Is there a Stigma with a Male working in Nursing?

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Specializes in ACE.

Of course Nursing has evolved and many men are in the field. In my short career as a Nurse I 've worked with 95% only women. Right now its only me and 3 other guys in my workplace.

Now I get these weird feelings sometimes. Sometimes certain female staff approach me and talk to me a lot with the guys saying "they wanna show other women that they can talk to a guy". I just find that weird.

Others say "you're working with women so enjoy the time". Like I don't know why they're telling me this stuff. I'm just here to help out patients. I'm utterly confused. but I am not gay either. I am single. Many of the workers have asked me that. No one in all the places I've worked at behaved like this.

Maybe because I'm young at 23? A lot of the senior staff call me "handsome" which I think is inappropriate. Asking me if I have a date tonight etc.. When I don't answer back or if I sarcastically answer I'm the dick

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Specializes in school nurse.

There is much less of a stigma than in years past; guys are more represented in the field. Also, they do well in it.

Re: the comments- Yes, they're inappropriate. Are they the "hill that you want to die on", I.e. file complaints with HR etc? Only you can decide that.

Ironically, women have been (and still do) putting up with that kind of *$%@ for ages. In a way your experience can teach you (a little) about their experience.

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Specializes in NICU.

I have been in my current position for almost 6 yrs with a male to female nurse ratio of between 1:300 to 3:300 in my NICU. Currently there are two male nurses and approximately 300 female nurses. I have never had any issues with coworkers, families, or doctors. I get along with most of my colleagues (some people you will never get along with regardless of the gender). I treat them as a person and they treat me like a person. There are times that being the only male on the unit is brought up in a joking way, but never in a negative way. 

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
4 hours ago, DribbleKing97 said:

A lot of the senior staff call me "handsome" which I think is inappropriate. Asking me if I have a date tonight etc..

This reminds me of something that happened to me while was working as an LPN going through the RN program in 1989:

I was friends with one of the other students in the RN program and she telephoned near the end of my evening shift. I was working with an RN named Jean who had graduated with her RN in 1949, and Jean asked me coyly, "Ooooh. Are you going to see Suzie tonight? Hmmmm?"

I said, in a serious manner, " Jean- Suzie and I are just friends. I'm sure if our relationship evolves, we will eventually be 'intimate'!"

Jean replied, surprisingly, "We will?"

(Shades of Coach from the TV show Cheers.)

DribbleKing, I sense that you are an intelligent and caring young man who is endeavoring for a higher consciousness. You have started on a road to realization and are seeking others' perspective. Increased understanding, and methods in dealing with others will come to you.

Just keep on keeping on.

 

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For some reason patients always think I’m the doctor and prefer me over other nurses..

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
22 minutes ago, emipn said:

For some reason patients always think I’m the doctor and prefer me over other nurses..

I had the same sort of situation when I worked in psych, emipn.

Except for the fact the the patients thought I acted like a patient and preferred me to the other nurses.

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Perhaps this post would be more appropriate in the Male Nurse forum.

It is unprofessional  for anyone to ask you if you have a date , if you are single, or if you are "gay".

 Only you can formulate the correct response to these outrageous questions.

My response would be.. " why are you asking me personal questions? Let's get back to work".

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Specializes in Retired.

I think it's arcane to even have a Male Nurse forum anymore.  They have achieved total equality with female nurses:)   Seriously, I expect to work with male colleagues and don't even give it a 2nd thought anymore. 

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I respect everyone's feelings, but I just really don't get why being told you're handsome is remotely offensive. Especially if it's by someone many years your senior who is obviously not hitting on you.

I get the concept of "keeping things professional" but I know if I didn't relax and make some non-professional connections at work then I would be miserable and unhappy all the time. Just because you're getting your job done doesn't mean you are unable to also be a real person and interact like a normal human being with other people. We're not robots.

As a male nurse, I've frequently been treated differently in various situations and it really doesn't bother me for the most part. Many patients have assumed I was the doctor. Occasionally a female patient doesn't want me doing their cleanups. I get asked frequently to help move patients or unscrew stuck tubing. Sometimes male patients will make joking comments about hoping for a "pretty nurse". Etc. It just doesn't matter that much to me.

Everyone has a different hand to play, and being a male nurse is just one of the many cards in this hand some of us are playing. My suggestion is quit taking things so seriously. Roll with it. Joke about it. Laugh it off. It really isn't that big of a deal.

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Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.

I've learned to bat off stupid personal questions with false responses.

"Do you have any kids?" gets the response "No I'm sterile".  That usually shuts people up. 

Been an RN since 1986 and had all that male nurse garbage in the beginning. I can't speak for the US but I think in Europe it's been significantly better since the 90s.

I went through all the "they're all gay" (I am gay, not all of my male colleagues are, and I actually take issue with any straight guy who thinks being thought gay is an insult). "They're all frustrated doctors" - insulting. I've never wanted to be a doctor. "They're lazy" - I'm not, and most of my male colleagues haven't been either. "They can help with the heavy lifting" - the worst. I am not strong and have a weakend right arm following a bicycle accident. I will help lift if I'm asked because I'm the neorificet colleague, but I have refused help to people who have specifically said something like "ooh a strong man!"  

To answer the initial question, no, there is no stigma about being a male in nursing. I'm proud of my chosen profession. We guys are a minority, so we're going to face issues the girls don't face. Not fair, but it's getting better and I think it helps to act nonchalantly and just do your job. Women in largely male environents face far greater hassles. 

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Dude-

You ask some crazy questions.

What exactly is your question here?  Plenty of guys in nursing.  For me, it is simply a non-issue.  As in, it doesn't come up, other than in a good natured way.  

But, if you work with people who are inappropriate, expect inappropriate behavior.  If they are weird, expect weird behavior.  

Regardless- unless somebody is actually being a jerk to you, or interfering with your job, let it go.  Truly not a big deal.

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It might surprise you to know that men in nursing is not a new phenomenon. I'm entering my 42nd year of nursing and there were male nurses already working when I started out in ED, critical care, anesthesia and even a few in orthopedics. If I'm not mistaken you are in LTC where sorry to have to say this, but from what I've read on these boards, professionalism is not always highly valued as it is in the hospital. Learn to do your job, don't engage with the silliness, and when you have some experience, move into a hospital position where such things are not tolerated.

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