gender as a qualification

1. I work as a L&D nurses and would love to hear others experiences, advice and opinions on males in this area. My patients love me and am told often by them that i am the best nurse they ever had. I love my work and believe males should be treated equally in these areas. Discrimination against male nurses not only hurts the male nurses but the nursing profession as a whole and the patients. To block males from female dominated areas short changes the patient, some males like my self are excellent in the ob areas and have a lot of compassion and other qualities to offer.

2. Poll: Should males be allowed to work in Labor and delivery area?

   • yes, they are professionals and should be treated equally,

     90.59% 154

   • no,

     9.41% 16

   170 Votes
3. 

   About mark_LD_RN

   Joined: Nov '01; Posts: 1,083; Likes: 14
   registered nurse

   54 Comments

   Topic Closed

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4. 
   Jan 11, '02

   As long as there are male doctors in L&D I will uphold your right as a nurse to work there too..............
   
   
   bobbi
5. 
   Jan 11, '02

   Mark,
   
   When I was in labor with my two kids I could of cared less whether or not my nurse was male or female. I delivered in a teaching facility and had residents and med students checking me all the time.
   They were all male and so was my doctor. Having a good nurse is what I would want male or female it wouldn't bother me. I think you have every right to work in whatever area of nursing you like and are good at. I bet if you polled patients they wouldn't care. Seems to be a rule made up by hospitals. I'm too old to have any more babies but I would have no problems with you as my nurse in any area including L&D.
6. 
   Jan 11, '02

   I COMPLETELY agree with you. I work L&D with no males except for the students and I have never had any problems with any of them.
7. 
   Jan 11, '02

   Carry on mark !!!!
8. 
   Jan 12, '02

   Originally posted by 3651bht
   As long as there are male doctors in L&D I will uphold your right as a nurse to work there too..............
   
   
   bobbi

   
   dear gawd!!!!!!!! FINALLY WE AGREE ON SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!
9. 
   Jan 14, '02

   Being involved in working with the emergence of a new being into the world would be one of the greatest things I can imagine! My experiece here in Tampa Florida with the L&D industry has been not to even bother.
   
   How in the world could a "male nurse" ever become involved with L&D nursing? The administration and recruting folks I run into are polite to my face but I never get a call to interview. I guess I do not have experience in L&D and therefore do not even desirve consideration.
   
   The fact I do not have experience has precluded me from getting many jobs. I've applied for UR UM no experience - declined. ICU - no experience - declined. ER - no experience - declined.
   
   I realize that Tampa Florida is an aberation in the nursing world. Employers want only experienced nurses to work for them. They want only the best and the brightest. Too bad that none are willing to teach me and provide me with an environment condusive toward me becoming one of those nurses they clamor for so loudly!
   
   Nursing shortage my pututie! I'll probally be the last choice nurse hired if I am hired at all.
   
   Still looking!
10. 
    Jan 14, '02

    Hello Norbert,
    
    I am so sorry that you are given a rough time when applying for work, especially in L&D. I agree with the other posters that if a male doctor and male med students can examine and care for females in L&D, then why shouldn't male nurses be there.
    
    My baby making days are over, but I remember when one of my daughter's delivered her first child, she had a male nurse, which is quite often the case when working in a military environment. I was at her bedside the day this male nurse showed her how to get the baby to latch on to the breast. She didn't mind since she, too, was a soldier at the time. Soldiers are used to being cared for by either gender whereas it may take some doing to become an acceptable practice in the civilian arena of healthcare in L&D.
    
    I hope you'll soon find the kind of nursing job you want. Don't give up. You may have to change cities or states, but I know the perfect job is waiting for you somewhere. Good luck to you!
11. 
    Jan 16, '02

    I think it is better to have female nurse in delivery areas. It's like having separate toilets for males and females. The people who support males to be in delivery areas also support having mixed toilet for both genders. If we have enough female nurses to work in delivery areas why we need males to work in such places?!!
12. 
    Jan 16, '02

    keep on doing what you are doing. there are so many male ob/gyns that no one should ever gripe about having a male nurse. ob is about the least exciting place a guy could go for thrills of a sexual nature. however, the thrill of seeing a new life begin is almost indescribable. i've never worked ob, but have "been there," both as a patient and as a student. i think patience and compassion (and skill/education, of course) are the most necessary elements for a nurse in that area. seems to me that men are capable of both!:d
13. 
    Jan 17, '02

    If we have enough female nurses to work in delivery areas why we need males to work in such places?!!

    Um, how about because men who (a) want to, and (b) are qualified to work in OB are (c) therefore entitled to do so?
    
    Being able to function well in any given setting is a function of intelligence and personality, not gender. The best GYN I ever went to as a patient was a male. Saying you ought to have female plumbing before working in OB or L&D is like saying you shouldn't work in CCU unless you've had an MI.
14. 
    Jan 18, '02

    I want to thank everyone for all the support and kind words it has been very helpful. I hope more people reply. Anyone is welcome to email me if they like.
    as far as Salmi reply: I think she missed the point and her facts are a little off. A) there is a shortage of nurses here, especially in L&D, hospitals in the area are actually using new nurses and nurses with no L&D experience, and I can not even get an interview with them. I think it would be better to hire some one with experince especially with the shortage.
    B) I don't believe in same sex toliets and real don't see how that is related to this topic.
    
    I see it as pure discrimination, just think how it would feel to the female nurse if they were not ever allowed to take care of a female patient or refused a job based on gender. Or if black nurses would not be allowed to care for white patients .Just imagine what would be said and done then.
    being a medical doctor has been a traditionally male profession, and look how the female doctors have been accepted. Why can't nursing be the same way.
    Thanks again everyone, please keep writing. and if anyone has any helpful suggestions please feel free to share them. thanks, mark
15. 
    Jan 18, '02

    Hi guys....
    
    A) I'm male nurse.
    B) The thing is also applied to doctors , if we have enough female doctors to work in OB or L&D then no need for male doctors.
    Come on guys don't go against nature
    

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