I really, really, really can't stand female nurses.

hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2009

I hear ya, bro.

Bill E. Rubin · Oct 7, 2009

I hear your pain.... and I understand that you're venting. I do have to say that, FTMP, my colleagues are intelligent, but many of them are an entirely different species. And there is a small but significant contingent of my colleagues who fit this bill:

There's only one species on this planet that lives to find your mistakes, tell everyone about it, and make you pay for it: Fem-nurses.

Before I became a nurse, most of my friends were women and I never had troubles connecting with women (and usually connected better with women than men). One thing that comes to mind when I ponder why I feel so invisible when among a large portion of my colleagues is that nursing, being a profession that is 94% female, tends to attract women who prefer the company of other women and just don't have any idea how to relate to men (or any desire to).

But there are a number of my female colleagues who I think are awesome and have my back and don't "live to find my mistakes" and amplify them to the world, for example chastising me for not feeding the Nu-Lytely prep to the G-tube pt aggressively enough (I was concerned about aspiration) so that she had to finish it on the day shift... sending me a nasty email expressing her opinion about the qualiy of my care, cc-ing the nurse director and the two CNS's on the floor. If her goal was to advise me, or help me improve my care, there were other ways she would have chosen to communicate her opinions. If her goal was to humiliate me, hurt my feelings and make me look bad, then she would have done exactly what she did.

There are some women who seem to resent our presence in the profession and do whatever they can to make us look bad and feel bad. But there are others who appreciate me and have tooted my horn to management.

mlbnocnurse · Oct 7, 2009

As a female I have got to say I do agree w/your statement that if nursing were male dominated the pay would be 1.5 x more, actually I think that it would be more than like 3x(but that is another argument). I also know that there are many MD's who respect male nurses more (but that is also another discussion). I do agree that there are to many people of BOTH sexes who fit your dumb description. In today's economy, more people are being attracted by the only money, & the imaginary glamor!! While we do see a number of new grads who really care about the job that they do, we see so more who make us wonder how they ever managed to pass their clinicals. I don't know what the answer is, maybe (unfortunately) there isn't one. One more thought, one of nursing's biggest problems is that we fight to much among ourselves. We are often our own worst enemies,collectively & as individuals. My belief is that this is our biggest problem as a profession.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2009

Yep...you should have gone to into construction.

Or take another picture. Stop constantly trying to look for things your coworkers don't know because you're going to find them. Give them a break and let it go, concentrating on being the best nurse you possibly can be, and if you follow people that you truly think are dangerous because of their stupidity bump it up the chain. Otherwise chill out and clean your side of the street.

The passed the same NCLEX you did. Surely some of them have a brain and an ounce of compassion.

AirforceRN, RN · Oct 7, 2009

God knows I love women.
My wife is wonderful.

You have a wife?

So, to sum it all up...

Male Nurses = smart

Female Nurses = stupid

That's a pretty bold statement. Good thing this is an anonymous place or there might be a bunch of people knocking down your door.

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 7, 2009

I agree with you that the general education level of many nurses is far below the level it should be. We have lowered the standards too far. We should demand better.

However, I disagree that it is just nursing that has the problem. I think it is found in many fields. Educational standards in general are lower than they used to be. Grade inflation has been rampant for years. The "self-esteem movement" has made it almost impossible to tell a kid he/she has done a poor job and needs to work harder. Students now sue their colleges if they don't pass. etc.

I also disagree that it is just a female problem. You may see it as a female problem because you work in a female dominated profession. Most of your fellow nurses that you work with closely are women, etc. So you see the problem with women more often in your daily life.

Unfortunately though ... I also have to admit that it is probably a bigger problem with women than with men. Women have been allowed to get away with poor performance for generations because the men around them are too ruled by their hormones and give them a pass. Now that's stupid!

Stupid men ... they give the women passing grades, access to better careers and higher paychecks, half of their earnings and retirement plans, etc. ... all because their sex hormones drive their judgment. Poor, stupid men. :kiss

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Oct 7, 2009

You know, I understand that the OP is venting. But I cannot believe that engaging in stereotyping a huge percentage of the nursing workforce is an appropriate method of doing that. I think we invite trouble whenever we paint any group of people with broad brushstrokes.

I work mostly with women; I find them to be generally wonderful people to be around. When I was in school, there was one nurse at our clinical site who was, frankly, an idiot. He was male.

People are people. I don't think gender matters.

Music in My Heart · Oct 7, 2009

I haven't started my first nursing job yet but most of the gals that I knew in nursing school were smart, straight-shooting, hard-working folks. The same is true for my clinical instructors.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2009

Wow. Just... wow.

Slobgob · Oct 8, 2009

"You have a wife?"

Touche. In my defense though, most of the arrogant male chauvinists that I know are happily married. Its amusing irony. I often wonder about their home life... but I generally remain in the dark.

"That's a pretty bold statement. Good thing this is an anonymous place or there might be a bunch of people knocking down your door."

Knocking on my door? You mean... like a confrontation? Face to face? Are we talking about the same population? =)

"all because their sex hormones drive their judgment"

Again, in defense of the entire human race... this kind of judgment is usually quite successful. If you need an example, I can probably think of about 6 billion references.

"Wow. Just... wow. "

Finally, someone understands the point of this thread. Too bad you're a voyeuristic she-nurse. =P~

(PS: I love how the idea of females coming to a male nursing forum... clicking on a thread addressed to men... responding in opposition... and receiving tons of "kudos" from all the other lurking females... who then feel empowered to respond in kind. Where's the kudos for the golytlely-prep dude that spilled his guts about a fellow nurse embarrassing him? If you poke him... does he not bleed?)

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2009

"male nursing forum"....so I guess you aren't permitted in any of the others, since they are obviously for female nursesonly?

There are plenty of non-nursing folk on this nursing BB. There are plenty of USA nurses in the International forums, non-agency in the agency/travel forums. And as far as I know, no one required a genital check at the sign up.

I have to wonder what your overall purpose in posting this here?

I suggest that if a female nurse posted how she hated working with male nurses because they are :irrational, stupid, cheating, effeminate psychos, there would be plenty of males jumping in with comments. It is an open forum.

Your opinion is just that .....your opinion. Just as you have found (or sought out) examples that fit your opinion, I can point to plenty of examples that fit the above listed traits.

But the fact is you made the CHOICE to work in a female dominated profession - one has to wonder why. You know have to either deal or get out. And working around females when you hold such disparaging ideas about them, will be difficult.

(It would be interesting to know what your female coworkers think of you)