How difficult is it?

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i just got off the phone with an aquaintance of mine. she's been a nurse for 15plus years....has her master degree in nursing and is very intellectual.

what she told me (a male considering nursing as a second career) was a little dis-concerting.

1) apparently there is alot of cat fighting amougest the female nurse staff...and it happens alot.

2) management disbutes are common between the nursing staff and management.

3) male nurses tend to not get into bickering incidences with other staff.

she did add that she found more comradery up-north with the hospitals..but in florida....moral was bad (sigh).

i wanted some input from the males nurses (and females if they are reading).

any truth to the above mentioned or is it a isolated case?

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

I think it's true to a point... every job as well as nursing unit will have a degree of management issues, backstabbing, etc, but it's up to you as an individual to ignore it, or change it. Men tend to ignore/let go of issues more easily sometimes (IMHO)

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Specializes in LTC.

DISCLAIMER - I'm only speaking of my own experience as a male working with women in health care for the past 20 years, after having worked in factory-type settings with men:

No question, working in a predominantly female environment is much different than working with men and all the guys I've worked with in health care in the past 20 years agree. Things are taken a little more seriously; whereas guys tend to joke around and be much more shallow as far as working relationships go, the women take things more seriously and relationships are deeper and more emotional. When the working relationships are good, things are very good. When the working relationships go south, WATCH OUT - lines are drawn and grudges are held for years. Guys seem to shrug things off easier, but women take everything personal. Cat fighting? Yep. Also, they can be very clique and boundaries between them like electric fences.

I'm not being stereotypical, I'm just calling 'em as I sees 'em. I think it's much easier having been married to one of these creatures for so long - the experience gleaned from living with one so long has helped to make working with them much easier :)

Joking aside, personalities vary, and some PEOPLE, men & women, can be easier or harder to work with, that's a given. I am the type that just finds it easier to get along with everybody, and it's worked for me - I can't remember the last time I've had a heated exchange with any of my coworkers...it's been at leat a dozen years. If you're a good worker, a team player, then it's much easier to earn respect, and that is the key. Give and take; goes both ways.

Oh, also...tiptoe into work and hope and pray they aren't all having their periods at the same time...okay, I couldn't resist :devil:

As for difficulties with management, I don't think it's any different than any other large organization, although it may differ slightly between unionized and non-unionized workplaces. Much of the infighting can be attributed to all the changes in health care: funding, service delivery, government, etc, perhaps more changes than in other sectors.

Morale? Tough to generalize, but again, much has to do with what I stated above.

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thank you...

...Please...more comments frorm others....

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I work in the UK and alot of that is true here. But you get that in most jobs

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thanks....

guess its a universal phenomena....(sigh)

I work in the UK and alot of that is true here. But you get that in most jobs
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Specializes in SICU, MICU, CICU, NeuroICU.

It happens all over, and moral is bad no matter where you go. Unfortunately we are unable to exist in a world where every person in satisfied. There's always something to b|tch and complain about.

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Specializes in Oncology.

Having worked on an all-female (patients AND nurses) unit before, I can vouch for what the original responder said. It can be very catty and clique-ish at times. But these things exist in any workplace. You just have to develop thick skin and remember that you ARE in the minority here. You will be appreciated for your contributions.

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Specializes in NTICU.

I think a lot of what you are saying is some what true but then again take a look at your current job. I would guess it proably is happening there. I work on a unit which is mostly men on 3rd shift and I would have to say it is some what of a boy's club. There is not a lot of squabbles but when there is sometimes it gets pretty heated almost to blows. Most of the female nurses want to work with us men, why? Because there is less fighting and no backstabbing :smackingf As for the management thing again I think that is pretty normal to any job, to a point. As for morale that has to do with your department and shift. It can be the same anywhere.

And a quote from my nurse manager, "I would rather hire men they are less catty and if there is a problem they take care of it, they are easier to work with."

:monkeydance:

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Specializes in acute care.

I've experienced these very things while working in call centers, offices, etc. I refuse to believe that it only happens in nursing, and therefore these things cannot stop me from pursuing nursing.

1) Apparently there is alot of cat fighting amougest the female nurse staff...and it happens alot.

2) Management disbutes are common between the nursing staff and management.

3) Male nurses tend to not get into bickering incidences with other staff.

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Specializes in LTC.
I've experienced these very things while working in call centers, offices, etc. I refuse to believe that it only happens in nursing...

Absolutely true; has much less to do with nursing/health care and much more to do with female-dominated workplaces.

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