Men in Nursing

Kingbandit · Sep 21, 2004

I'm a male who is considering going back to school to become an RN. I'd like to know from other men in nursing:
what made you choose nursing as a career?
have you encountered any problems related to being a distinct minority?
bryan

I just finished nursing school and am entering into the critical care field. I didn't choose nursing it chose me. I have been a surgical Tech for 10 years and wanted something new; and an offer you can't refuse popped up, and here I am today an RN. I love my patients. It is the only job where you can garauntee you will touch some ones life every day you work. Men have many stereotypes to bypass like:

We're all gay

We're in it to meet women

We couldn't make it in medical school

I hate all of these images. Don't be ashamed of your profession. Just because I care does not make me queer!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ross1 · Sep 21, 2004

I just finished nursing school and am entering into the critical care field. I didn't choose nursing it chose me. I have been a surgical Tech for 10 years and wanted something new; and an offer you can't refuse popped up, and here I am today an RN. I love my patients. It is the only job where you can garauntee you will touch some ones life every day you work. Men have many stereotypes to bypass like:
We're all gay
We're in it to meet women
We couldn't make it in medical school
I hate all of these images. Don't be ashamed of your profession. Just because I care does not make me queer!!!!!!!!!!!!

As if there is something to be ashamed of?

There are those of us men in nursing who are gay and damn proud of it!

I'm actually a nursing student who is pursuing a second career (first one was in social work, another female dominated profession). I'm choosing nursing now not only because I want to remain in a profession that will enable me to help others, but also to have the job security, flexibility, and earning potential that nursing affords (relative to the more limited options that social work provides). And in many ways, being gay has made me a better social worker and makes it easier for me to become a nurse. You see, I am already past worrying about what people think of me. I've already bucked one of society's rules regarding gender/sexuality and could care less if people think I am in nursing because I am gay, or to meet women, or because I couldn't cut it in medical school or any other reason. I simply don't care and don't have to waste energy on such trivial matters. Instead, I can focus on being a great nurse.

Learning how to be an out proud gay man has certainly enabled me to develop some great skills in coping in a hostile environment. If anything, I have no fears about assuming nurturing roles that are typically associated with women. I don't have the anxieties that some (but not all) of you straight men appear to have.

Rep · Sep 22, 2004

I think that your heart must also still be in nursing since you are reading ALLNurses.Com . I'm sure you know that many of your countrymen are coming to the U.S. to work as agency nurses due to the "shortage" of nurses here.

Yes, you are right! I am going back once my petition is approved. At present, I am working as a pharmaceutical sales representative.

flaerman · Sep 22, 2004

Bryan,

I went into nursing for several reasons. First one may sound cheesy but i wanted to be a pediatric nurse when I first decided to go to school. In Philadelphia I grew up hanging on street corners with gang fights, drinking, drugs and problems with the law, was always brow- beaten by my mother about being judged by the company you keep. Something I never waned to believe but she was right, my parents instilled a great sense of right and wrong in me so when it got bad where my friends were doing more serious things I got out. I felt if I could help to influence some kid I might care for it might help to get another one of us off the streets. Sounds good but never became a peds nurse anyway. Secondly I always wanted the freedom to move out of Phila and had tried that prior to going to school which failed miserably since I didn't have an actual profession, I had trouble finding a good job. Hence nursing was going to be a key for me getting out in the world. Third, econmics-yeah the money was as good when I got out as it is now but it was hell of a lot more than I was making and I watched my father growing up who had a 6th grade education beating his brains out to make 12,000/yr(and that was his year ever) to feed, clothe, and raise 5 kids. And lastly despite my childhood experiences I truly liked people and felt that if we didn't take care of one another we would then go the route of the dinosaur.

Have been an RN now for 18 yrs, have worked in all hospital settings in various specialties from Oncology to my current which is ER(and I love it!!!!!), and have lived and worked in 3 different states. Have never really experienced any problems in my career due to being male, am not good at female catheters and don't want to be, don't do pelvic exams either, but that's OK too. Don't make any extra money for having testicles and shouldn't either. Would I encourage to go into nursing. You bet I would!!!! Need all the new blood we can get into the profession. Men tend to gravitate towards anesthesia which pays well but was never what i wanted. Also critical care attracts a lot of men, but I love the adrenalin rush sometimes. I go home after every shift knowing that I have the best I can for my patients, families and fellow staff too. I know that I have made a difference to people in my career and it feels good....... I tend to incorporate humor into my practice as much as I can and my rank sarcastic/sometimes holding idiots in contempt have helped me to survive in nursing as long as I have and will continue till either I retire or hit the lotto and get really rich(yeah, like that's going to happen, but you never know, lol.....) and leave the paid ranks of nursing. Sorry if I got off on a rant but....................flaerman

bobnurse · Sep 22, 2004

I started out as a paramedic in the military, and after realizing i do all the work and the nurses just sit around "IN the military, it is this way", i decided to go to nursing school. Everywhere ive worked, male nurses are welcomed with open arms. Why you ask, well for a while i put on my badge, CLN as a job title.....Certified lifting Nurse.

I think male nurses do well in critical care, as you see them mostly in the ER, ICU, and so forth..........But they are everywhere and are becoming more prevelant. I think the movie meet the parents glorified the male nurse...............Just kidding..........

Medic

wam79 · Sep 22, 2004

I have been a nurse for 20+ years. Never regreted it. When I first started work there were three male nurses in the hospital. I had no problems. If anything the nurses I worked with spoiled me because they liked having a male on the ward. I never dated any of the women I worked with. ( I did get to meet a lot of their friends LOL) I still like the job. As far as stereotypes ..who cares. It's a very rewarding field.

shodobe · Sep 23, 2004

I have been an RN for 28 years and haven't regreted it for one moment. The past 27 have been in the OR where I will stay until I can't take another call weekend! I went into nursing for the security which I now can say has paid off ten fold. I can't say there are too many jobs out there I would rather do, except maybe being Bill Gates, and be happy in. All men in nursing face challenges everyday and they have to sit back and think of why they went into nursing and realize it was all worthwhile. Good luck, Mike

redheadRN · Sep 23, 2004

I'm always glad to work with male nurses. Diversity makes life interesting ! Sometimes it's boring working with all women. I work in LTC, so I may have a slightly different perspective than some. One of my best friends is a male LPN. He really has very few problems working, except the previously mentioned heavy lifting. He is also always called if someone needs to be , um, escorted out of the building (a whole other story:uhoh3: ). The one thing that bothers him is that some of the elderly women will refuse care from a man. Our facility is closely linked with the Catholic church, and there are several nuns who live there. He tries to make them feel comfortable, but otherwise just trades with a female nurse for a different resident. Good luck !

actioncat · Nov 19, 2004

Why should someone be ashamed of being gay? Or, as you write, "queer"? I guess I would be more embarassed about not being able to write a post that is not littered with spelling and grammatical errors.

edited to add: I probably should be corrected. Nobody said that they were ashamed of being gay. There was an implication in one post, however, that it would be a bad thing to be mistaken as being gay individual. To that point I am responding.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Nov 21, 2004

Why should someone be ashamed of being gay? Or, as you write, "queer"? I guess I would be more embarassed about not being able to write a post that is littered with spelling and grammatical errors.
edited to add: I probably should be corrected. Nobody said that they were ashamed of being gay. There was an implication in one post, however, that it would be a bad thing to be mistaken as being gay individual. To that point I am responding.

I am certainly proud to be an out of the closet stark raving insane HOMOPHOBIC individual :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Nov 21, 2004

It is funny to read this thread. It actually takes me back to when I first graduated from nursing school. I was 19 years old and a nurse. That was back in 1984, just as the AIDS crisis was starting to take shape. During those years, it was generally uncommon for men to be nurses. I remember hearing terms like sissy, gay, etc .... It really bothered me. I was a straight young guy and I was a nurse. Seemed like society did not view "male" nurses as straight and quite literally looked upon them as less than a "real" man. The other female nurses loved working me and I really loved working with them. The doctors were cool with me and worked well with me. But in life, being a nurse was tough. I remember my father flipping out when I told him I was going to be a nurse. He asked the say question that many other people asked .... "what are ya - gay or something? The fact was, my youngest brother, who was gay (not out) was taking computer science classes and my father thought he was macho man ... ha - little did he know at the time!

I never really tied my sexual preference into my career and for many years wondered why what you did for a living defined your life to so many people. As the years past, the profession began to make some great changes. There were more men coming into the field and perceptions about men in nursing started to change. Today, nursing is a dynamic profession that has appeal to both men and women of all walks of life. For me that is wonderful. I have had the fortune to work with some WONDERFUL men that were gay as well as some WONDERFUL men that were straight. All have helped me grow in my clinical ability and my general knowledge of nursing and life.

I am proud to be a nurse and have always been. My life is not defined by what I do for a living, my life is defined by how I live it and my value system. It is my hope that as our profession grows, that the diversity which nursing offers today is embraced more and that people are allowed to be people, regardless of whether they are straight or gay. From my persepctive, I think nursing should be a profession that embraces all people from all walks of life. Afterall, nurses are a compassionate and loving group.

One more thing ... here is a little story to tell you that perceptions are changing .... my son's teacher asked me to come to the class and have a talk about health care - specifically, she wanted me to present nursing as a viable career choice for both boys and girls. My son was in the 5th grade when this happened. I told her that I would be thrilled to do this, but wanted to check with my son first to make sure he was comfortable with it. Well, I came home from work that night and asked him what he thought. He said "No Way!" "I don't want my dad coming to school and talking about nursing to my class..... " he said he would be laughed right out of the class.

He came to me just a couple of weeks ago and told me that he has an interest in nursing and he might be looking into this track for high school. He is in 8th grade right now. I asked him why the change of heart about being a man and being in nursing. He said that nursing was attractive because of all the opportunities. I think he is a smart kid and am very happy he is looking at nursing. An interesting change of heart.

danfif · Nov 21, 2004

In this day and age being a Man and being a Nurse only mean one thing in my book, and that is that you care about others and the quality of their lives, the same as any Female nurse out there.

I am a 47 year young almost LPN grad, the father of 5 great kids, and the husband of one of the greatest OR nurses that god ever put on this earth. The only mistake I have made is not doing this years ago, when I was a little younger, and had a few more years to give to the care of others.

I have been around the business block many times over the past 20 some years. I have owned my own business, been the boss to many, but the best of the best is when I went to work as a CNA at one of the local hospitals.

Over worked and under paid, you bet! The only guy on the floor which equals being called to all ends of the hospital to move 400 pound Ms. Jones who at 89 just had bilatteral knees, or to the ER to sit on an unrulely drunk or druggie who wanted to do nothing but spit in your face and call you every name in the book!

I would pack any load, would clean the worst of the worst GI bleed stools, would suction any amount of the worst gook you could every think of just for that one opportunity to sit with that one scared patient who just got the word from the Doc that they have Cancer. To be given the chance to listen. To listen to another persons fears, and to in some way make a difference in that persons life.

The 2 greatest words that can every be spoken to a nurse are "Thank You" coming from a patient or from their family. Thats when you know that you are a good nurse, thats when you know that you have made a difference.

Being a Man in nursing does I guess have it's bad side if that is the way you choose to look at it. I on the other hand look at it as just another opportunity to make a difference for another human being.

And that is my 2 cents worth and maybe just a bit more!

Take Care All,

Dan, the Almost LPN Man

41 days and counting down!