Why are male nurses looked down on?

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I am a female nursing student but I dont understand why male nurses are looked down on. They are human beings too.

I am a female nursing student but I dont understand why male nurses are looked down on. They are human beings too.

I have not seen this at all. In fact, my cycling buddies (some of the most macho men I know) have commented that now they will have a healthcare professional amoungst them the next time someone makes a bad move and takes down the train @ 35MPH! Just hope I'm leading the train and not the one screwing up a great ride!

I have also gotten nothing but praise and admiration from the women I know.

I don't male nurses are nessacary look down on. It just the stigma of the past that other feel awkard around us. Remember that in the 70's is was thought that male nurses unless employeed in the sservice were homosexual. Thus making it awkard for many.

I don't male nurses are nessacary look down on. It just the stigma of the past that other feel awkard around us. Remember that in the 70's is was thought that male nurses unless employeed in the sservice were homosexual. Thus making it awkard for many.

I don't know about that.

We're a long way from the 70's.

I live in ultra-conservative Texas and even down here that stereotype is long dead and outdated.

The vast majority of men I've worked with on any unit in any hospital are straight as an arrow and I fail to see any assumption from anyone that they are gay because they are nurses.

Maybe in some podunk backwoods hospital, maybe....but that same mentality would go along with believing that you are gay just because you don't like hunting or football, so consider the source.

Interesting thought, RN34TX, but I do work in the a poduk backwood hospital. And alot of my patients are strong church going people that have stong views about what jobs are correct for each sex. Nursing has been as female dominant world such like law enforcement,fire fighting as been a male dominat world. Now granted the world is changing, I am glad that in your part of the world male nurses are welcome. Even as an nurse's aid I have patients male and women refuse cares becuase of my sex. So the stigma of the battle are the sex is still out there.

Specializes in ER/Trauma.
One of my male classmates had the greatest comeback...to the "Why would you want to be a male nurse?" He looked the patient square in the eye and said...well I wanted to be a female nurse but the wait list was just too long!! OMG i about pee'd my pants!!! I am not sure if he had heard that somewhere or if he made it up, cause he is really quick on the comebacks...but it was great!!!
Please thank your classmate for me and tell him that I TOO plan on using this when asked that same question!

cheers,

I like male nurses, never have to look down on one here, heck, never met one here less than 5'10" and that sure beats my height. NO really, most of the guys I have worked with have been just great, good to the patient and other team-mates, sharp when there was a problem and dependable. I think nursing needs more men, and I am glad more guys are answering the call to join the ranks.

P.S. My 6', red-headed, hazel eyed grandson and his green-eyed, blonde, 6" brother call me "weird Mommaw" anyway. The other 3 grandson don't even bother to comment anymore. I am working on the youngest one of them to get into nursing, so who knows?

i'm currently enrolled in an lpn program...and one of my worries was that there wouldn't be ENOUGH males in the class....we have 7 out of 28 students...i respect every single one of them....they're great guys and will definitely do amazing things

plus i dont know any other women in the nursing field that don't think male nurses are(for lack of a better word) hot...dreams of marrying a doctor are so 1997...male nurses are in...

keep up the good work guys!

Specializes in OB.

As a young male nursing student who is about to graduate, that is minority and very young, I am going into L&D, and I have had no problems with patients, but while i have been interning in my last semester, the older majority nurses have given me a very hard time, and I am just slowly earning their respect, so I think that in some areas men have to definetly prove themselves harder, but I am ready to prove myself because I love L&D~

One of my male classmates had the greatest comeback...to the "Why would you want to be a male nurse?" He looked the patient square in the eye and said...well I wanted to be a female nurse but the wait list was just too long!! OMG i about pee'd my pants!!! I am not sure if he had heard that somewhere or if he made it up, cause he is really quick on the comebacks...but it was great!!!

OMG HAHAHA i have never laughed out loud by myself in front of the computer this hard. That guy is a genius.... can't wait to use it. :lol2:

Heck no.

They'd be laughed at right out of the room upon requesting such a thing.

Men aren't supposed to feel things like modesty and most certainly aren't supposed to feel intimidated or threatened by women seeing them exposed.

In fact, they shouldn't complain and should instead be enjoying the attention according to our current cultural standards.

I assume this is tongue in cheek.

Guess I am just a killjoy.....not really impressed by our current cultural standards.

i am new to this whole (7 months) field but so far i have been very happy with reponses from docs and even the female nurses. Seems like male docs are even nicer and more obliging to me than to my female counterparts. I am looking forward to finishing and working in my same dept as an RN. the only thing i can think of is every once in a while i have seen a woman act out against a male nurse or tech but 9 out of ten times she was in the er from being abused by a guy.

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