I'm a junior year nursing student and this question seems to come up alot: why not change the title of "Nurse"?
It doesn't bother me too much because I care more about taking care of patients than the title of my job, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little annoyed with the term "Nurse". So many men in nursing feel that they have to call themselves a "Male Nurse". Why is this??? You don't hear anything theses days like "Female Doctor" or "Female Lawyer" or even "Male Stewardess". Peolpe see the term nursing as a female caricature: a pretty woman in a white dress and white cap.
How hard would it be to change the job title? Even a small change would help. How about putting the word "Medical" in front of "Nurse" so as a "Medical Nurse", a man could call himself a "Medic" if he so chooses. I've heard of polls that show a large majority of men would support this idea (Surprisingly women too). I think also that a title change to a non-gender biased name would bring in more men to the profession.
So... what would it take? Let me know what you think.
Specializes in Perioperative Orthopaedics - scrub/circ.
My belief is...the reason that the males at this school were not interested in the nursing club is because they do not KNOW what it means to BE a Nurse.
I completely agree, but a name change would definitely allow these kids to take a second look rather than shutting it off completely. Instead of, "nah, i dont want to stop by that club... it's for nurses." The thought process may change to, "what's a _______? Oh, they do all that? They have that much responsibility? It sounds like something that I should look more into.."
Let me tell you, hospitals care about the $$ and they would hire less Nurses and more techs. You can disagree if you choose as this is just my opinion, but I'd find it very hard to believe that the hospitals would be happy to pay Nurses MORE and still hire the same amount.
I'm not sure how many of the hospitals that many of you work for are unionized, but if anything like what you are saying occurs, I think you should contact the union. From my understanding, that's what they are responsible for controlling. Also, I believe more Nurses need to be involved with the American Nursing Association. There is a low % of RNs that are involved with THE legislation in Nursing, maybe because some think it doesn't imact them much? But because of the ANA, a nurse that decides to supplement their education as a NP, CRNA, APN, or CNM can practice some medicine. As more Nurses get involved, the stronger a voice the ANA has.
I completely agree, but a name change would definitely allow these kids to take a second look rather than shutting it off completely. Instead of, "nah, i dont want to stop by that club... it's for nurses." The thought process may change to, "what's a _______? Oh, they do all that? They have that much responsibility? It sounds like something that I should look more into.."
I'm not sure how many of the hospitals that many of you work for are unionized, but if anything like what you are saying occurs, I think you should contact the union. From my understanding, that's what they are responsible for controlling. Also, I believe more Nurses need to be involved with the American Nursing Association. There is a low % of RNs that are involved with THE legislation in Nursing, maybe because some think it doesn't imact them much? But because of the ANA, a nurse that decides to supplement their education as a NP, CRNA, APN, or CNM can practice some medicine. As more Nurses get involved, the stronger a voice the ANA has.
It's off topic, but since you brought it up, the ANA doesn't represent bedside nurses. It never has. THAT is why only 5% of nurses are in the ANA. I actively advocate AGAINST ANA membership for bedside nurse in order to PREVENT them from having any real power to undermine us even more.
Specializes in Perioperative Orthopaedics - scrub/circ.
sorry for going a little off topic, i was just addressing what the previous post about how the hospitals would unfairly treat nurses if there were a mean pay increase (which the poster said would happen if more men were to be hired), and how if it was unfair, to contact the union or ana.
Along the lines of the ANA, why do you believe the ANA doesn't support bedside nurses? I ask because my instructors and preceptors have all brought up the legislative power of the ANA. I went to the website, and everything seems fairly supportive, but what do you see from your position?
you can PM me directly to keep this discussion on topic.
I completely agree, but a name change would definitely allow these kids to take a second look rather than shutting it off completely. Instead of, "nah, i dont want to stop by that club... it's for nurses." The thought process may change to, "what's a _______? Oh, they do all that? They have that much responsibility? It sounds like something that I should look more into.."
My belief is that the students will see... "health facilitator" and still say "oh, you mean a nursing club, NO thanks!" Some would probably be interested and then go home and tell mom and dad, "I want to be a health facilitator" To which, the parent asks "what's that." Their excited son begins to describe this wonderful new job when out of the blue the parents stop him and say, "Oh, you mean a Nurse?"
Until the public understands what a Nurse actually does, the title just won't matter! Maybe, hopefully, after the public is well educated on the duties and responsibilities of a Nurse then the males that join this profession will be PROUD to be called a Nurse and not embarrassed.
I'm not sure how many of the hospitals that many of you work for are unionized, but if anything like what you are saying occurs, I think you should contact the union. From my understanding, that's what they are responsible for controlling. Also, I believe more Nurses need to be involved with the American Nursing Association. There is a low % of RNs that are involved with THE legislation in Nursing, maybe because some think it doesn't imact them much? But because of the ANA, a nurse that decides to supplement their education as a NP, CRNA, APN, or CNM can practice some medicine. As more Nurses get involved, the stronger a voice the ANA has.
No not union. I, personally, do not like unions. Yes, I believe that all nurses should be involved in the politics of Nursing and I plan on getting VERY involved after I graduate.
I don't think changing the name or"title" will help. Because at the end of the day, our job doesn't change. As men in nursing, steriotyping will always be a negative part of the job. We have to change our own thinking and learn to deal with it.
Until the public understands what a Nurse actually does, the title just won't matter! Maybe, hopefully, after the public is well educated on the duties and responsibilities of a Nurse then the males that join this profession will be PROUD to be called a Nurse and not embarrassed.
Great point!
I also think that as trailblazers in the field (Male RNs), we also have the responsibility of showing that we are every bit as caring and qualified as our sisters in the profession. We need to show the public that they need to drop their old stereotypes about nurses and nursing!
It is my humble belief that this is very much in the realsm of possibility.
And we need to garner the aid and assistance of our sisters in the profession!
Specializes in midwifery, ophthalmics, general practice.
Great point!
I also think that as trailblazers in the field (Male RNs), we also have the responsibility of showing that we are every bit as caring and qualified as our sisters in the profession. We need to show the public that they need to drop their old stereotypes about nurses and nursing!
I wonder how many years men have to be in nursing before you are the norm? trallblazing is an interesting concept. I've been qualified 25 yrs now and there were 9 men in my class and we had Male RN's as charge nurses and tutors.. in fact our sister tutor was a man! (always felt a bit odd referring to him as sister tutor but thats the title!) The men I trained with are still nurses.. so how long do you have to trailblaze for??
me.. I'm a trailblazer as an NP- but then we've only had actual real NP's here for 20yrs! and there are only 3000 of us.
I feel sad that you still feel you are trailblazing after men have been an accepted part of nursing for many years now. Well at least here men have been around for much longer than me in nursing.
I wonder how many years men have to be in nursing before you are the norm? trallblazing is an interesting concept. I've been qualified 25 yrs now and there were 9 men in my class and we had Male RN's as charge nurses and tutors.. in fact our sister tutor was a man! (always felt a bit odd referring to him as sister tutor but thats the title!) The men I trained with are still nurses.. so how long do you have to trailblaze for??
me.. I'm a trailblazer as an NP- but then we've only had actual real NP's here for 20yrs! and there are only 3000 of us.
I feel sad that you still feel you are trailblazing after men have been an accepted part of nursing for many years now. Well at least here men have been around for much longer than me in nursing.
Karen
I don't think Roy is so much speaking about trailblazing as far as being accepted by the female nurses. It is more about trailblazing in the sense that the public still doesn't understand the concept of a Man being a Nurse to the point that they have to specify "oh, you are a Male Nurse. Are you going to go on to med school?"
I also think that as trailblazers in the field (Male RNs), we also have the responsibility of showing that we are every bit as caring and qualified as our sisters in the profession. We need to show the public that they need to drop their old stereotypes about nurses and nursing!
I wonder how many years men have to be in nursing before you are the norm? trallblazing is an interesting concept. I've been qualified 25 yrs now and there were 9 men in my class and we had Male RN's as charge nurses and tutors.. in fact our sister tutor was a man! (always felt a bit odd referring to him as sister tutor but thats the title!) The men I trained with are still nurses.. so how long do you have to trailblaze for??
me.. I'm a trailblazer as an NP- but then we've only had actual real NP's here for 20yrs! and there are only 3000 of us.
I feel sad that you still feel you are trailblazing after men have been an accepted part of nursing for many years now. Well at least here men have been around for much longer than me in nursing.
Karen
Hi Karen,
See jb2u's response above. Nursing, especially for men, is still looked as a "poor cousin" of Medicine. Heck, even those considering advanced practice degrees are persuaded to become PAs rather than NPs.
You might be seeing a whole different world however - I admit I'm not upto speed on England and the NHS.
I'd also like to clarrify that when I said "We need to show the public that they need to drop their old stereotypes about nurses and nursing!" - I meant "nurses and nursing" ... not "male nurses and nursing".
The general public still holds strange stereotpyes of us nurses... many still cannot or do not appreciate the fact that we are an independent entity in most (if not all) healthcare settings.
HYPEractiveTTU
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