Male Nurses/female Patients

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:banghead: I'm interested in knowing if anyone has the issue of male nurses refusing to perform certain nursing functions simply because they are male. Having worked in a large teaching hospital and smaller community hospitals, there seems to be a huge difference. In the teaching hospital, male nurses did everything a patient needed, regardless of gender. In the smaller community hospitals, the male nurses sought out female nurses to take care of all manner of female patient's hygiene, all gyn exams ,and anything else a female patient needed. Have we become such a litigous society that we base our practice on gender? Do you find yourself taking care of your male colleagues patients as well as your own simply because they are afraid to touch their female patients?

Specializes in Cardiac, Post Anesthesia, ICU, ER.
:banghead: I'm interested in knowing if anyone has the issue of male nurses refusing to perform certain nursing functions simply because they are male. Having worked in a large teaching hospital and smaller community hospitals, there seems to be a huge difference. In the teaching hospital, male nurses did everything a patient needed, regardless of gender. In the smaller community hospitals, the male nurses sought out female nurses to take care of all manner of female patient's hygiene, all gyn exams ,and anything else a female patient needed. Have we become such a litigous society that we base our practice on gender? Do you find yourself taking care of your male colleagues patients as well as your own simply because they are afraid to touch their female patients?

This may come off the wrong way, and actually probably will, but I think the above makes you sound like a LAZY, INSENSITIVE, Nurse, looking for a way to prevent having to do work. In my facility, we have a policy which requires a male to be chaperoned when performing a task on a female pt. which may require touching or exposure of her "private parts." As a MALE NURSE, I have catheterized a few dozen female patients in my experience, and on a few occasions been called on as the "experienced" nurse to attempt, and been more proficient than my female co-workers. I also on MANY occasions have been called upon to place foley catheters in men who refused or didn't want a female to place it. I think that for pt. comfort moreso than "laziness" male nurses may ask female nurses to provide more "intimate" care for the female patients. If you cannot understand that, then you've lost touch with what nursing is about. Likewise, in the numerous occasions I've been asked to place foley's in males, I accepted that this was a request FOR THE PATIENT, not in order to alleiviate a "lazy" female co-worker from her job.

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Specializes in Emergency.

I know what you're talking about! My dad got his BSN from Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi. I used to get teased mercilessly from other kids- "Your daddy's a nurse? What's yer momma do, drive a truck?"

And now, I'm a nurse too. And wouldn't you know, my wife drives a truck! (kidding!):rotfl:

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Specializes in Emergency.

And oh, by the way... IMO, if we've become a gender-fixated society with regard to nursing, we have the feminist-oriented ANA to blame for a great deal of that problem. Men were nurses LONG before women were. And while I tip my hat to ANY nurse who advanced the practice to where it is today, I will not pay homage to those who drove men from the practice and now treat us like we are freaks of nature.

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If I had to start on this subject, I would probably go on forever! So I will keep it short. We are all PROFESSIONALS. Male or female nurses should be able to treat all patients, whatever their gender. This is one of my pet peeves. At the moment I'm working in the Middle East and boy, is this an issue here! Male nurses are not even alowed sometimes to do vital signs on young women, so you end up looking after your own patients and the male nurse's patient. But don't think for one minute that they will help u out with your male patients to take off some of the workload! Sometimes I think that it is a very convenient excuse especially since my Arabic is not very good. If a male nurse tells me that the patient wants a female nurse, I have to take his word for it! :angryfire I do however, admire all male nurse who work like the trained professionals they are. It can not be always easy. You go guys!:lol2:

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Being a male nurse myself, I never hear of another male pt. that doesn't want a male nurse taking care of him. I have however heard of and been associated with plenty of women that do not want a male nurse or a male nurses aide taking care of them. I would look at that before I criticize another nurse. This profession is hard and difficult enough without bickering in the ranks, if you know what I mean.

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.

I'm working private care right now for a male client with a couple of other staff. I'm the only male that works there. Incidentally, I'm the only one he will allow to bathe him or help him get dressed or anything like that.

I have absolutely no problem with female patients or performing procedures. However it has always been my rule of thumb that if a female patient feels uncomfortable with me, then I will find someone else to do it. That has yet to happen though. Male nurses seeking out female nurses to do stuff probably has more to do with the male nurses feeling uncomfortable moreso than the patient.

I've heard about places where a "chaperone" has had to be present with male nurses. If I ever end up in a place like that, I would probably quit. I don't like the implication that I am some sort of depraved sex maniac or that there is the chance I might get my jollies from looking at some 80 year old lady's lady parts. Work is work, I don't need that crap. It is hard enough to get stuff done as it is.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
And oh, by the way... IMO, if we've become a gender-fixated society with regard to nursing, we have the feminist-oriented ANA to blame for a great deal of that problem. Men were nurses LONG before women were. And while I tip my hat to ANY nurse who advanced the practice to where it is today, I will not pay homage to those who drove men from the practice and now treat us like we are freaks of nature.

:yelclap: ... I like the way you think!

IMHO, on the civilian side of the nursing profession more male nurses should get involved with organizations such as the ANA.

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And oh, by the way... IMO, if we've become a gender-fixated society with regard to nursing, we have the feminist-oriented ANA to blame for a great deal of that problem. Men were nurses LONG before women were. And while I tip my hat to ANY nurse who advanced the practice to where it is today, I will not pay homage to those who drove men from the practice and now treat us like we are freaks of nature.

IMHO you're one hundred percent right - we have become a gender fixated society, and we owe much of our plight, from broken families, to broken marriages, and yes even gender-fixation in areas like nursing to our rampant and (quite rabid), feminist underpinnings.

That said, I wouldn't blame the ANA in particular - believe me, the same biases exist here in Canada i.e. here in Ontario under the CNO - "College of Nurses of Ontario" and probably every westernized nation. I love reading through sexist nursing literature written, not 10 years ago, but last MONTH, stating things like a nurse shall provide professional care and "SHE" will adhere to... blah blah blah.

But I digress to say this... We might as well just forget about it guys, because no one is listening to men in nursing, (or men in general for that matter). There aren't any commissions studying the special difficulties that men face in female-dominated professions and there never will be! In many respects, I see that the gender balance has totally flipped.

Speaking of flipped, with quotas out the wazoo for every supposedly male-dominated profession under the sun and no consideration whatsoever for men in fields like nursing, I would say that we can safely declare this society "done".

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

What's with this whole "boo hoo us poor men" attitude? Please don't tell me you actually believe it!

Dollar for dollar - a man still makes more money, for the same job than a woman --- EVEN in a profession like Nursing.

Person for person - there are more men employed in the workforce than women --- despite the quotas for women.

I don't buy this 'disadvantaged men in our society' baloney for one second.

I don't deny that many of the policies of the feminist movement have been misguided (some have been down right stupid). But there have been many positive outcomes from women's advocacy groups.

Stop and think for a minute please!

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
What's with this whole "boo hoo us poor men" attitude? Please don't tell me you actually believe it!

Dollar for dollar - a man still makes more money, for the same job than a woman --- EVEN in a profession like Nursing.

Person for person - there are more men employed in the workforce than women --- despite the quotas for women.

I don't buy this 'disadvantaged men in our society' baloney for one second.

I don't deny that many of the policies of the feminist movement have been misguided (some have been down right stupid). But there have been many positive outcomes from women's advocacy groups.

Stop and think for a minute please!

IMHO, some of the men that have posted are thinking about the gender inequality issue in nursing, rather than in society as a whole.

The item for sale is disadvantaged men in the nursing profession, which ain't no baloney. Person for Person the nursing profession is a female gender dominated profession. I see advertisements in the media, icons on this site, and the use of the word she in reference to nursing as just a few examples which perpetuates nursing as a female dominated profession. BTW, I'd be interested in seeing data which clearly states a male nurse that works side by side with a female nurse makes more $$$.

I enjoy working with both genders. The concern by many of the male nurses that have posted on this topic is the inequality & lack of trust given to men in nursing regards to the care of female patinets. A patient is a patient no matter the gender, just as a nurse is a nurse no matter the gender.

:pumpiron: ... sure I'll help you lift your patient in bed.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.
IMHO, some of the men that have posted are thinking about the gender inequality issue in nursing, rather than in society as a whole.

Let me quote a few examples:

Speaking of flipped, with quotas out the wazoo for every supposedly male-dominated profession under the sun and no consideration whatsoever for men in fields like nursing, I would say that we can safely declare this society "done".

In short, it sucks to be a man in today's society!

All from this very thread ...

The item for sale is disadvantaged men in the nursing profession, which ain't no baloney. Person for Person the nursing profession is a female gender dominated profession. I see advertisements in the media, icons on this site, and the use of the word she in reference to nursing as just a few examples which perpetuates nursing as a female dominated profession.
Well it is a female dominated profession - just like the words "fireman", "policeman", "woman marine" perpetuate 'male domniation'. We have a few good threads about the term definiing our prefession.

I too resent the fact that many times, I have to be chaperoned just because I'm male - especially because such 'chaperoning' isn't usually expected from physicians. As someone pointed out in this thread - I resent the implied assumption that just because I'm a male and a nurse, I joined the profession to cop a few cheap thrills and to oogle and leer.

But I realise and conceed that this is a by product of societies conception of nursing as a female dominated profession and medicine as a male dominated profession.

But changes are being made - slowly yes, but surely. RNs who worked 10 years ago tell me that the perception towards males in nursing has changed noticeably - all positive too.

As evidenced by more and more men seeking employment as RNs today.

Rome. Built. Day. You know the rest.

And all that...

BTW, I'd be interested in seeing data which clearly states a male nurse that works side by side with a female nurse makes more $$$.
Here you go.
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When in nursing school, I did have a male classmate, in our LTC rotation day, have a elderly woman ask to have her hair braided.

He was such a bum, he asked me to do it for him. (b/c he didnt know how)

What a slacker :)

I would not call the guy a bum or a slacker. I am female but I can't braid my hair or another persons for the life of me. If I did they would have it all bumpy and probably undo it if I hadn't done so first. There are some things that women are assumed to be able to do as well as something men are assumed to be able to do but neither should be assumed. I think the classmate asked you perhaps because he had seen you with braids or do it for someone else. If someone asks me to braid a patient's hair I will have to tell them either I don't know how and to find someone else who does or just I don't have time. As other posts in other areas have noted nurses are not miads/hairstylists etc.

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