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 Telemetry, OR, ICU.
let me quote a few examples:

all from this very thread ...

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...

here you go.

median salary by gender

for job=registered nurse (rn)

medianrangeaverage

female (2250) $47,000 grad_blue_hor.gifmale (316) $50,000

roy, the numbers are skewed regards to 316 males vs. 2250 female and the $3k difference which favors men... just like i thought it would. my previous post; 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 $$$.

in otherwords, i'd venture to speculate a higher number of the 316 males are in management vs. the 2250 females. btw, as you know i being active duty army nurse corps the pay inequality issue does not apply since pay is based on rank, and never on gender. ;)

btw, i posted the majority of the males here are concerned about equality of nursing regards to gender patient issues, and not regards to society as a whole. at least, for myself i'm focused strictly on this thread. therefore, my thoughts posted here are on equality issues not in society. however, i will say i'm 100% in favor of gender equality in all professions.

roy, i, too, have been a nurse longer than you [close to 10 yrs rn & total of +11 yrs in healthcare] and agree with others you mentioned that males are much better received in the nursing profession most recently. however, we are here openly discussing our concerns with the common goal of nurse gender equality for today & the future.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
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.

Exactly! She could have offered to show her male classmate the art of braiding. See one, do one, then teach one. ;)

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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.

I would believe it is possible for men to move up in many areas to management positions in nursing faster. Don't have stats to support that though. There are numerous treads that show men are normally treated with more respect IN GENERAL by doctors and other nurses. It's not all bad in other words.

There are several issues I see here though. Patients who are uncomfortable with being cared for by a male I can deal with fine. They should be comfortable, and we need to respect that.

The real issue that should be resolved FIRST is a management and administration view that needs that causes dangerous inequality. This is that when an allegation is made of sexual abuse, MEN get suspended with out pay, or fired, or looked at as a major liability, immediately. This affects their careers sometimes permanently, WHEN THEY DID NOTHING WRONG and the case is unfounded! Female nurses are often treated as the victims if they are reported. Yes an investigation is done, but many of them keep working and being paid. If the charge is unfounded they can go on with normally no ill effects. The hospital will stand behind the woman and crucify the man. This is where the true inequality lies.

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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.

I'm male and know how to braid hair. Most of my friends growing up were female, My ex-wife and kids wanted me to braid their hair, and I learned to do it well. I think the point was he didn't bother to learn. If he had time and the conviction he could have learned to braid hair to make her feel more comfortable. If as a nurse you don't have time to do that then there is another issue. You don't have to, but if you have time, and you can make the patient/resident feel more comfortable, why not. I know time is normally the issue here.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
I would believe it is possible for men to move up in many areas to management positions in nursing faster. Don't have stats to support that though. There are numerous treads that show men are normally treated with more respect IN GENERAL by doctors and other nurses. It's not all bad in other words.

There are several issues I see here though. Patients who are uncomfortable with being cared for by a male I can deal with fine. They should be comfortable, and we need to respect that.

The real issue that should be resolved FIRST is a management and administration view that needs that causes dangerous inequality. This is that when an allegation is made of sexual abuse, MEN get suspended with out pay, or fired, or looked at as a major liability, immediately. This affects their careers sometimes permanently, WHEN THEY DID NOTHING WRONG and the case is unfounded! Female nurses are often treated as the victims if they are reported. Yes an investigation is done, but many of them keep working and being paid. If the charge is unfounded they can go on with normally no ill effects. The hospital will stand behind the woman and crucify the man. This is where the true inequality lies.

Speak well you do. ;)

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
I'm male and know how to braid hair. Most of my friends growing up were female, My ex-wife and kids wanted me to braid their hair, and I learned to do it well. I think the point was he didn't bother to learn. If he had time and the conviction he could have learned to braid hair to make her feel more comfortable. If as a nurse you don't have time to do that then there is another issue. You don't have to, but if you have time, and you can make the patient/resident feel more comfortable, why not. I know time is normally the issue here.

My point was she did not offer to teach him how to braid. They both being nursing students made time not such a factor as in the real world of nursing. BTW, one cannot learn if not offered instructions.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Hemodialysis.

i would like to say, as far as the comment that male nurses are paid more than female nurses....i do not believe that is a gender thing, but rather a matter of a male is more likely to ask for what they want.

as an example, i was talking with some female student nurses at my hospital and some female new grads. they were saying how much this facililty starts you off at. i stated i "will not accept that." they were shocked and the thought of asking for more never crossed their mind. now, i know that i may not get what i want, but there are other facilities in the area. the point is...they accept what is offered and i choose to accept what i am worth. this could explain the difference in pay. if they found out that i made $X/hr more than they did, they would surely ASSUME that i was payed more because i am a man, and thus the false belief that "men are paid more would continue."

and as far as men getting more respect...well i can't speak for all men, but i believe i get respect because i do not gossip, i work hard, don't talk back, and do my job well. and if someone doesn't know me....i don't LET them disrespect me.

that's what i think,

jay

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Haven't visited this thread in a few days and its interesting to see that it has gone to the "us poor men mentality". I have to say I completely agree with the person who brought this up. Let's not fool ourselves or anyone else...this society is incredibly patriarchal in nature and despite feminist waves 1, 2 and 3, there is much more work to be done. I absolutely concur that women have made great advances (that have served to help all genders) in the times since Betty Friedan and others...however, in my opinion, to assume that the pay issue has nothing to do with gender is extremeley incorrect.

Why are many men threatened by females. Someone said something to the effect that "men's voices aren't being heard." Men's voices have been heard for centuries! And with the exception of a few female-dominated professions, males still run this society (sadly) and many feel threatened when it seems like females are getting too much power. But make no mistake, we live in a patriarchal society. I'd gladly discuss this with anyone who can make an argument (based in fact) to the contrary.

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i don't LET them disrespect me.

that's what i think,

jay

I think this is the key to the respect thing. Men are more likely to not accept being verbally abused. They speak up. The women that speak up are treated with the same respect, it's just that less speak up. Not just speaking up, but in a respectful way that still says it will not be accepted.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Hemodialysis.
however, in my opinion, to assume that the pay issue has nothing to do with gender is extremeley incorrect.

so just so i completely understand...you actually think that this is the scenario.........

a head of an hr department tells all the recruiters...if a man sends in his resume the pay is $24/hr...if a women sends in her resume it's $20.50.

or maybe this scenario....

if a man will accept $20 does the recruiter say.."oh no MR. so-and-so your a man you get $24/hr.".....somehow i don't think so. i think that IF the employer can get the man for less then he will. this means that gender is NOT the issue but rather what the applicant will ACCEPT.

however, i could be wrong....if anyone can find me an hr manual that states that women will be offered less than a man...i will post my apology right here on this website :lol2:

ive checked and all the student nurses at my hospital get the same rate of pay ....i feel shafted; do they not realize i'm a man :lol2:

ok enough sarcasim...really we could go back and forth on this one, but until someone can prove to me that gender was the reason that someone gets more pay, i will not believe it. NO company is willing to pay an employee more than they have to.

sincerely,

jay

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ok enough sarcasim...really we could go back and forth on this one, but until someone can prove to me that gender was the reason that someone gets more pay, i will not believe it. NO company is willing to pay an employee more than they have to.

sincerely,

jay

Or pay for the law suits when word gets out.

Recruiters in just about every business are given a range. They try to get people in low, but raise up when they need to to get workers in the specialty they need. How many new grads would get no tuition reimbursement offers, and then they ask for it and they say, "oh yea, we can get you that." Same with sign on bonuses and such.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Hemodialysis.
Or pay for the law suits when word gets out.

Recruiters in just about every business are given a range. They try to get people in low, but raise up when they need to to get workers in the specialty they need. How many new grads would get no tuition reimbursement offers, and then they ask for it and they say, "oh yea, we can get you that." Same with sign on bonuses and such.

:yeahthat:

it's all about negotiation. i know of a man in another profession that negotiated for a jaguar (which he got), i know some people will negotiate for tickets, time off, uniform allowance, etc. a job offer is a two way street. it's how bad do you want to work there vs. how bad do they want you. i may negotiate loan repayment, someone else may ask for a sign on bonus, another may ask for more pay/hr, and another may ask for a relocation package. AND, of course, some will just accept whatever salary the hr person says "the position pays."

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