Men in Nursing?

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I'm graduating high school this year and I was thinking about going into nursing (RN) but since it's a female dominated profession how do males get treated? What's the difference between a RN and LPN? And how often do you deal with poop:confused: Also what's the job outlook in Calgary at the moment?

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Specializes in Cardiology.

I'm currently at the U of C and each class typically consists of approx 10 - 15% men. Right now in clinical there are only 2 men on my unit (myself and another classmate).

Personally, I've received nothing but positive feedback from my patients, the nurses I've met and worked with and am treated the same as my female classmates.

Peri-care: you'll learn to "get over" the poop factor. :)

As for the difference between an RN and LPN, I'll defer to the more experienced posters for an explanation as I'm not 100% clear on that either. I don't like the "RN's are the thinkers and LPN's are the doers", explanation as there is so much more to it then that.

The job situation will be completely different in 4 years (once you graduate) so don't let the current AHS fiasco curb your enthusiasm to enter the profession.

Good luck! :)

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Men in nursing get treated the same as any other nurse in my experience.If nursing is what you want to do go for it.

The difference in scope of practice between RN and LPN is different, it depends on the province and the facility.I am in Ontario and there is not a lot of difference between my day and the RNs I work with but definitely there are some things PNs can't do.I can't push IV meds, hang blood, access PICC lines or go into management.

As for the poop factor - you will have to learn to deal with that one and many other more unpleasant excretions.

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Specializes in Acute Care, and Dementia/Alzheimers.

I'm a Nursing Assistant. Quite frankly, I can't speak for my superiors (LPNs/RNs) but I can speak about the Under Dogs.

As a Male Nursing Assistant (can't speak for the others) Women will use you and abuse you. And not give anything in return! :crying2:

They will make you move all the heavy patients. Anything that leads to physical labor, they will have you do it. And if they have combative patients, goes who's working on thsoe patients. (You!) LOL Couple smiles may make your day. But still, you're the grunt of grunts as a man.

But then again, if you're a "big guy" like me, when you have the ability to lift in excess of 300lbs. combative patietns when they see you, typically aren't so combative. LOL

But honestly, I've recieved more compliments as a male working in the Nursing Profession, as I ever have in any other field of work. I rather enjoy. Either way, those patients rely on YOU to do YOUR JOB. If you don't do your job, they are the ones who suffer for it.

I have the utmost respect for other men looking into the profession of Nursing. if you have any questions, I am more than happy to answer.

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Specializes in Acute Care, and Dementia/Alzheimers.

As for the poop factor - you will have to learn to deal with that one and many other more unpleasant excretions.

You can't say that enough times.

Ever.....:rolleyes:

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Alright well what if you're dealing with a female patient and she's not comfortable with you what do you do? And how often do you deal with poop no one was very specific. and who does RN report to?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

How specific can we be about poop? If a patient has the runs it could be several times per shift. Cleaning up is part of the job, even if you work with CNAs or any other type of aide,as a nurse you will sometimes have to deal with it yourself.Poop is not the worst bodily excretion.A draining purulent wound can be more unpleasant.

Who the RN reports to depends on the work place.Where I work there is a charge nurse with a manager above her.

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Alright well what if you're dealing with a female patient and she's not comfortable with you what do you do? And how often do you deal with poop no one was very specific. and who does RN report to?

You do a patient swop with a female nurse.

**** happens. Who finds the code brown, cleans the code brown. Depends on the unit. LTC, you see poop. General Surgery you see poop (colostomy, ileostomy, emesis), Psych (patients plays with it in some cases, google "on the blanket"), L&D labouring women poop, Dialysis: patients can loose bowel control, frequency well, some nurses have luck others don't.

The RN reports to the Charge Nurse and Unit Manager just like the LPNs do. Each grade of nurse carries their own practice permit, and are responsible for their own actions.

Don't read the American posts on this subject because we are two different countries when it comes to this. In Alberta, LPNs recieve the same education as the old hospital/diploma nurse recieves. The skill set between the two nurses is becoming finer and finer.

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I'm currently not a nurse yet but I have friends who are, and the poop stories are those that stick with you forever (in a good way). I honestly can't wait for the poo, I'd perfer it to blood or other bodily fluids... :D

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I'm a Nursing Assistant. Quite frankly, I can't speak for my superiors (LPNs/RNs) but I can speak about the Under Dogs.

As a Male Nursing Assistant (can't speak for the others) Women will use you and abuse you. And not give anything in return! :crying2:

They will make you move all the heavy patients. Anything that leads to physical labor, they will have you do it. And if they have combative patients, goes who's working on thsoe patients. (You!) LOL Couple smiles may make your day. But still, you're the grunt of grunts as a man.

But then again, if you're a "big guy" like me, when you have the ability to lift in excess of 300lbs. combative patietns when they see you, typically aren't so combative. LOL

But honestly, I've recieved more compliments as a male working in the Nursing Profession, as I ever have in any other field of work. I rather enjoy. Either way, those patients rely on YOU to do YOUR JOB. If you don't do your job, they are the ones who suffer for it.

I have the utmost respect for other men looking into the profession of Nursing. if you have any questions, I am more than happy to answer.

I have had the pleasure of working on a unit where there was roughly a 50/50 split of male and female nurses. We all did our share of lifting the heavies. And the heavies are all over the hospital these days. Now there are special lifting devices for "floating" the over 300 lb patient from stretcher to table to bed.

Unfortunately, the combative ones remain combative no matter who is their nurse. Hospital security is there for a reason and we use them.

I've learnt over the years that my male coworkers are there because they are great nurses not movers or security officers. Anyone who expects the males to do the moving is having serious gender role issues.

Now don't get us old bats started on pregnant ones who want the light patients.....because light in this respect are fully functional ready for discharge patients who need no care post op.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
Alright well what if you're dealing with a female patient and she's not comfortable with you what do you do?

Well, I suppose it wouldn't be all that different from what we female nurses experience when we provide personal care to a male - which comprise the majority of patients as a rule. You do your job with the minimum of fuss.

And how often do you deal with poop no one was very specific.

Most shifts we deal with it at least once. We clean it up and move on.

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Specializes in SICU,MICU,ER,trauma.

In my 12 years as nurse I've only had a couple instances where (older) female patients asked for a female nurse to help with things like personal hygiene. Most patients realize you're a professional and treat you as such regardless of gender, race etc. etc. I usually just swap some work with a colleague, everyone takes it in stride.

As far as the poop factor, this must be a guy hangup. I know a lot of nurses who are men (I don't call myself a "male nurse") and this is something they are more often to complain about than my women colleagues. Not all of them but the newer ones more often concerned about it than women. I know it's a generalization there are subtle things I've noticed about men/women as nurses from my perspective as a man. This is a different topic but in the states I've come across a lot of sexism against women. Some families and patients and MDs (residents especially-morons) are more apt to listen to suggestions made by men even if the female nurse is more experienced, knowledgeable, or capable (or just right about something!). This isn't fair I know.

No one enjoys it (poop cleanup), but there is a satifaction from having a clean, stable, orderly patient to hand off at the end of shift. Everyone knows what it's like to get a patient assignment handed off from "that nurse" and find discoveries as you roll and assess your patients. Oh, the joy!

When you give good care (pericare too), you know you've accomplished something. You only want the best for you paitients and would want the same for your families or yourselves if in the same situation.

I'm more averse to phlegm myself. You can poop on my shoe, bleed on me, vomit in my face, but having a vent circuit break and spray you with high pressured lung secretions will ruin my day....(I just tightened everything when I come on shift, so it won't pop apart)

granted these are US related experiences...

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