Discrimination towards male students? Need advice.

[Dabuggy]

Hello my friends,

I am a full time level II (RN) student with 3 classes and 1 clinical left in this program. I believe the nursing program is biased towards men and just not sure what, if anything I should do.

Last semester the males had some unfair biases placed on them in my opinion. One student had a critical incident report written up on him in clinical. He left the clinical site on time, before the instructor could serve him the papers. Then she investigated the incident, and found it to be false. She had told him, that had she found him, she would have suspended him. That night after talking to the witnesses, she found it to be false.

Another incident involves a husband and wife. We had to do Medspub on line. We were graded on participation and not our score. The husband and wife took this program at the same time, side by side, yet the wife received a higher score for doing the same work.

Another male student was singled out on his last clinical week, and was the only student that had to turn in work. He also received a critical incident report for not knowing the mechanism of action for a drug, yet the other 9 people in his clinical group could not answer the question. He was singled out.

Another male student placed a post on our on line page, stating his displeasure with our class. He was venting, as others had posted before him. I replied to his post in agreement. A female also replied to this post. All our post were removed. When I placed another post in this forum asking who violated our student rights and constitutional rights. The instructor removed the forum completely. Later placing it back up, minus our posts. She admitted removing the posts. The next class day I was removed from class by this instructor, and received a verbal reprimand from the instructor. The other male student, was sent to the nursing office. The female was never talked to. In our student handbook it states students have the right to free speech, etc.

The above is just a sample of what is going on. There is a lot more. What do I do if anything. I have been told that 2 former male students from last year have filed a lawsuit.

Since the school does not employ male nursing instructors, I have thought of contacting the president of the college. I am seriously thinking of leaving this program.

I am placing this here first to get your view on this. We as nurses are asked to be patient advocates. But who looks after us? It is my opinion that I need to bring this to the schools attention. If they will not listen, then where do I go?

It is not my intention to defame or slander this school, only to right the wrongs that have been placed on us.

Thank you

Dabuggy

[maxamillion]

hm.. I'm sorry to hear about all your troubles. Being a recent male grad, I would have to say my experience in school was totally opposite of yours. my advice to you and those that are having trouble with faculty would be: "be seen, don't be heard". I know nursing school is extremely stressful for you, but it's also stressful for the faculty. just my 2 cents.

[anonymurse]

Of course you're right about the bias. But it's not just males. Women of color don't fit the mold, either. And just like them, either you internalize the garbage and hose your own future, or you blow it off, keep your nose to the grindstone, and remind yourself that a couple years hence, you'll have RN after your name and absolutely no one will remember what your grades were, let alone that you got something slightly lower than you could have if fairly graded. And always remember, it's not about you. They don't know anything about you. You just happen to be a male. Luck of the draw. Press on.

[Dunno?]

I bet many people say that discrimination does not happen..But it does...If I were you, I would let it go and just graduate from school and become a nurse..If you dont graduate, the oppressors will win and you will lose...

[58flyer]

My advice, since you have come this far, is to stick with it and graduate. If you quit and you still want to be a nurse, you will have to start all over again at another school, with no guarantee that it will be any different. I had some issues with nursing school way back when and I quit. But that was the first semester and I was able to apply prereqs to another degree. I've had a great career in another field and I wouldn't trade my choice for the world. But I still find myself wanting to pursue nursing.

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

It's true...so many of us vent to each other, but when it comes right down to it: "They have the key, the lock, and the combination for the padlock on the door....we play the game up til the last day, then we win the game." I personally find little to gripe about, but I approach the entire journey as "I'm prepared for the game, and I know what you're going to do, so forget about it....I'm strong and I'm going to get through this!" All you need to do is graduate...then you're an RN, and then you can complain all you want. (although many of the females you work with will tell you to suck it up.)

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

I am so sorry you have experienced such treatment. Just resolve to treat others better when you are done with school and working. Good luck.

[all4u2]

Of course you're right about the bias

[nursing4nena]

I've seen the same favoritism at our school, but the other way around, for some reason our instructors have always favored males. I'm going into my 4th semester and I see it everyday, in theory and in clinicals. Race has also been an issue, during one of my clinical evaluations, my instructor asked me where was I born? When she wasn't born in the US herself, she seemed to always favor her own race. What did I do? Nothing, I just want to get through the program, that's it. I would advise you to stay in your program, you might be having to wait to be called from a different school, and also some schools don't go in the same sequence. I know because I've called around, since I've had the same urge to just transfer to a different school, some schools do mental health the last semester where others have it on the second semester.

Good luck!

[pawashrn]

you are only experiencing the shoe on the other foot syndrome. females entering male dominated jobs receive the same punishment. The best revenge is to succeed and surpass, despite the instructors. They are only a minor hill to climb and conquer. Flip them off on graduation day( get your diploma in hand first) and file a formal letter of discrimination, siting times, dates, exact situations and supportive witnesses to the president of the college, not the dean of nursing. I had an OB instructor you hated men and one day in lecture the only person she called on was me. The entire class laid witness, she was no longer the OB instructor after my graduating class. Words in writing that speak fact are powerful weapons. good luck,don't quit.

[Wulfie]

It's true...so many of us vent to each other, but when it comes right down to it: "They have the key, the lock, and the combination for the padlock on the door....we play the game up til the last day, then we win the game." I personally find little to gripe about, but I approach the entire journey as "I'm prepared for the game, and I know what you're going to do, so forget about it....I'm strong and I'm going to get through this!" All you need to do is graduate...then you're an RN, and then you can complain all you want. (although many of the females you work with will tell you to suck it up.)

This is a fantastic reply and so very true. In my first semester I experienced a great deal of bias from one particular instructor. She had been teaching for almost 26 years and I am sure was burned out. She used every chance she had to fail me in her course. If the grading rubics was at her discretion, I failed every assignment. However, when the quizzes and tests were given I scored 100% on every single one of them. This allowed me to receive a B in her class. I know she wanted to fail me, but couldn't.

I believe you will see this in some of the older instructors because of what they went through as women in a culture that treated them as second class for so long. Perhaps it is a sub conscience retaliation. But the best thing to do is get over it and be a success.

[Dabuggy]

Thank you all for the replies. While I have sat back and pondered as to what to do, others have come forward and talked with the President. I'm not sure if I have placed a target on my back, but believe I should stick with my brothers. I have emailed the President and sent him a certified letter. I respect the replies that say I should suck it up, however, I do not think I would like the person I see in the mirror.

I have invested too much in this, and do not want this to continue with my class or future classes.

Dabuggy