being discriminated against in clinicals

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Power to all my brothers!!

I feel out of place a lot of times during class/clinicals. I am 6-3, 245lb, tattoos all over, ex-military. I look like a biker not a nurse. The other guys in my class are nothing like me, and does it ever show. I hope that there are more guys like me in nursing school so we can show everybody that this is not a profession just for ladies. I constantly feel that I have to be extra careful when caring for patients esp. younger female patients and elderly ladies. And that everybody in the hospital is watching me.Waiting for me to hurt somebody or do something wrong. My CI has put me in her cross sites and makes every day hell. With the hopes of getting me to quit, right! I have been through basic training and air assault school and can survive anything!!! I have been told to lay low, and to kiss her butt. Now, just how am I suppose to do that? I have been insulted, told that I will fail, even excused from clinicals in front of everybody. And all I do is show up the next day waiting for what she has in store for me. I get all A's and B's with exceptional remarks on my last evals, even rated above average. The only problem I have is when I ask for help she thinks I am threatening her, and gets very defensive. Whatever, I will pass. Anybody getting the same problems? Because I feel like I am the only guy in nursing school getting this treatment.

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If she feels threatened when you question her, do everything possible to get your questions answered by someone else. Avoid her as much as possible. That is laying low. As for kissing her butt, that can be a harder skill to learn. Smile when you talk to her, try to have a pleasant demeanor, maybe find a compliment to leave your mouth as genuinely as possible. Don't push your luck with the butt kissing. Better to avoid her if you can.

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sounds like it has less to do with you being a male and more with your appearance, many nurses (male and female) that look like bikers get discriminated against.

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Doesn't sound like discrimination, sounds like one nasty instructor.

Keep your head down and your powder dry!

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Power to all my brothers!!

I feel out of place a lot of times during class/clinicals. I am 6-3, 245lb, tattoos all over, ex-military. I look like a biker not a nurse. The other guys in my class are nothing like me, and does it ever show. I hope that there are more guys like me in nursing school so we can show everybody that this is not a profession just for ladies. I constantly feel that I have to be extra careful when caring for patients esp. younger female patients and elderly ladies. And that everybody in the hospital is watching me.Waiting for me to hurt somebody or do something wrong. My CI has put me in her cross sites and makes every day hell. With the hopes of getting me to quit, right! I have been through basic training and air assault school and can survive anything!!! I have been told to lay low, and to kiss her butt. Now, just how am I suppose to do that? I have been insulted, told that I will fail, even excused from clinicals in front of everybody. And all I do is show up the next day waiting for what she has in store for me. I get all A's and B's with exceptional remarks on my last evals, even rated above average. The only problem I have is when I ask for help she thinks I am threatening her, and gets very defensive. Whatever, I will pass. Anybody getting the same problems? Because I feel like I am the only guy in nursing school getting this treatment.

*** I am also former army infantry. However I am clean cut and my tattoos can't be seen. I never felt discriminated against in nursing school clinical. Just the opposite, I think I was given preferential treatment. Certainly in the real world of nursing I have experienced and observed discrimination against males in nursing.

My advice is to cover up your tattoos and adopt the clean and clean cut look. Treat everybody with respect and avoid that clinical instructor as much as possible.

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Looks like you looking like a biker is an issue. No one cares about your weight and height, on the contrary is you look "strong" the nurses love you ... well the CNAs do =)

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Specializes in non-animals.

You're HUGE!!! they should start kissing ur butt because your gonna be the one having to help ambulate the bariatric patients!!!

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I'm ex-military, also. A mechanic for a special forces helicopter squadron most of the time I served.

IMHO, You will never not get noticed because of your appearance. I can relate in some measures. Although I'm not as tall as you, I have a very strong build and hard facial features. So, I have to be conscientious of my tone of voice, the structure of my sentences and that I keep my face in a semi- smile relaxed way. I've found a world of difference in my responses. But it is always a conscious effort for me, because even if I'm having a fantastic day and I'm caught in deep thought, I can truly look ticked off to other people.

Being so visually noticeable in a room, just make sure you know your stuff, execute the procedures smoothly and practice the mannerism I mentioned above. You'll see the difference in how people respond to you, almost instantly!

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Specializes in Army Medic.

I'm in the same boat, though I haven't started clinicals.

6'4", 240 lbs. - full sleeves, in the process of getting tattoo's removed from my hands.

Was in the Army as a Medic.

I notice discrimination from Professors in class - except for those who were ex Military. How long have you been out for? Adjusting to civilian lifestyle can be strange, my own family was scared to have me in the house simply because of how I looked when I first got home from a medical discharge.

Treat your Instructor like you would treat a Drill SGT. - short to the point questions, ultimate respect, and expect them to stuff whatever they like up your third point of contact for no reason.

Basic training should have taught you how to keep your head low and minimize your presence - while it's not so easy in a nursing setting, use that experience to try and drive on.

Just never quit, and swallow your pride - treat your instructors like they are God - you'll only have to put up with them for a short while.

Hopefully once your through school and into the real world, your leadership abilities taught to you in the military will be what make you shine throughout your career.

You say you were able to attend Air Assault - were you a soft MOS or combat arms MOS? One of my teachers was so intimidated by me that I had to have a talk with her after class - and explain to her that while I might look like a hard ass, at one point in time I signed a contract putting my life on the line for people like her. That she had nothing to fear from me, and quite the opposite - that she should see me as a protector. After that we didn't have as many problems.

I think the frank nature of military life can some times make us come off as blunt and harsh, some times you just need to be honest with a person to get on their good side. When all else fails, pretend they're a Drill SGT., and don't tell me you're going through worse than what your DS put you through in Basic...if you can suck it up through that, you can suck it up through this.

Thank you for your service.

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Specializes in mental health.
Power to all my brothers!!

... Anybody getting the same problems? Because I feel like I am the only guy in nursing school getting this treatment.

Dude! How do you know how your instructor feels? Do your job. Help your cohorts. You're big so OFFER to help with positioning patients. Be professional, kind, and courteous with patients. If one or two instructors are bothered but most, your cohort, and the clinical staff see you doing an excellent job... then it's those instructors who have a problem...not you.

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Great to get feedback, Its good to hear from others. So last week at clinicals I was removed from the hospital by my instructor for being "unsafe" . She had cited many errors that I had made during the hour that I had been there. Some of my faults included. Double checking my IV calculations with another student before giving the med. Instructor said that it was wrong! I put an extra assessment on a med, which was wrong. I got kicked out for being too cautious. Funny part, was that when our instructor arrived she did not check up on any other student she went right for me, and did not leave myside until I was removed. After that she checked in with the other students (another student told me this part, stating that she did not see our instructor until after 10). I have since been removed from her section after I went to the president of our nursing program and told her about what has been going on. I guess I should also state that when I said I look like a biker, I should have said a biker on active duty. I keep my hair short and clean shaved at all times. I cant remove my tats, but I do hide them. I hope to keep hearing from all you guys it helps.

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Although you sort of "won" this little skirmish, beware. Do not let your guard down and consider your back to have a target on it. Authority figures in nursing, just like in the service, do not like to have to admit they were wrong, and they tend to be vindictive. The term, "nurses eating their young" originates in nursing school. Good luck.

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