I've been on the receiving end of quite a number of male "nurse" jokes ever since I started college for my BSN. I have not been phased one iota, but now that I'm in school and am around other men, they seem to want to change the terminology to something other than "Male Nurse" (something like "masculine health care technologist" or whatever).
Anyway, I thought I'd do a little research and poll the fine folks here. What do you think: Are you bothered by being called a nurse?
I always laugh when I hear people say if you don't like XXX then get out of the profession. I wonder what these folks would say if nurses were still wearing white caps or it was back in the times when nursing was considered a lowly profession that parents didn't want their daughters to pursue.
It's not as if nursing hasn't needed changed in the past. Years ago Florence Nightingale saw nursing's shortcoming and she made it her life's work to make it better. Is is perfect today? Not even close.
I'm sure there were the same hecklers back in Florence Nightingale's time telling her to leave nursing be. Thank goodness she didn't listen.
I understand what you're saying. But we aren't talking about changing uniforms or standards. We are talking about changing our title- as if changing what we are called will somehow magically transform the art, science, practice, and profession of nursing, which I maintain it will not. I am not saying "Leave nursing be." I am saying, "Leave the title be." I should have articulated my position as "If you don't like being called a nurse, call yourself whatever you like. I for one am a nurse, and prefer to be called 'nurse'." You can call yourself 'professional poached egg' if that is what you prefer, but it will not make you a different person or somehow make the already-important job that you do more important. What you are called does not determine what you do, but rather identifies your function in the healthcare continuum.
And I admit that 'nurse' is a very general term considering the mind-boggling variety of things that we do. But that is why we have qualifying credentials such as ICU RN, CCU-RN, ER-RN, etc. And when a patient loses his/her call button, are we going to admonish them for not calling out "Bachelor-prepared Professional patient care specialist! Oh, Bachelor-prepared professional patient care specialist!"?
Whatever those among us who are not satisfied with what we are now called decide, I submit that while they may succeed in changing our professional title, the patient will always call us "nurse." Do you intend to admonish them for so doing?
And as far as Florence Nightingale goes, I understand and appreciate what she did to advance the cause and practice of nursing. She was also quite outspoken in her position that men had no business being nurses. Shall we follow her in that regard as well?
There shouldn't be any differences between a male or female nurse. Even if it is changing a male nurse's title. Makes no sense to me. Male nurse sounds like it should just MHO.
I don't think nursing credentials are the problem. Rather, when nurse techs, nurse assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, etc are all called the same thing ("nurse") then at the least there's a naming ambiguity. At the most nursing has grown or developed to a point where there's need for change.
As I've said in the past, if professional nursing is trying to distinguish itself, as I know it is, then there's no better way to do it that to develop a more precise naming convention. For what it's worth, I've been told that it will happen. :)
I don't think nursing credentials are the problem. Rather, when nurse techs, nurse assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, etc are all called the same thing ("nurse") then at the least there's a naming ambiguity. At the most nursing has grown or developed to a point where there's need for change.
I simply do not agree with the assertion by some that this is a critical issue. I think this is really a silly thing for college-educated people to be so preoccupied with. I just think that in the bigger picture, there are many, many more important things for us to be concerned about, and the issue of changing our title is really a waste of time, talent and ingenuity that could be put to better use elsewhere.
Let us deal with the more pressing issues- like the shortage of nursing faculty, for instance- and when we have dealt with the really important things, then we can sit around thinking up new ways of telling someone "I'm a nurse."
Let us deal with the more pressing issues- like the shortage of nursing faculty, for instance- and when we have dealt with the really important things, then we can sit around thinking up new ways of telling someone "I'm a nurse."
Then I'd recommend you start a thread on your solutions for those "really important things" after all you think you're wasting your time on this topic. Right?
Then I'd recommend you start a thread on your solutions for those "really important things" after all you think you're wasting your time on this topic. Right?
You're absolutely right. I have wasted enough time on this. I will not spend any more time dwelling on it. Now if those who were expending so much energy trying to change our titles would do the same, maybe we could get the important things done.:deadhorse
This is my problem: the term, nurse, is a description as opposed to doctor, which is a title.
This site has alot of insight into why nurses aren't treated like 'professionals'. Maybe part of it is because 'Dr.' Smith refers to the bedside nurse as 'Kelly', or 'Amanda', or in my case, 'Tim'.
I used to know a little bit of Russian, and like many languages, Spanish included, Russian conjugates verbs into 6 forms: I, you (informal), we, they, you (formal), us. You talk to peers and those above you in the formal 'you'. You talk to friends, children and subordinates in the informal 'you'.
DR. is a formal 'you' address. Referring to you by your first name is a very informal 'you' address. While I will submit that this arrangement between doctor and nurse is the evolutionary model of nursing's past, it is not a recipe for 'professionalism' in the future.
I do not object in the least to being referred to as a nurse. I object to the fact that my training and experience are just so many useless letters AFTER my name instead of a key address IN FRONT OF my name. And even then, my objection is only because, that isn't very 'professional'.
~faith,
Timothy.
Thanks for your post....I couldn't have said it better myself!
Specializes in Combat Support Hospital; Geriatrics.
Oh, hell no! If anybody tries that "male nurse" crap with me, I'll be throwing a right hook and a buttstroke with my M-4 Rifle. Wearing my army BDU's more than makes up for my masculinity and machoness.
Oh, hell no! If anybody tries that "male nurse" crap with me, I'll be throwing a right hook and a buttstroke with my M-4 Rifle. Wearing my army BDU's more than makes up for my masculinity and machoness.
M-4 Carbine [introduced in 1997]
A compact version of the M16A2 rifle, with a collapsible stock, a flat-top upper receiver accessory rail and a detachable handle/rear aperture site assembly. The M4 enables a soldier operating in close quarters to engage targets at extended range with accurate, lethal fire. It achieves more than 85 percent commonality with the M16A2 rifle and will replace all .45 caliber M3 submachine guns, selected M9 pistols, and M16 series rifles.
Have yet the pleasure of firing the M-4. I've fired the .45 & M9 pistols, as well as M16/A1/A2 rifle(s).
NurseWilliam
30 Posts
I understand what you're saying. But we aren't talking about changing uniforms or standards. We are talking about changing our title- as if changing what we are called will somehow magically transform the art, science, practice, and profession of nursing, which I maintain it will not. I am not saying "Leave nursing be." I am saying, "Leave the title be." I should have articulated my position as "If you don't like being called a nurse, call yourself whatever you like. I for one am a nurse, and prefer to be called 'nurse'." You can call yourself 'professional poached egg' if that is what you prefer, but it will not make you a different person or somehow make the already-important job that you do more important. What you are called does not determine what you do, but rather identifies your function in the healthcare continuum.
And I admit that 'nurse' is a very general term considering the mind-boggling variety of things that we do. But that is why we have qualifying credentials such as ICU RN, CCU-RN, ER-RN, etc. And when a patient loses his/her call button, are we going to admonish them for not calling out "Bachelor-prepared Professional patient care specialist! Oh, Bachelor-prepared professional patient care specialist!"?
Whatever those among us who are not satisfied with what we are now called decide, I submit that while they may succeed in changing our professional title, the patient will always call us "nurse." Do you intend to admonish them for so doing?
And as far as Florence Nightingale goes, I understand and appreciate what she did to advance the cause and practice of nursing. She was also quite outspoken in her position that men had no business being nurses. Shall we follow her in that regard as well?