How come t here are no Males RNs on a peds floor?

[JomoNurse]

Don't really know why I'm thinking about this, but how come I've never seen any male nurses on a Pediatrics floor? Is it liability issue? Because men don't generally like kids? Do you know of any? I could honestly see why a nurse manager on a pediatrics floor would find a reason not to hire a male nurse (just because chilld molester's are mostly male).

personally, i know i would never leave my young child alone with a male nurse. i also would never hire a male babysitter. how about you guys? it's a potential risk i'm not willing to take. also, i don't think there's much validity to the arguement that "well, women can be molesters too!" Well, the truth is, that's so damn rare that it's not even worth mentioning. also, most cases like that involve women of legal age having sex with teenage boys - not toddlers.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

thanks to everyone who has provided insightful and intelligent replies.... and to those who nit picked and called me a troll... you know what you can go do :)

i mean REALLY, i've noticed this forum is very clique-ish, and if you don't say something that's accepted by the majority, you're quickly attacked and eliminated. time to grow up, folks. i'm not referring to those that have RESPECTFULLY disagreed.

i think it steers this thread (and others) into a whole different direction, which is not necessary at all, when you act childish.

I don't know that I agree with the clique-ish part. I have had my run ins with a few, and other then them I will have some people disagree with one post of mine and give me kudos in the next. I speak my mind whether majority agrees or not and for the most part I think I have always been treated decent here even as a newbie.

But think about it, you come on a major nursing board saying you wouldn't trust a male nurse with your children (male coaches and dr's are fine just not a nurse) you have to expect that is going to ruffle a lot of feathers and it has nothing to do with cliques.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

That's why I would never consider working with children. I just don't need the hassle of worrying that somebody's going to accuse me of wrongdoing when I'm doing my assessment or changing a dressing etc. I wasn't crazy about doing my nursing school pediatric rotation, but the rooms were all doubles and there was lots of family around so I was never really alone with the children.

It makes me sad that you or anyone has to worry about stuff like that. I know it's reality, but it doesn't make it right.

What is most amazing is the ones people really do need to worry about are the ones they never suspect!

[sharpeimom]

that's why i would never consider working with children. i just don't need the hassle of worrying that somebody's going to accuse me of wrongdoing when i'm doing my assessment or changing a dressing etc. i wasn't crazy about doing my nursing school pediatric rotation, but the rooms were all doubles and there was lots of family around so i was never really alone with the children.

danh3190,

i'm so sorry a few wingnuts have backed you into this particular corner but you do that for a variation

of the very same reason my college professor husband leaves his door wide open when any female student comes by for help. self defense.

sharpeimom:paw::paw:

[belgarion]

thanks to everyone who has provided insightful and intelligent replies.... and to those who nit picked and called me a troll... you know what you can go do :)

i mean REALLY, i've noticed this forum is very clique-ish, and if you don't say something that's accepted by the majority, you're quickly attacked and eliminated. time to grow up, folks. i'm not referring to those that have RESPECTFULLY disagreed.

i think it steers this thread (and others) into a whole different direction, which is not necessary at all, when you act childish.

You started off by stating that you would not trust a male nurse with your child. Since you posted your opinion that would imply that you were asking others for theirs. Well, you got them. There's an old saying - Be careful what you ask for, you may get it.

[rnffemtguy, BSN, RN]

All I have to say is WOW!!!!!

To the OP: Thanks for letting me know there are people like you out there, I guess it opened my eyes a little to the prejudice some people have against male nurses, but I would have never expected it from a fellow "nurse".

Again, WOW!!!!!!

[eriksoln, BSN, RN]

Well, as for how I see it.....................I'm a male nurse and peds nursing was my goal for a long time. Still might be, but other things have moved up in priority for now......so we will see.

I have interviewed and been offered a job for a peds unit, but I took another job. My being male never came up in the interview process (duh lol).

While I was in school and talked about being a PEDs nurse, no one tried to redirect me.

I guess the best way to answer your question OP is to say.......I think its circumstantial. Circumstances have lead you to not see them is all. Its not that they are not there, its just you are not there when they are to see them. I didnt see your experience or what shift you work or anything like that. Those things could just mean you are there at the wrong times to see the Male PEDs nurse population.

[AVMadd]

To the OP:

This is quite possibly one of the most offensive posts i've ever seen. Tell me, do you honestly think that being a male nurse would place a guy in a higher risk bracket for pedophilia than a male coach or male doctor or male teacher?? When's the last time you heard of a child in a peds wing being molested by their nurse??

To be honest, i would be more scared of leaving my kids alone with someone like you, who might plant a bunch of prejudiced garbage in their heads, than a male nurse or male babysitter. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

I don't work on peds, but I have children, and I'd not care if a male nurse cared for them. I know some fine male nurses.

Of course, I also wouldn't leave my child alone in teh hospital ever, so there would be no chance for anyone to do anything inappropriate.

[angel4gramma]

I could honestly see why a nurse manager on a pediatrics floor would find a reason not to hire a male nurse (just because chilld molester's are mostly male). personally, i know i would never leave my young child alone with a male nurse. i also would never hire a male babysitter. how about you guys? it's a potential risk i'm not willing to take. also, i don't think there's much validity to the arguement that "well, women can be molesters too!" Well, the truth is, that's so damn rare that it's not even worth mentioning. also, most cases like that involve women of legal age having sex with teenage boys - not toddlers.

I can't even figure out how to respond to you. Do you know anyone who has been molested? I do, me. In fact my oldest sister was molested by my father, she inturn molested our 3 brothers, yrs later my mother remarried and my stepfather molester my youngest sister and my stepbrother molester my sister and I. This is very painful to anyone who has been in this situation. I just don't know why you would sterotype male nurses with it. It was not a nurse, coach, babysitter or friend in my situation it was family, both male and female. My brothers were not teenagers and I know it is not rare that women molest too. You can't walk down the street and pick them out of the crowd. You really should know what you are talking about before you post something like this. If you had put Molest in the topic line I would have never read this. I am very fond of my male coworkers, they don't deserve to be labeled like this.

[XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN]

closed for staff review