I need to interview a male nurse for my ethanography paper. A minority?

ddunnrn · Jul 15, 2011

What is your title as a nurse?

Registered Nurse, job title usually "Staff Nurse"

Why do you choose industrial field?

I wouldn't call it "industrial", but I liked interacting with and directly helping people, plus nursing is an occupation wherein you can use all of your background skills-math, music, art, sports. whatever, to help the patient.

Have you experienced with stereotype, harassment or discrimination for being a nurse?

I did experience minor discrimination when I first started 27 years ago--called "male nurse" a lot; expected to do more physical tasks like heavy lifting; only assigned male patients. Nowadays this doesn't happen nearly as much I think because the public is more accustomed to the idea of men in nursing.

Are you treated with the same respect as an equal gender?

Yes, generally. However I have an issue of married vs. single rather than gender--when employers and peers find out you are single or childless they expect you to work more holidays or take up the slack for married people or people with children who have to have certain schedules.

Was your education experience harder compared to the opposite sex?

No, I actually think my instructors (95% female) were impressed that a male could deal with all of the emotional issues and mental stress of nursing. This was back in the early '80's, in a hospital nursing school. They were all very supportive.

Did you have any misconceptions about nursing before you became a RN? If so, what were they

Not really, because there were many nurses in my family, including my mother. However, nursing school definitely does not prepare you for dealing with co-workers and administration.

Do you do more work as a nurse than the doctor?

Not more, just different.

Could you do the same job a doctor does?

Certainly, I could, but I wouldn't want to have to go through the grueling training, or worry about being sued so much.

How is your job different than a doctors?

More emotional connection with patients, more therapeutic use of "self", more ability to teach thoroughly. More ability to adjust my actions to meet particular needs of patient.

Are you treated with the same respect a doctor?

Interestingly enough, as a male, I am > called "Doctor", and I have gotten used to not correcting people, because it takes too much time, and they usually don't pay attention anyway. Otherwise, I have experienced different levels of respect from physician colleagues. If I have been helpful to them (for example when they are residents), or develop more of an acquaintance, they are more respectful. On the other hand I have also had pshysicians scream at me and throw charts at me, and try to tell me my job. Nursing management also varies in its level of respect for male nurses--some of the "old school" nurse managers treat males differently and more stereotypically, in my experience.

David Dunn, RN

[email protected]

Demographic info:

graduated AEMC School of Nursing, 1984 (Diploma)

BS (Chemistry) Cum Laude, Muhlenberg College, 1976

26 graduate credits toward MS (Pharmaceutical Chemistry) Phila. College of Pharm. & Sci.

gay allegedl-"white" male