Man = muscle, being taken advantage of

Published

How many guys have felt taken advantage of being the man on staff? I'm a cna and nursing student and I'm always being called to do the heavy lifting and a lot of times even left alone to do certain heavy tasks alone simply because I'm a "strong young man". Half of my shift is helping other staff and I don't mind helping and being a team member but sometimes it does feel like I'm the go-to guy and when I need the help no one is there.

...all she talked about all day was that she raped buy a Mexican while his blonde "female dogs" held her down...

I actually lol'd. How guilty should I feel.:blink:

My input on the OP; I've helped transfer many patients as a "Bed Man" when I worked for an air bed company. I never got tired of the grateful looks from the nurses when I showed up and they realized they got "the one who helps" as opposed to the one who goes by the rules. I hope I never get too burned out to be happy to help someone do something I can do easily. I have seen the lazy ones who rely on others to do their jobs. I hope I don't have to work with any (ha, wish me luck).

I must admit I DID get tired of helping with the bariatric beds' patients. Once a gurney broke at Vanderbilt's ER, it took FOURTEEN firemen and me to get the pt onto the bari-bed! Then about two months later I get a call to pick up the bed. I go to the floor, no one knows where it is! What happened to the pt? I ask. Oh, he died last shift... Using my best detective skills I ask "How'd they get pt to the morgue?"

You know where this is going...

The guy was stiff and sort of stuck to the bed from his rolls enveloping the posts. I wonder how the funeral home got him to the piano case they buried him in?

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.
On my unit, the only male nurse is asked for assist at times (it's peds ICU, not a huge amount of lifting except during scoli season) as are our male RTs. But it's no more often than female staff is asked. Typically, we ask the closest person, not the biggest.

The one thing I DO have him help me with often is reaching things. I work at a children's hospital named for a famous athlete. (Think 6'5", 235#, laser-rocket arm...) and I SWEAR, they let old #18 decide where to place all the shelving, because the LOWEST shelf is over my head (I'm 5'1")

Peyton Manning?

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Peyton Manning?

Yes, Peyton Manning Children's Hospital in Indianapolis.

PS: He's a VERY nice man in person. And does many, many wonderful things for our patients and their families you will never read about.

Specializes in ICU, PACU, OR.

You can always say no. Utilize the opportunity to ensure that you have good lifting and transfer devices on your unit instead of brute strength. I'm not going to throw my back out or yours just because I don't want to go to the trouble.

If I ask someone for something-it's necessary-I'd do the same for you. We all use each other for our talents, abilities, knowledge and physical strength. You have some nurses who are good at placing IV's-or doing calcs faster, or assessing heart sounds, fixing equipment/computers, or those who have a better outcome with demented or combative patients. I'm sure they get tired of being utilized too. Be proud you have something to offer.

Specializes in LTC, Memory loss, PDN.
We rarely need to ask our male staff for lifting. Two women can lift most of our patients. We might need an extra pair of hands, but not the back. If your unit is like ours, you probably are being taken advantage of.

The only place where staff is singled out by gender, is with the intimidation factor. A psych pt will think twice about throwing a punch if the nurse is a 6ft man, instead of a 5' 5" woman.

most of the time ;)

Nursing requires team work. We ALL bring our strengths and weakness to the team.

I personally, can pivot a patient twice my size.

One of My strengths is my clinical observational skills.

Personally I would be PROUD if my physical strength was what was needed in the situation and I could provide it.

How many guys have felt taken advantage of being the man on staff? I'm a cna and nursing student and I'm always being called to do the heavy lifting and a lot of times even left alone to do certain heavy tasks alone simply because I'm a "strong young man". Half of my shift is helping other staff and I don't mind helping and being a team member but sometimes it does feel like I'm the go-to guy and when I need the help no one is there.

I am an aide in a busy hospital plus a newly minted LPN who just got my nursing license. I am frequently asked to help lift, turn, and reposition patients because I am male and perceived to be big and strong. No I have never felt as though I am being used or taken advantage of. I would rather help with it than see some petite small female nurse who is like six months pregnant try to do the majority of this. In a way I'm actually flattered to be asked believe it or not - maybe it's just the male ego thing rearing its head, I don't know. But in any case, I've never really minded.

most of the time ;)

That's one reason why even though I'm a big strong healthy male, you will never see me be a psych nurse. A lot of those patients are not rational and cannot think logically - they probably would take a swing at the Incredible Hulk if they got angry. You can say and do everything perfectly, and give them the most compassionate care, but they might not recognize it, and a lot of them might still go off on you. I'll just come right out and say that I don't like that

Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.
Coming from a woman I see no problem with it so long as the other person helps you to. "Yeah ill help lift Mr. Johnson...but would you grab a set of vitals on Mrs. Anderson?"

No way man. Some 300 lb patient being deadlifted and log rolled isn't the same as checking someone's radial pulse! Take me out to dinner if you want that stuff done! lol

Taking advantage is not cool, but I'm fine with lifting heavy things. It's better than a 9-5 desk job staring at a computer screen.

@StudentManNuse I wouldn't worry too much at this point, with you still being a CNA I would think that you would have more of the "grunt" work.

That being said, this issue is something that scares me. When I decided to go back to school to become a nurse; I was surprised by people's reactions. I kept getting comments like, "good we need more male nurses," and "oh, you'll have an advantage for getting promoted." For the former comment, I don't see why we need more male nurses. Is there some magical quality that men have for nursing that women don't? If they are referring to the ability to pick up heavier things, it's a waste of money to have them trained as an RN/LPN. Why not just hire some goons who can take an RN's direction for minimum wage? For the latter comment. I really don't want an advantage. I want to be treated appropriately for the amount of effort and skill that I put into nursing. It is also kind of scary, that I could succeed all on my own and people would say it was just because I was a guy. A male nurse was promoted to charge nurse where my wife worked, and the rumors started about him where that it was only because he was a man. I don't know if that was true or not, but I would hate to think that someone could think that about me at some point.

Some articles that may be of interest.

This is Dr. Stuart McGill being interviewed about back injuries.

T NATION | An Interview with Dr. Stuart McGill, Part I

Here is study on grip and leg extension strength in men and women. You will notice that there is plenty of overlap in the numbers, although of course men tend to be on the higher end overall.

Grip strength and lower limb extension power in 19-... [bMJ Open. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

Here is a study on lower body strength. It's interesting that individual muscles respond significantly different in men and women.

Comparison of lower body specific resistan... [Res Q Exerc Sport. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI

Here is a study on gender differences in overall strength. The men are found to be hugely stronger than the women, but if you assume that the average male is about 25% larger than the average female. It works out that men are 33% stronger in the upper body, but only 9% stronger in the lower body!

Gender differences in stren... [Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1993] - PubMed - NCBI

I used to be asked all the time to help lift and move people.

I refuse now unless the other person is the same height and has some strength.

Put my back out 3 times at work lifting with shorter nurses/hca's. Currently battling with a terrible back at the moment and can barely get through a 12 hour shift at the moment due to my back.

Worst one was where we went to move a larger person and well my side with forward. My coworkers didn't even move an inch and my back kept going and this is what has caused 95% of my issues.

Co-workers complain/report me for refusing. But hey, I'm young and have 25+ years of work left. I'm more important then you!

+ Join the Discussion