Male Nurses.

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 4, 2003

tom, that post works for me! good for you!!!

flaerman · Jun 5, 2003

Michael, I have been an RN for 17 years and absolutely love what I do, but guy, I have never made anymore money for having testicles than my female friends and co-workers. To even ask that makes me question your dedication to our profession. There are lots of jobs out there and most do not hire someone based on their sex. You get hired based on your knpwledge and skills. Men tend to gravitate more towards being an anesthetist and into critical care more so than the floors. I started out on a PCU unit and have done med-surg and oncology as well, have also worked ICU and now am an ER RN and wouldn't trade it for the world. Yes there are more men in nursing and I have met many good nurses as well as some not not so good nurses both male and female. I have always found that people I've told that I am an RN have always thought a lot of nurses in general. My patients are sometimes surprised that I am as kind and caring with them as I am. I am 6' and weigh 240 lbs, grew up hanging in gangs and fighting but have put that all that aside. My goal is to treat each patient the same way that I want to be treated and it works very well. Good luck in the profession...Paul

hogan4736, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2003

My experience in the ER has always been men cath men/boys

women cath females/girls

and if a female patient asks for a female nurse, no hard feelings here...people want what they want...

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2003

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes
Tweety, Just a thought: If you are worried about cathing females who are alert and oriented, I would think you would be EVEN MORE careful with those DISORIENTED or incapacitated mentally..... I might just have a "chaperone" or "assistant" in ANY case where you are doing personal care for a female, if this is how you feel. What makes a change/alteration in mental status different, I am just wondering?

Good point. Let me clarify. I don't cath the confused ones either without a female present. I was thinking more comatose and should have used that world. Working in nuero, those females who were in a permanent vegetative state and needed to be cathed and no one was around I might consider going in the room alone. But disoriented and confused and female can be a potential situation. Quite frankly cathing females is not my best skill. My skill is inserting ng's and doing ngt suctioning. I'm helpful enough with coworkers that usually if I need a co-worker to assist with intimate care, there's no resentment.

mark_LD_RN · Jun 5, 2003

Originally posted by Anabolic_One
Have to say, I agree with Karen_G.......what does it matter if they remember you because you are a man....no big deal..they might just as easy remember you if you wore neon green scrubs to work everyday...right ?
And although I am no vet in this field, only beginning my venture...Gender will always be an issue.....just the way things are......let it slide off your back bro.
As far as being a hinderance because you are a male....I dont feel that is true in my Geographic area...Most of the nurses that work in ER in two near by hospitals are male.....very obvious.....I am taking a guess -does the LD in your name stand for Labor and Delivery--if thats the area then yeah I could for see you having problems getting interviews (but Im sure thats a whole seperate thread)..... I have been told that I should have no problems getting interviews when I complete my program

ANABOLICONE--- let me address and clarify a few things for you.

1) it does not matter if they remember me if I am male. but it does matter to me If my coworkers or other nurses tell me the only reason the ONLY reason they remember me is because I am male.

2) yes it has been a hinderance being a male not just in LD. I had been denied jobs and positions in other areas ie ICU and psych at a couple of hospitals and it was based on gender alone. proof of that came from one DON's comment and the other hospital I applied after DON quit and was hired with in 2 weeks. I never said you could not or would not get hired as a male. just that it has created a problem that should not be there.thankfully that is changing as some of the older nurses retire or leave.

3) as far as LD that is my current field. and yes It is more of a hinderance being male appling there. but it should not be. I have proven that at ever place I have worked LD. patients love me,request me,so much so that I take on private patients that insist i be here when they deliver.

non of your post was taken in a bad way just thought i would try to clarify what i meant for you and others.:)

mark_LD_RN · Jun 5, 2003

RN2007

thats is your right to request who cares for you, I would not be offended in the least if a patient refused to have me care for her based on gender, that is your choice I do not have to agree with it but it is your right to do so. but I would be extremely mad if you were A DON and would not hire me because of my gender no matter what your beliefs are.

as far as cathing females ,doing adl's or intimate care for them, I have always done it but i always ask a patients permission to care for them when i introduce my self at the begining of the shift and before I provide any such care. and like some one else said here, If the patient is not comfortable with me then I am not comfortable with them and would prefer not to care for that person.

and as far as GENDER ASSIGNMENTS, I do not tolerate them we split the patients by acuity when i work other floors PERIOD. if a patient does not want me or another nurse to care for them then we will trade patients.

and on the topic of who cares for me or my family members it does not matter what gender,race or sexual preference is, THE ONLY requirement that I have is that they are qualified to do care,I want the best quailified most caring nurse available period, be if female, white ,black green or any other color, homosexual, lesbian or hetrosexual. all i want is the best care possible.

the issue of a female must be present when a male doc or nurse provides care is not a law in most states and should not be. some hospitals make this requirement some don't. I do not use a chaperone when providing care for female patients unless the patient requests it. one the subject of it being a requirement the "patients bill of rights " states a patient may request a chaperone during exams and procedures . the chaperone does not have to be of the opposite sex, and this bill is the same for male and female patients. the chaperone may also be a family member or friend it does not have to be a medical personnel. the male doctors that say it is required it is just their preference. thankfully this is changing also.

I work in the ER also and i cath my own patients there also, male or female. one thing i could never figure out is why ER and radiology will call LD to get someone to cath female patients. and never ask the patient if they mind. I end up going down to cath them and the patients have no problem with it. It just goes to show the mind set of nurses in general. this old idea has been beat into their heads until they think it is the truth.

I hope my posts are not taken as whinning as some one said earlier. I just like to state the truth and my opinions and make sure they are clear I do not expect to convert any one to my view just want it clear.

I still hate the term MALE NURSE, and I know plenty of doctors who hate to be called lady doctor or female doctor because of their gender. I think they deserve the same respect as themen who are doctors, just as I think I and others of my gender who are nurses desrve the same respect as or female coworkers.

yes males can make good nurses, and males can provide care for females, believe it or not:)

in the end let me say I love being a nurse, I love what i do,so much so that I do it for less than half the money I used to make ,by my own choice. I encourge people who truely want to help people to become a nurse all the time.

MR.PICURN · Jun 5, 2003

I'm a 5'10 200 (+) something pound male nurse who works in PICU. I often here the female nurses say how nice it is to have a big (no real emphasis on big) strong man around the unit who happens to also be a nurse. The patient and the parents often say how nice it is to have a male nurse instead of a female. One parent said to me that his son felt more comfortable with another guy helping him. It must be a guy thing. As far a pay goes, unions keep things equal amoung the ranks of men and women alike. However I do make more than my wife who is also an RN with 10+ years more experience than I........ Hummmmmm

jschut, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2003

We had a couple of men in our nursing class. I hope they are doing well. They worked just as hard as the females did, and they deserve the same oppertunities as females in this profession.

Good Luck to you!

MR.PICURN · Jun 5, 2003

Ending my last post the way that I did was more for effect than anything............... What I did'nt say about my wife making less with more experience was that she no longer works in a hopital, which pays more than say does a local county treatment facility...

That's all............. bye until next time

karenG · Jun 5, 2003

[.

the issue of a female must be present when a male doc or nurse provides care is not a law in most states and should not be. some hospitals make this requirement some don't. I do not use a chaperone when providing care for female patients unless the patient requests it. one the subject of it being a requirement the "patients bill of rights " states a patient may request a chaperone during exams and procedures . the chaperone does not have to be of the opposite sex, and this bill is the same for male and female patients. the chaperone may also be a family member or friend it does not have to be a medical personnel. the male doctors that say it is required it is just their preference. thankfully this is changing also.

[/b]

at the risk of being shouted at again............... I have a friend called mike (who is now a matron!) who felt much the way you do Mark. Until the day a female patient accused him of attempted rape. that was so not funny. It caused him all sorts of problems and he now has a chaperone.

Karen

mark_LD_RN · Jun 5, 2003

KarenG

I guess as the old saying goes " to each his own" and so on.

I don't use chaperones I know docs who don't and other male LD ob nurses who don't.

my patients are comfortable with me and if they are not I swap with another never had a problem and do not forsee having one. and I am not dening that it is a possibility, but having a chaperone does not exempt you I know this as a fact a friend of mine is an OB doc always has a chaperone, well to make a long story short he was accused of being innapropriate with a patient. the chaperone had little effect on the outcome he still had to pay dearly and had his license restricted for a yr. not fair but it happens.

On a side note do you know which gender Ob doc is accused and sued most often? it is the female

do you know the gender of the only 3 nurses I know of and only one i know who was fired for inappropriate behavior was? it was females again:)

so you see why I feel the way i do? I have no proble with chaperones, I also dont care if patients want a a room full of people when I examine her or if it is just me and her. if we are comfortable with each other and trust is built upon our professional relationship, I do not worry nor do i care. I always ask permision and inform my patients of everything before i do it. I always am professional and above board. and have a very open freindly report with my patients.

a note for all nurses. recent studies show that the cold professional bedside manner has more lawsuits than the warm let me be your friend approach:)

and did you notice Karen no yelling:)

karenG · Jun 5, 2003

hi Mark

as you say- to each his own! I just wish people could get past stereotypes. Have you seen any of the 'carry on doctor' films? some of my patients think of nurses as portrayed in these films and that winds me up! I am not a busty brainless blonde put on this earth to be a male fantasy!! but that is a steriotype we meet here- the fact that I am 5'1 redhead is immaterial! I hate the fact that people judge you by the way you look, its something I try really hard not to do, both professionally and personally.

I guess I know how you feel about the way people look at you and make assumptions- for me, the assumption would be that you are competent nurse...........and if you dont do your job well, then you can have your head to play with!:)

:kiss

karen