Opinions of male nurses!!

memphispanda, RN · May 13, 2003

We have one male in my class out of 32 students. He's cool. The floor I am externing on has several male nurses. Once in a while they run into an elderly female who doesn't want a male nurse to help them with certain things. I haven't noticed them being treated any differently otherwise!

epg_pei · May 13, 2003

I'm 35, just finishing my first year in a BN program. We've got a mixed group ranging from 17 yo ladies just out of high school to myself (can't remember high school, too long ago LOL). I am one of about ten males, out of 90 students.

I got various reactions from other students including "How old are you?!", "Are you a prof or something?", and "What the heck are you doing here?". Once everyone figures out they have more important things to worry about than their classmates age or sex, everything settles down. You'll never be one of the girls, and you won't be privy to much of the conversation that goes on between your female classmates. If you are, you'll probably regret it LOL.

On the clinical front, I had patients that, while not refusing my care outright, preferred a female nurse. Otherwise, I just do my thing like any other nursing student.

babynursewannab · May 13, 2003

We started with 7 guys in our class and, after 2 semesters...for various reasons...we are down to 2 or 3 (depends on if you count non-clinical classes). We all LOVE those guys. And, in our experience they have all been well received in the clinical settings.

Just stay professional and have a REALLY good sense of humor!

Good Luck!!!

Love-A-Nurse · May 13, 2003

when we took finals on monday, there were three men left in our class. will no if all three passed, i feel they did, wednesday noon at rehersal for capping/pinning ceremony.

gwenith, BSN, RN · May 13, 2003

I personally LIKE men in the ranks of nursign for several reasons mostly to do with world view and interaction. As a general rule I have found that a workplace with a higher male:female ratio is less "*****y" (for want of a better word" than an all female group. It is true men and women have different ways of looking at things and this will be a pragmatism to discussions that are not there when the group is exclusively one sex or the other.

I am not being sexist with these remarks but I have been doind a lot of reading lately and there is some impressive new research on the physiological differences in male and female brain structure and thinking.

We need both to be balanced.

sandgroper · May 14, 2003

It never occurred to me to ask anyone about how I would be accepted into the nursing profession, it didn't seem to be relevant to me.

I wanted to be a nurse and that was that!

All you need to do is give it your best and not worry about the trivial issues.

esrun-a · May 14, 2003

Hey Straba!

We are in the same boat, I start my BSN in less than a week and I'm male. I've only met half of my class at orientation and it will be something like 6:80 m:f. My opinion of males in the nursing field is good as long as they are good nurses! Let us become the best "nurses" that we can. I've volunteered in a hospital and met males that we're great and some that may have been great, but their attitude wasn't. Every situation will be different along with everyone's perception and attitude eh? Best Wishes to you this year!!!!!!!!!!!

Rena RN 2003, RN · May 14, 2003

i think of male nurses the same way i think of female nurses. they are NURSES. they've gone through the same/similar training that i have. some are wonderful, some suck. no matter what the package between their legs.

maire, ASN, RN · May 14, 2003

Male, female, in nursing does it really matter? You may get the odd patient here and there that might prefer a female nurse, but overall I don't think it really makes a difference. As a patient I've had both, as a student nurse I've studied with and worked with both...it's just not an issue to me or to anyone in my program.

Best of luck to you in your studies! :)

cna on her way · May 14, 2003

I truely don't even notice the difference. I work as a CNA and in the critical care units its probably 35%men and 65%women. The guys are almost all very cool to work with and they are ever bit as good nurses! This is the 21st century, sex should not be an issue. I wish you the best of luck and hope you enjoy school!!

arbley · May 14, 2003

Please don't worry about those gender issues. We are all nurses. There are so many more men in nursing now, that many patients don't even seem to notice. You will do just fine.