Did anyone judge you for being a male nurse?

[ddane94]

How did you react?

[Grrrse, MSN]

My first day of clinicals I had to switch patients. She was an 18 yo acute ortho paying and didn't want a strange guy helping her with bedpans, bed baths, etc. Conversely the sweet senior lady I was reassigned to preferred working with a male student nurse. I think it's all in what the patient is comfortable with.

[exit96]

In my L&D rotation I was received by the females with open arms! THAT was refreshing, and appropriate.

I did spend some time today looking up evidence based studies on the topic, and I find our history disturbing. Males started the nursing profession, were "booted" for irrelevant reasons, and we now struggle to convince the world that we are professionals. I can't stress enough that " I understand and appreciate the ladies cultural reservations," but ONLY when it is expressed by THEM, not by an overarching premise that it is inherently wrong ALL THE TIME. I have a wife and daughter, and am totally "on board" with preferences....I just really hate the stigma that precedes us men...

[CaliBoy760]

I work in a more masculine form of nursing, so much so, that it's almost expected that I be a man. The only time I have felt judged is when discussing my career with other men who are not nurses. Like it or not, there is still, and will probably always be, a slight stigma towards male nurses.

[Mr Midwife, BSN, RN]

While I was in nursing school, the first patient that I saw during my acute care rotation asked me where my dress was when I told him I was a student nurse.

In my first nuring placement I was asked my I wanted to become a Male Nurse, I said it was far too muhc trouble to become a female nurse.

I use the same answer when people ask me why I wanted to become a male midwife instead of just saying midwife.

[NextGenRPN]

I had a old friend say to me " your a nurse? what are some kind of *** ( you can fill in the rest)" I looked at him and said yup im the *** that makes your 2 week paycheck in 2 shifts. needless to say he just walked away and dident say another word.

[mabpguy]

Not yet, I only received some words from an old person referring me as a doc, but nothing special. I think that it happens more frequently in old people where they were used to an high percentage of female nurses in the profession, but now, in my enviroment at the moment they don't see weird for being male nurse.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

A LONG time ago...we had a male tech in the ICU. He was a pre-med student. The older patients always wanted that doctor. We would fall on the floor laughing...he was such a nice guy....we would send him into confused patients room to calm them down. He never claimed he was Dr. anyone but the moment these confused little old people saw the male person they were instantly engaged on the bad nurses behavior. Saved on over medicating these old folks. Our male nurses....we had two of them (remember this is a LOONG time ago) had the same calming effect. Never bothered me though I was just glad they stopped trying to hit us with the call bell.

[iamnomad]

I've never had (or at least as far as I know) experience where they judged me for being a male nurse. But yeah, there are a lot of times that patients would ask when will I finish my "doctor" degree or refer to me as the "doctor". And even the ones that know I'm a nurse, they ask whether I'm going to continue on my studies and be a doctor.

Also, maybe part of the reason why I never experienced such judgement is because I don't put myself to those situations. I just kind of know or feel if the situation would cause me uneasiness, like female catheterisation.

[ImKosher]

Answering the OP's question:

Surprisingly, I have got nothing but awesome responses from diverse individuals about my choice to become a nurse. In my opinion the stereotype of nursing being only for females is slowly falling off the map. In the southeast, it is becoming more acceptable if not that a "well respected" career among the general population. I have never run into the "sensitive" question and have recieved many blessings as I went through school and clinical.

I'm not going out looking for a reason for someone to question my career choice. I tell them what nursing is and my committment to the profession. If people talk, let them, you have no control over them, but you do control how you receive and respond to it.

[suanna]

Only my father. "nurse" was the only "N" word he wouldn't say. I was introduced as his son "who worked with the doctors at the university hospital". He once asked me how many years I had to put in before they offered me a promotion to doctor. "A lot" is what I told him- a whole lot.

[ArtClassRN, ADN, RN]

I get judged all the time for being a male nurse.

How did you react?

Well, since the judgement is always positive and effusive, I react by saying, "Why thank you very much."

[BlackMurse1]

There has not been a single week that has gone by while on the floor where someone did not call me doctor. I think its so funny. One time a Year three Resident came to the floor to assess a really agitated/confused patient. The resident was at the bedside when I walked in, she was trying to assess the pupils. Any ways the patient turned to me and said "O thank God Doctor your here, please help me!" The resident stopped what she was doing and said, "He's the nurse, and I'm the doctor." The confused patient turned and said, "There's no need to act crazy young lady, let the young man do his job." I spun around and walked out in order to have a good laugh.