remember something that I learned in pathophysiology - when sh*t comes out of an a$$hole, that's just what a$$holes do. It's just another human stoma, performing its natural function.

techitytechtech · Sep 22, 2009

Unfortunately I witnessed a male nurse get ganged up upon by his female coworkers when he was newly hired. Two nurses went to the DON and accused him of sexual harassment. The DON called him in and after hearing his side, basically told him that she didn't buy off on the story the females told her. When a new DON came on board, she was told the story by the power monger and it was only a matter of time before the male nurse was wrongly terminated. To the best of my knowledge he never worked again as a nurse. BTW, he was a good nurse.

I have been ganged up several times by younger female nurses, i am a middle-aged tech. I was not terminated, am still in good standing, but it seems to be their prerogative as to what is disrespectful and what is not, what is appropriate and what is not. days were great, i went to nights (was warned not to, and to expect hostility. my day co-workers were right, and by golly they ran me off real good. I am a seasoned tech trying to get back on track towards a nursing school, and wonder if i'll work as a tech again. i'm applying for things that i am superqualified for, and have had a spotless reputation up until this point. change professions? i suppose i could. other people have had to. sad that nursing is hot field, and im feeling a bit locked out at the moment... :confused:

ibme · Sep 22, 2009

I think the word "nurse" implies female-- maybe because females "nurse" a baby. I think "nurse" should be changed to something else..