Is this common?

[relaxingbath]

Hi everyone, just started my PN/LN course and have a placement in a LTC facility, everything was going well until... One of the PSW asked for help with a lady on a lift, as soon as I entered the room she started yelling at me to get out. I quickly left the room and waited outside, I heard the PSW talk with the lady and explain that the lift required two people and that she could either have me (a nurse in training) or wait for one of the other PSW to become free. A few minutes later I was asked to come back in and we moved the lady with the lift, she was not happy about it.

As a male nurse should I expect to encounter this a lot or was I just unlucky for my first placement?

[Music in My Heart]

I've also seen reactions from male patients as well because they'd rather have a female nurse. In those instances the male patient's concerns can be rooted in homophobia or that they think having another male take care of them might project the wrong sexual orientation image to others.

I just ran into a patient like this... he didn't want me or the male doc. Ultimately, he decided male caregivers were better than getting bounced back to triage. It's the first time I've had a male doc request a male chaperone for a male patient.

When I was in nursing school, I did have a crusty old guy (retired combat vet, steel worker, and cop) who was a little uncomfortable with me until I made casual reference to my veteran status and my wife and kid.

For the most part, though, my gender has rarely been an issue.

[CapoTravers]

After three semesters of once-weekly clinicals at three different sites, I can report that I have not experienced any sexism as a male nursing student. The one exception is the assumption by nursing home residents that I was a doctor. Of course, a rare female patient or two has requested that I don't assist with a bed bath. Nevertheless, people usually don't have a problem with my gender.