Male nurses hired faster?

Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN · Apr 24, 2011

Wow. I have apparently struck a negative chord with some, I apologize. I am not trolling, and had no intention of offending someone. I thought t that this site was a place to get questions answered, I'll try and check myself next time.
Glass elevator is, aparently a sociological term where someone has an advantage, the opposite of glass celing

I think it may be your wording, everyone reads differently. With that said, gender bias occurs in every career, has for years. GOOD LUCK in your choices.

mswim · Apr 24, 2011

To OP:

Don't stop asking questions on this site. It is a good way to get information about many different perspectives in nursing. I do think it has been my experience that male nurses have the edge so to speak...I don't know if they make more $ b/c I never asked...but I suspect that it is true. I however don't believe that I can be mad at them for these differences...it is really administrations & managers that are to blame for these advantages.. I personally like working with most of the male nurses. I even liked being in school with the male student nurse that wasn't always prepared so to speak.. he added comic relief to a stressful environment. We are all nurses regardless of our gender.

GM2RN · Apr 24, 2011

Wow. I have apparently struck a negative chord with some, I apologize. I am not trolling, and had no intention of offending someone. I thought t that this site was a place to get questions answered, I'll try and check myself next time.
Glass elevator is, aparently a sociological term where someone has an advantage, the opposite of glass celing

Feel free to post any question you like, but be prepared for any type of response when asking "hot button" questions.

Personally, I don't see why having a hiring advantage, if one exists, would even matter unless someone wasn't confident in his or her abilities and felt an advantage was necessary. It also just occurred to me that you didn't ask if the same advantage exists for RT. Why is that?

Whispera, MSN, RN · Apr 24, 2011

I've heard there is a "glass elevaltor" for male nurses. My question is, do you think its easier for a new grad MALE NURSE to find a job that a female one? Also, I know that nurses can be very agressive with new nurses on a unit, does a MALE NURSE have a target on his back as a n00b in the unit especially as a new grad? I'm trying to decide between RT and ADN school right now (i've been accepted to both) and this is one of my concerns as a potential future nurse.

I think the answer to your question is a hearty "it depends."

First, nurses with the best qualifications will be the ones to be hired. If there are two with equally stellar qualifications, and one is male while the other is female, I believe the male will be hired over the female, sometimes. Nurses who are male are very needed. It's a matter of the comfort of the patient, and in some cases a patient would prefer having a male caregiver. Some prefer a female. In longterm care, many male patients would value having a male nurse because, for one thing, they'd have a man to talk to, especially when family isn't around.

Second, men often have different skill-sets than women. I think men are more interested in technology than women, generally. So, a man who can run a computer with one hand tied behind his back and one eye closed (and do it well) might find he's preferred over a woman who doesn't have that skill. There are areas in nursing that are very technology-oriented.

Then there's the size, muscles, and "presence of strong personality" argument. In some places men might have an advantage if they are large, strong, and assertive, over women who aren't quite as "big." I worked in psych a long time, in several different places. People tended to fit this argument each place I worked.

I doubt men have any target on their backs. I don't think most women target men in nursing because they don't see men as a threat, or they see men as somehow different in the profession. Also they don't see the point to it or that there would be any response from anyone if they did target men. There's some sort of lateral violence thing in nursing, but men aren't involved in it, either as targets or as initiators.

Men don't tend to get involved in the drama or back-biting that happens in nursing. I've floated a hospital as psychiatric liaison. I've had occasion to watch staff, as part of the job, to see what's going on with problems in teamwork, at the request of management. Women sometimes are doing their drama-thing, but I've never seen a man involved in that. I think people who stay out of the drama don't become targets of it as much as they would if they were in it.

To the OP: I don't think you're a troll at all. I think your question was very intelligent and something that's on the mind of quite a few people in the profession.

Argo · Apr 24, 2011

I will just say that im happy to be a male in the nursing profession.

tamadrummer · Apr 24, 2011

Wow the term male nurse really is distasteful to me. I dont refer to a woman as a female nurse I refer to her as a nurse. I would also like to be referred to as a nurse. My sex should have nothing to do with it. Thank you

Well in a perfect world that would be great but you will not be looked at as equal by the patients. Older female clients do not under any circumstance want a man in their room doing any kind of pericare. Adult men however, could not care any less whether it is a woman or a man.

This is not a field where your feelings matter at all, it is the client that has 100% of the rights and we are there to provide care. Whether the client is a bigot, sexist or what have you.

I had a 97 y/o female client tell a female classmate when I walked out of the room that she was not comfortable with a man looking at her "p-word". I had no idea she was feeling that way, I had to change her brief at least 5 times that day. She was in chronic renal failure and was unable to concentrate urine, so she was wet all the time.

As much as it bothered me to hear about her saying that, I just went to my instructor and got a new patient. Men are not looked at as equals. We are also expected to do the heavy work if we are in the area. I have no problem with it at all but like it or not, we will be used for our strength.

I do hope I am looked at favorably because of my gender, not negatively.

GM2RN · Apr 24, 2011

I think the answer to your question is a hearty "it depends."
Agree
First, nurses with the best qualifications will be the ones to be hired. If there are two with equally stellar qualifications, and one is male while the other is female, I believe the male will be hired over the female, sometimes. Nurses who are male are very needed. It's a matter of the comfort of the patient, and in some cases a patient would prefer having a male caregiver. Some prefer a female. In longterm care, many male patients would value having a male nurse because, for one thing, they'd have a man to talk to, especially when family isn't around.
Agree, which is why I think we need more men as nurses.
Second, men often have different skill-sets than women. I think men are more interested in technology than women, generally. So, a man who can run a computer with one hand tied behind his back and one eye closed (and do it well) might find he's preferred over a woman who doesn't have that skill. There are areas in nursing that are very technology-oriented.
Different skill sets--maybe. But absolutely disagree with this example. Many of the women in my ED, including myself, are tech-oriented and more than competent with computers. This tends to be the norm for all of the young and relatively younger nurses. The nurses for whom this doesn't hold true are those who are much older and have done paper charting for their entire careers until very recently.
Then there's the size, muscles, and "presence of strong personality" argument. In some places men might have an advantage if they are large, strong, and assertive, over women who aren't quite as "big." I worked in psych a long time, in several different places. People tended to fit this argument each place I worked.
Not so much in my department. Only holds some truth if the man happens to be large of stature. My perception is that this is more true of psych than other specialties.
I doubt men have any target on their backs. I don't think most women target men in nursing because they don't see men as a threat, or they see men as somehow different in the profession. Also they don't see the point to it or that there would be any response from anyone if they did target men. There's some sort of lateral violence thing in nursing, but men aren't involved in it, either as targets or as initiators.
Agree about men not having targets on their backs. Disagree about men not being initiators of drama or lateral violence. He is no longer with us, thank God, but there was a man in my department who was the biggest initiator of drama and the only one for lateral violence. Nurses from other floors would refuse to float to our department because of him.
Men don't tend to get involved in the drama or back-biting that happens in nursing. I've floated a hospital as psychiatric liaison. I've had occasion to watch staff, as part of the job, to see what's going on with problems in teamwork, at the request of management. Women sometimes are doing their drama-thing, but I've never seen a man involved in that. I think people who stay out of the drama don't become targets of it as much as they would if they were in it.
Again, mostly true, but not always.
To the OP: I don't think you're a troll at all. I think your question was very intelligent and something that's on the mind of quite a few people in the profession.

This question does get asked on a regular basis. I just have to wonder why. I do think that motives tend to differ based on whether the question is asked by someone who is thinking of entering the profession as opposed to someone who is already working a nurse.

mindlor · Apr 24, 2011

You are of course spot on regarding patient autonomy. I was really referring to my expectation that my nursing peers would see me only as a nurse and not as a "male nurse". Also, I am a little dude, most of my "female" peers could body slam and airplane spin me at will lol. The only way that men will acheive gender equality in nursing is if we work to do so, make our feelings known and make sure that we behave in a gender neutral way. My instructors often refer to me a as a male nurse and I respectfully correct them.....and refer them back to their power point that covered gender bias lol...

I realize that old habits die hard and I know that things wont change over night....

I will say that is a white male, this experience really has given me a great deal of insight into how it feels to be a minority. I am actually greatful and hopeful that I will be able to use these feelings to make me a more empathetic and caring nurse. I regret the way that many minorities were treated in times past, it must have been very difficult.....

GM2RN · Apr 24, 2011

Well in a perfect world that would be great but you will not be looked at as equal by the patients. Older female clients do not under any circumstance want a man in their room doing any kind of pericare. Adult men however, could not care any less whether it is a woman or a man.
Definitely not 100% true in all cases.
This is not a field where your feelings matter at all, it is the client that has 100% of the rights and we are there to provide care. Whether the client is a bigot, sexist or what have you.
While I agree with this statement, it isn't always possible to provide gender specific care.
I had a 97 y/o female client tell a female classmate when I walked out of the room that she was not comfortable with a man looking at her "p-word". I had no idea she was feeling that way, I had to change her brief at least 5 times that day. She was in chronic renal failure and was unable to concentrate urine, so she was wet all the time.
As much as it bothered me to hear about her saying that, I just went to my instructor and got a new patient. Men are not looked at as equals. We are also expected to do the heavy work if we are in the area. I have no problem with it at all but like it or not, we will be used for our strength.
Let's not whine about getting asked to HELP with "heavy work." I am a female and I get asked all the time to help another nurse with lifting or boosting patients, as do other females. I also ask others, including the guys, but it's based on who is available, certainly not only the guys just because they are men. Besides, NO ONE EVER does any "heavy work" alone, so it's not like any of us expect the men in the department to do all of the "heavy work," nor do we expect that they do it by themselves.
I do hope I am looked at favorably because of my gender, not negatively.

You should want to be looked upon favorably because of your skills and attitude as a nurse, not because of your gender.

tamadrummer · Apr 24, 2011

You should want to be looked upon favorably because of your skills and attitude as a nurse, not because of your gender.

Dang what are you so angry about? I was speaking from experience. I know you know everything about everything but I had to try to put my 2 cents in.

I am so sorry, please disregard all I said and only listen to this poster. They know what they are talking about. :yeah:

JSlovex2 · Apr 24, 2011

my answer is YES - men have an advantage when it comes to being hired. like most professions - there are quotas to meet whether it be for black employees, hispanic employees, or in a female dominated profession - male employees.

are they treated better? it depends. when i worked as a CNA, i would always introduce myself, write my name on the board, and tell the patient who their nurse would be. if their nurse was, "bob" they would automatically say something like, "so, i have a man nurse?" the tone was less than enthused. i would reply with, "yes, bob is a male nurse, and he's wonderful. he'll take great care of you." this was with males and females alike.

so, to sum things up - i think there are advantages when it comes to being hired because there are quotas to meet. i think there are disadvantages due to stigmas when you're out in the field.

GM2RN · Apr 24, 2011

Dang what are you so angry about? I was speaking from experience. I know you know everything about everything but I had to try to put my 2 cents in.
I am so sorry, please disregard all I said and only listen to this poster. They know what they are talking about.

I was speaking from experience as well.

It appears as if you are new this forum. Some of the issues raised here have already been discussed many times in other threads. If you care to read any of them, you may see why I respond as I do to those issues.