Did anyone judge you for being a male nurse?

Nurses Men

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How did you react?

Specializes in Emergency.

Never...not once...ever

I can't honestly remember. I do get the "Hey Doctor" bit quite often, and I did have one or two patients refuse me as a student nurse in the delivery ward. However, everyone's been mostly supportive. From what I can tell, nearly everyone loves having male nurses on the floor :)

My classmates were most supportive when we were learning about the "football" grasp in OB :D

Specializes in Occupational Health/Legal Nurse Consulting.
I can't honestly remember. I do get the "Hey Doctor" bit quite often, and I did have one or two patients refuse me as a student nurse in the delivery ward. However, everyone's been mostly supportive. From what I can tell, nearly everyone loves having male nurses on the floor :)

My classmates were most supportive when we were learning about the "football" grasp in OB :D

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Are you breast feeding that baby!?

Are you breast feeding that baby!?

Absolutely! :D

Specializes in Emergency/Critical Care.

I'm sure it happens more than I can recall. Honestly, I've gotten more disturbing comments from elderly and confused pts about my race than I have about my gender. Both are a non-issue for me. I knew what I signed up for when I made the decision to be a nurse. I remember how excited I was when I got my acceptance letter, not to mention finishing nursing school and passing NCLEX. Getting a new grad position in the specialty of my choice was the icing on the cake. Accomplishments give you a sense of self-fulfillment that can't be negatively affected by another person's opinion, which is likely why I am unfazed by anyone's negative perception of a male nurse. Of the guys I grew up/went to school with there are less than a handful who have the level of job satisfaction and income that I do. ;)

If you are the kind of guy who lack's the ability to excel in the face of adversity, nursing probably isn't the career for you. If you are the kind of guy who is determined to thrive despite the ignorance, prejudice, and stereotypes spewed by others, welcome aboard!

Specializes in as above.

its the patient that can make things difficult for a male nurses, but if you come across professional, be like a doctor. your there to do a job..do it! Only if a patient is adamant, leave. you cannot control a patients biases!

My brother went to high school with a guy who was bullied for wanting to be a nurse. Apparently men aren't allowed to learn how to care for other human beings.

This guy still went on to shadow nurses and apply to nursing school. Great for him! A calling is a calling.

Specializes in as above.

wow! Sometimes its good to keep your mouth shut about what your ambitions are! I was a nurse for 25 years..had a ball. Worked with some great doctors..BUT still had to be careful around some of my friends. They found it a bit gay for a guy to be a nurse.

Had nothing to do with caring for other humans.

I have... well not judged... but mostly older ppl are saying "Oh how long until you're a doctor?"

I'm from Sweden, and a bit confused with the RNs and the BSNs difference. and the LPN/LVN....

but that's over the topic, sorry. feel free to send me a message.

Are men as nurses in the us a rare sight?

Nico

I just start talking with a lisp and they calm right down.......

Specializes in Medical ICU and Unique Pathogens.

When I originally was in nursing school 2008ish the movie meet the parents was just finishing being big. All the male's I was friends with out side of my program would make fun of me and especially in my fraternity. "are you gay Focker?" was probably something I heard weekly if not daily. But then I was in all the classes as some of the guys shooting for pre med but I knew 76 of the girls in that class and they didn't. When it came to Fraternal Social gatherings I always knew plenty of people to invite and it really strengthened our relationship sororities taht had girls in my program. The focker talk stopped by the end of the first semester. Once I got into clinicals and into the hospital in the ED as a Care partner my friends were all super jealous and now that we are all out almost even more so. I did 60's this year, my rent is 650 a month and a I have loan payments I can really chew away at. The majority of them are floundering and don't see the point at going back to school, while I'm over here doing the NP Vs CRNA Vs Travel for a few years debate. It's a great profession and I'm starting to see better and better male nurse ratios in the new grads coming through our hospital affiliated nursing program.

Good one!!!!! Thanks for the laugh. Yea, I lay awake at night worrying what other people think about me being a guy in a girls world. NOT!!!! As long as the checks contiue to cash I'm good.

That's the right attitude. People can have fun judging me when I'm making six figures a year one day.

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