I have a Question for you Male Nurses out there.

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I am not a male nurse but I want to ask a question and get some feedback. I'm a female nurse who has worked med surg for 20 years. We have nursing students at our hospital. Last year I had a male nursing student on our pediatric unit for the semester. He was a junior at the time, a native american, on a full ride scholarship and a 4.0 student. (they have to be 4.0 to do clinicals at our hospital, long story). This student did a great job and the kids loved him. He was efficient and consistently used the nursing process and provided exceptional care to the little patients and their families. But I sensed that his instructor did not like him. She was rude to him and came to me on several occasions wanting to know if he had done anything wrong which I always said, No, he is doing a great job and will be an excellent nurse. Fast forward to last week when this student is doing his senior preceptorship on my unit again. I asked him why he chose med surg for his preceptorship and he said he didn't, he had chose the nursery. The nursery nurses told him he could not do his preceptorship in the nursery but did not give a specific reason. He also told me he had been given a C in the peds class last year which was the first time he had received any grade less than an A. This instuctor also works in our nursery. I feel strongly that this guy has been discriminated against and I'm not sure why. Can I get some feedback from some of you guys? Are you not allowed to work in a nursery or on OB? Thanks for reading this long post.

Specializes in ER, Hyperbarics, Administration.

You do have CI's feel that males shouldn't be in particlular areas Nusery and L&D are the worse. When I went through nursing schools only the state hospital would allow the males in the class to rotate in L&D Just suck it up, then apply for the job that you want. I am a Male CNO, a "c" in a particluar course especially clinicals isn't a red flag for me. I remember the L&D CI who didn't like men--didn't like me. Wasn't an issue the day after I graduated. Just remember, a nursing school success is based upon the passing rate of the NCLEX. It doesn't prepare for you to be an nurse.

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I have read that Ruth Bader-Ginsberg made her reputation by taking on discrimination cases against men...unfortunately what you describe i have seen happen to men and women by clinical instructors who have too much power, it may be a case of male discrimination but it may also be a case of nursing instructor playing God,i was treated better in boot camp in the army than in nursing school !

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I am not a male nurse but I want to ask a question and get some feedback. I'm a female nurse who has worked med surg for 20 years. We have nursing students at our hospital. Last year I had a male nursing student on our pediatric unit for the semester. He was a junior at the time, a native american, on a full ride scholarship and a 4.0 student. (they have to be 4.0 to do clinicals at our hospital, long story). This student did a great job and the kids loved him. He was efficient and consistently used the nursing process and provided exceptional care to the little patients and their families. But I sensed that his instructor did not like him. She was rude to him and came to me on several occasions wanting to know if he had done anything wrong which I always said, No, he is doing a great job and will be an excellent nurse. Fast forward to last week when this student is doing his senior preceptorship on my unit again. I asked him why he chose med surg for his preceptorship and he said he didn't, he had chose the nursery. The nursery nurses told him he could not do his preceptorship in the nursery but did not give a specific reason. He also told me he had been given a C in the peds class last year which was the first time he had received any grade less than an A. This instuctor also works in our nursery. I feel strongly that this guy has been discriminated against and I'm not sure why. Can I get some feedback from some of you guys? Are you not allowed to work in a nursery or on OB? Thanks for reading this long post.

Discrimination against male nurses/male student nurses is real!

Although others disagree what I say, but all I can say is from my own experience! Some nursing instructors do not like male nurses at all. I was in an LPN Program in 1998 and it was tough to be a male student nurse to begin with. I was treated differently! It was OK for a female student to make certain mistakes;however, if I made the same mistakes, I could be failed for the entire clinical experience! Fortunately, these type of instructors are minorities! I could like to say most of them are good! They do welcome male student nurses!

I never like OB inasmuch as I had heard male student nurses had been "kicked out" by the female patients! I was glad that my OB instructor understood our male student nurses concerned when I was in the RN Program which was dated back to 2002. I still remember my OB instructor was a Filipino and she was so very nice to the male student nurses.

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I had a instructor my last that was such a ****** to me it wasn't even funny. It happens unfortunately, just had to suck it up and move on. I did make her keenly aware at graduation what i thought of her and asked her what her problem was. Didn't have a response, and denied the whole thing. Such a *****!!!

I am glad that you have that kind of "energy" to confront her! I chose to suck it up!

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I have been lucky so far and havn't come across an CI who behaves in such a way. I just hope everything worked out for this individual.

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Specializes in PACU, ED.

I didn't have a problem with any CIs but did have a problem with a preceptor on a clinical rotation in L&D. She obviously didn't want a male doing anything for her patients. I did manage to attend an ultrasound and also D/C an IV and foley on a patient being discharged. Basically, if I had the chance to approach a patient and introduce myself I was never turned down. If she went into the room to see if the patient minded me being there, I was always turned away. I guess it's all in how you ask the question.

I had a second round of L&D clinicals at another facility and it went great! I attended/assisted on one C-section and two vag births. My preceptor gave me a great compliment by saying she would be comfortable having me as her L&D nurse. Anyway, I ended up in PACU and love it there and my gender has never been a problem. I just trade off with coworkers when needed for the comfort of the pt.

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I think it depends on your luck. Some male nurses experienced discrimination while others experienced warm welcome. I had experienced the worst when I was in school. One of my instructors failed me for no reason at all. I thought I was the only one and I found out most of the male student nurses failed her clinical (Med-Surg). When it comes to discrimination against male nurses in the nursing field, it is very hard to prove it; but it exists.

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Would any of you say that discrimination is worse in some parts of the country than others? Also do you find it depends on the age of the teaching staff?

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Specializes in psyche, dialysis, community health.

My "justice delayed is justice denied" side is battling my "wait 'til after graduation and then vent to the N school's DON in person AND in writing" side.

Or see if you can land him a job on your unit after he graduates in 4 months? That might be the best redemption of all.

dig

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