Have you faced any discrimination as a student?

[sevenup0307]

Hey guys, I will soon be starting my 1st rotation in nursing school. I want to mentally prepare myself for what is to come. I will be honest, I am a little concerned how I will be treated in the hospital by my female instructors. I'm not concerned about patient's refusing my care b/c im a male, i'm more concerned about the instructor since she will decide whether i pass or fail and whether i become a nurse or not. I don't want them to fail me just b/c i'm male. Also any specific rotations you faced discrimination? If so, what did you do about it? And how did it effect you? I know statistic wise, at least 10% of nurses are male, so i'm sure i'll encounter male nurses. I know that the nursing profession is trying to attract more males into the field but how can you really if you don't resolve the discrimination concerns? I think many of male friends would pursue this profession if the stereotypes weren't there, i too thought about this b4 applying but i didn't let it stop me from pursuing my dream to become an RN.

[algebra_demystified]

There are a few stereotypes, but I don't sweat it anymore. I just finished a clinical rotation where I was performing female pelvic exams, and there were plenty of times I wished I could have been somewhere else. Nothing personal about my preceptor, she was very cool and gave me plenty of opportunity to work with female patients. It did get a little weird when she gave the "sex slave" kidnapping speech to a 12-year-old and then sent me in to do the physical.

As far as stereotypes and discrimination goes, you'll have a whole different outlook on things after you've been working for a couple years. Everybody's happier when there are a couple guys on the unit. The backbiting and junk that goes on in an all-female staff group is just amazing. Yikes. Guys tend to simmer everything down a bit. If you get the chance to work on a male dominated unit you'll find an entirely different atmosphere. It's way more laid back. There don't tend to be power struggles and general BS.

[barcode120x, RN, NP]

If you get the chance to work on a male dominated unit you'll find an entirely different atmosphere. It's way more laid back. There don't tend to be power struggles and general BS.

So true. CCU where I work is male dominant where jokes are floating, everybody's chill, and the A/C is blasting all night long (thank goodness) whereas ICU is female dominated and it's superrrrr hot in there. Most of the female nurses always need help xP.

As for discrimination, haven't seen it yet, though I'm just starting my second semester so I'm kind of expecting to see it in maternity. Tbh, if a female nurse or patient doesn't want me there for whatever reason, that's fine with me. Makes my day easier not having to deal with an unwilling person. I actually don't mind that my female classmates do ask me for help with turning, lifting, transferring, or w/e. I guess it's because I'm so used to it at my part-time job (lift tech for PT) that it doesn't bug me when they always ask haha.

[cholleytcl]

If you go into this worrying about being discriminated against, you will think every time something doesn't go your way that it involves discrimination. The nursing instructors do not discriminate. If anything, they welcome the diversity. When I hear men (and I am also a man) say that they feel as though they may be discriminated against before even starting the program, I feel that they are looking for an excuse to use when they may fail some sort of test or when they have an unsatisfactory in clinical. I just say get over your thoughts of being discriminated against and be a good student and you'll do fine.

[aTOMicTom]

... Nothing personal about my preceptor, she was very cool and gave me plenty of opportunity to work with female patients. It did get a little weird when she gave the "sex slave" kidnapping speech to a 12-year-old and then sent me in to do the physical...

Please tell me you're kidding (or I misunderstood)!

[geminigenie23]

I had clinicals in which there was one guy and we liked having the extra help especially when we had to turn and transfer our heavy patients. I think that he became a little annoyed at times because 7 women were calling him several times a day during clinicals. Lol. We did buy him lunch and bring him homemade food so he didn't mind it. Our professor was very appreciative of his helping attitude and it proved to her that he was very dedicated. He was still expected to know his stuff but we would help him look up his meds and do his calculations. The patients in peds and ob did not like the male student so we worked in pairs and he would step out whenever the client requested. Not a big deal. The professor can't punish him for that. It was great having a male in the group.

[John24]

Like a few of you have said, I have also received what seems to be a little better treatment than the girls. I actually got to do what everyone else did in OB rotations, which was an experience to say the least. I think that the girls and the instructors appreciate us very few (4 of us out of 35), most likely due to the small number!