Discrimination...You think??!!?!

[Jamie Dale]

:angryfire I encountered a situation over the weekend that I'm not quite sure how to deal with. I have worked at this facility for going on two years now, and have always worked one particular hall...well, until this past weekend! According to my schedule, I was scheduled to work on my usual hall all weekend. However, when I arrived at work, I was shocked to find I had been switched to another hall without prior warning and no one had an explaination for the move. This weighed on my mind and after med pass I decided to call the DON myself. I asked her If I had done something to deserve the move. She stated, "NO, if I have a problem with you..I'll let you know." She then said that I was moved because it wasn't in the best interest of the center for two males to work on the same hall.:angryfire ??

So, what exactly is this supposed to mean? Society is okay with two females working together in health care...but not two males..That comment insulted me in every humanly possible way. I have never felt so degraded, useless or worthless in my life. I have worked with this same male in the past with nothing ever said...so why now?I don't know what to do with this rude encounter. It is making me physically sick. If I quit, they win. If I stay, I feel as if I am giving in and ignoring my self respect as a professional. Never mind that males work together in dietary..and females worktogether on the halls! Lord forbid I work the same hall with another male. Just doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me...maybe it never will. So what do you guys think of them apples??

[ewattsjt]

it is discrimination because she said that she was separating two men. there may have been other motives involved but it is what she said for the move that counts.

i also find it interesting that everyone is fine with the idea of being ok to spread muscle around (except a couple of ladies). this is discrimination against the male as well. you are moved around because you have muscles? would it be discrimination if a female were to be assigned to dietary because she can cook? it is really the same difference.

as a male in a traditional female role you can expect to be discriminated against and the females never see it. you will have to get use to it. it will follow you wherever you go. it may not be as obvious but you will see it.

for those females who will post that i am incorrect, you simply have not paid attention to the male nurse. pay attention how often they are moved, banned from women's rooms, used for muscle, etc... the place where i work, has a code for all men to report to (hostile patient) and it is a man only code. need i say more?

[tddowney]

"She then said that I was moved because it wasn't in the best interest of the center for two males to work on the same hall."

My question is what are the reasons it's in the center's best interest.

I would ask for the specific reasons first, then decide how valid they are and what I want to do about the situation.

[RN34TX]

Well carole you see physiologically on average males carry more muscle mass, not only that but they have more neurogical innervation with respect to the muscles which means they are stronger than women, and stronger than women pound for pound. As a matter of fact, the last time I checked I dont see women being as strong as men in athletics.

For instance, I can guarentee that I am more capable than you in lifiting, because i can deadlift 325lbs for repetitions of 8. I dont thinkt taht many women are capable of that feat, save some east german powerlifters.

Point being, it makes perfect sense. 95% of men are PHYSICALLY stronger than women, hence they can lift more weight. I really dont see what the dispute is with this, I think you are taking it personally that men are stronger than women, which you shouldnt, you should jsut accept it as a fact of life, which it is.

And another fact of life is that male nurses do not get paid any more than female nurses, at least not at any job I've ever had.

A male nurse's physical strength is not an asset to be tapped into by any manager or female staff member at their convenience.

Nursing is a physically demanding job, and if you can't meet the physical requirements of the job in a hospital, it's time to start looking at outpatient/ambulatory care settings for work, rather than rely on your male colleagues to complete your job requirements for you.

I'm not saying that a female nurse shouldn't ask for help with a large and/or combative patient, but I think that any nurse, regardless of gender, should get help in those situations.

And the young male nurses too full of pride to ask for help are simply asking for back problems down the road as they won't be 25 or 35 and full of muscles forever.

I'll stand corrected if I'm putting words into Caroladybell's mouth and am way off base, but I believe that her point was that making staffing arrangements based on gender was inappropriate in this situation.

Her point was not to debate the physical ability differences between men and women.

I don't know about your 95% figure or where you got that data from, but even if this figure was correct, it's neither here nor there with respect to staffing arrangements.

If that figure was correct (which I doubt) and if physical strength played that big a part in the nursing profession, then perhaps it would not be a profession suited for women (or small or frail men) and perhaps nursing positions should only be filled by men with a considerable amount of physical strength.

[RN34TX]

If women were as strong as men they would play in the NFL :nuke:

And if NFL strength was necessary to be a nurse, then only men in tip top shape with NFL potential should be nurses.

[BROOK9960]

I am sorry I do not see it as discrimination comment. When you are working in a hospital, they can give you any assignment within your scope of expertise as long it is going to benefit the clients. I see you as an asset to the healthcare, since there are few male nurses. If I were you, I would not take the comment personal. I think you interpreted the whole thing out of context. Good luck to you.

I have to disagree. I was a female who worked in a male correctional facility and I was told on several occasions, "females need to work the module, the males need to be in the wings with the inmates". Any statement that differentiates a gender, is a dsciminatory comment. It is no different than saying, "we thought it would be best to have two blacks, or two hispanics, or two whites on different halls". As a correctional guard, and as a female, I was able to stop fights that the males would never have been able to stop just on the grounds that I am female and the inmates (most of them) were taught not to hit women. I could calm a situation down just as well as a man, and "yes" I took punches from the inmates as well as any man could.......so on that note..........I KNOW that a male could be as good a nurse, if not better in some situations, as a female. Even if it is the fact of an "extra strong arm" on the other wing, why not pull a heftier female for that? The DON made it clear that it was based on his gender!

[phoenix72]

I wonder if the DON meant that having a strong male nurse would benefit the other hall also? Since that bothers you so much you should talk to her about it. Maybe she did not know she offended you. At least that is what I hope.

This is the conclusion I first came to when I read the post, too. Is it possible that she meant it this way?

[RN34TX]

Basic biology, that's what.

Basic biology also tells you that not all human beings are built and/or maintained the same.

I've worked with men that make pizza and chicken wings their daily diet with no physical activity in their weekend plans or at any other time for that matter.

I've also worked with women who were previously firefighters (who incidentally need to meet certain physical requirements) and are now nurses.

I don't know about you, but I do know who I'd want having my back in a dark alley, and it ain't the 285# male RN chomping on chicken wings and pizza.

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

A male nurse's physical strength is not an asset to be tapped into by any manager or female staff member at their convenience.

I'll stand corrected if I'm putting words into Caroladybell's mouth and am way off base, but I believe that her point was that making staffing arrangements based on gender was inappropriate in this situation.

Her point was not to debate the physical ability differences between men and women.

I don't know about your 95% figure or where you got that data from, but even if this figure was correct, it's neither here nor there with respect to staffing arrangements.

If that figure was correct (which I doubt) and if physical strength played that big a part in the nursing profession, then perhaps it would not be a profession suited for women (or small or frail men) and perhaps nursing positions should only be filled by men with a considerable amount of physical strength.

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My point was, that it is discriminatory to assume that you always ask the guy to lift, tote and carry. ALL should be doing the lift, tote and carry.

Of course, we all should be putting all of out assets to work. That means parceling out the good IV stick nurses to different floors, etc or making sure each floor gets a certain amount of new grads mixed with experienced nurses. But just parceling out on gender is discriminatory.

[ewattsjt]

... Any statement that differentiates a gender, is a dsciminatory comment. It is no different than saying, "we thought it would be best to have two blacks, or two hispanics, or two whites on different halls"....

Brook9960 says it best. :trout: It may not have been intentional but it is something that we have to deal with.