Did anyone judge you for being a male nurse?

[ddane94]

How did you react?

[Easyas123247]

In the military I told people my plans to apply to RN school this year they simply told me I would be successful. Officers and enlisted responded this way.

[PG2018]

You know in hindsight I thought people would, and that prevented me from trying to do nursing when I was younger. Now, I'm older and don't care what people think. However, when I tell people, especially those not attached to healthcare at all, that I'm a RN I generally get one of two types of reactions. People either assume that I have this giant fund of knowledge and instantly know anything about everything health-related or that I make a very large income. Neither would be bad, but although they "judge" incorrectly their judgements are positive, in my opinion, about nursing and men in nursing.

[joe_mulligan88]

I'm not sure that being called on for heavy lifting or subduing a fighting patient is being judged in the sense you are talking about; that's fairly common still today. But in regard to this question, I do recall being judged by other nurses when I went through L and D rotation during nursing school. For whatever reason they didn't think it was appropriate for me and another guy student in my class to be in the room for the delivery. Consequently we sat in the hall until there were babies to feed or diapers to change in the nursery.

my instructor wanted all of us to see one of each vag/c-sec and she kept sending us over as she could after that. At one point I'd rather do the new born assessments vs delivery/surgery.

[Knuckles31]

I mean other than the awkward moments during class when our instructor would make jokes during the reproductive section....I haven't experienced discrimination or anything. I actually get praise and compliments for pursuing nursing. Usually when I encounter insults for being a male nurse I use a punch like "I make what you make in 2 weeks, in three shifts" and stuff like that. It feels good to be a nurse and I'm sure that as I get more experience and feel more comfortable around the medical environment, it will feel even better.

[Orangeman4]

I just own it. I'm confident and still always willing to learn and help. I feel very respected. Regardless, I've only had positive reactions because people really feel great about the career field.

[JDFitz]

I feel like a few nurses on my floor judge me negatively, well not feel, I did walk into a empty pt. room that the nurse was talking about me to a new orientee (yeah that was awkward for them, especially when hiding when all the call bells going off). I still do not know what it is, I always say hi, always say thank you, I keep to myself, have conversation when I have downtime (not that much b/c still new).

After reading some post edit*

Oh, I do get asked "doctor am I going home today", then smile and say "hi my name is __ and I will be your nurse today"

Also, I like how people in public think you are all knowledgeable about everything in the medical field. No sorry I do not know, maybe you should ask your doctor.

[ickc22]

I'm judged all the time. It's more annoying when some of the nurses will give me a heavier assignment load or the psych patients because "he's a guy, he can handle it"

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

Mostly just on this board. A few of my fellow students also, but they got past that after the first term in nursing school. But in actual practice I havent seen it at all.

[Balder_LPN, LPN]

wow, sorry to hear that

my experience was the opposite, i hated L&D, did not want to be there, but the floor

nurses were very supportive

As I noted in another thread, the local hospital in my home town has several nurses who are men. The most requested (yes, pt's coming back for baby 2 3 or 4 make requests) is a man.

[DatMurse]

I had a patients husband ask me if I was a doctor recently. First experience with face to face insult.

I said I was a nurse. He asked if I was a woman.

Then he proceeded to ask for a cot.

Guess what woman forgot to get his cot?

[Rbeck911, BSN, RN]

This is a social barrier that is being broken daily. I am far from one of the ooshy mushy theory nurses who sheds a single tear while holding a patients hand, but I do believe that men who go into nursing typically possess qualities that make them very good at their job. A) they are comfortable and socially outgoing enough to enter a field with the chance of being ridiculed. B) They care about their fellow man. C) They are typically ambitious and are not complacent with being an LPN or an ASN. D) They typically are bread winners which seals their commitment to the field, to an extent. This list could go on and on, but these things mixed together makes for one great person caring for another. Who cares about the occasional small minded BS. Men in nursing are oddly intriguing to most people, if not only as to whether or not they are a lady man, but as to what motivates them. I feel respected, and that is what matters to me.

[caliotter3]

One of my male coworkers used to be refused by some of the female residents in the LTC facility where we worked. He would make disparaging comments because he was being prevented from doing his job and did not appreciate it. I could see where he was coming from.