Question for nurses that are male...

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So I'm an avid reader of corny advice columns, just can't seem to get enough lol. Stumbled across a column this week. A nurse wrote in regarding some problems his wife had with his career choice as an RN. The part of this that stood out was he identified himself as a Nurse who is male and not a "male nurse" because he found that term to be offensive. I had never thought much about the term male nurse and didn't realize it could be construed as offensive to some men. Now I am curious as to how you nurses that are men like to be identified and/or how you identify yourself. I realize we don't say she is woman nurse so I got to thinking why it is many of say he is a male nurse, instead of just being a nurse. What do you think?

Call me whatever you want but we should be getting paid more for doing more lifting and taking on more difficult or high risk pts. I'm sorry but it's not my problem that a nurse is small or pregnant etc. those are not good enough reasons for not wanting to take an obese pt or one with HIV, hepatitis, or TB.

And if there is no guy on shift, do I get paid more for handling the same said patients? Did my mother back in her day, when there were no men in nursing.

Please.

Your misogyny is showing.

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It has nothing to do with misogyny but the fact that I'm consistently fighting to keep my patient assignments with the excuses consisting of, "she can't have that patient, she's pregnant" or "she can't have that patient he's too big." Equal rights do not flow in one direction.

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Specializes in NICU.

There was a similar thread a while ago that had the following nurse/patient interaction:

Nurse: Hi, my name is Fred. I will be your nurse today.

Patient: You're a male nurse?

Nurse: No, I am trained to care for female patients also.

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It has nothing to do with misogyny but the fact that I'm consistently fighting to keep my patient assignments with the excuses consisting of, "she can't have that patient, she's pregnant"nor "she can't have that patient he's too big." Equal rights does not flow in one direction.

It mostly does. And has. For years.

*hands you a history book*

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And if there is no guy on shift, do I get paid more for handling the same said patients? Did my mother back in her day, when there were no men in nursing.

Please.

Your misogyny is showing.

If our goal is equal rights and treatment then the first step is to recognize that discrimination happens on all sides. To dismiss a rather recognized issue of discrimination like you have does women a disservice.

Men should not be treated different from women and women should not be treated different from men, the end.

It should not be an "us v. them" issue but rather a "right v. wrong" issue/

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If our goal is equal rights and treatment then the first step is to recognize that discrimination happens on all sides. To dismiss a rather recognized issue of discrimination like you have does women a disservice.

Men should not be treated different from women and women should not be treated different from men, the end.

It should not be an "us v. them" issue but rather a "right v. wrong" issue/

How does it?

I am a skilled IV starter, and I have to take that guy's IV start so he can lift my patient, I will. Without extra pay.

It's called working together.

PP comes off as whining.

I call shenanigans.

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You keep referring back to this idea that you are the victim. FYI, I start IVs too. A lot of them. I lift, transfer, and ambulated pts, have my assignments switched constantly, and often leave much later than everyone else. I precept new cardiothoracic ICU nurses, I've received employee of the month, DAISY awards, hospitality awards, chaired collaborative care and quality councils, and as far as teamwork, yep won an award for that too. I champion multiple initiatives on my unit. Oh yeah and I'm in school for what will be my third degree. You want to call me a misogynyst because it plays to your argument. In actuality, nurses who are men are taken advantage of. And maybe it's upsetting you that men are receiving recognition. *hands back history book*

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How does it?

I am a skilled IV starter, and I have to take that guy's IV start so he can lift my patient, I will. Without extra pay.

It's called working together.

PP comes off as whining.

I call shenanigans.

Do you insert IVs because of your sex?

Men are sometimes asked to perform certain, many times unpleasant, tasks entirely based off of their sex and that is the issue.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
They aren't barred now.

Who? Women or minorities?

While legally no one is barred, it would be inaccurate to say that equal opportunity really exists and that some groups (white men) don't have more advantages than others (people of color and white women).

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You keep referring back to this idea that you are the victim. FYI, I start IVs too. A lot of them. I lift, transfer, and ambulated pts, have my assignments switched constantly, and often leave much later than everyone else. I precept new cardiothoracic ICU nurses, I've received employee of the month, DAISY awards, hospitality awards, chaired collaborative care and quality councils, and as far as teamwork, yep won an award for that too. I champion multiple initiatives on my unit. Oh yeah and I'm in school for what will be my third degree. You want to call me a misogynyst because it plays to your argument. In actuality, nurses who are men are taken advantage of. And maybe it's upsetting you that men are receiving recognition. *hands back history book*

I want to call you a misogynist because you sound like one.

I don't feel the need to list my requirements and degrees (working on my 3rd as well, what a coincidence!) but I'm happy you are accomplished. It's too bad you can't help lift someone without hurting your fragile ego.

My heart bleeds for you.

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Do you insert IVs because of your sex?

Men are sometimes asked to perform certain, many times unpleasant, tasks entirely based off of their sex and that is the issue.

Like pap smears?

You're right about the IV argument, though. Touche.

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Who? Women or minorities?

While legally no one is barred, it would be inaccurate to say that equal opportunity really exists and that some groups (white men) don't have more advantages than others (people of color and white women).

I misread you.

Men aren't barred. Especially white men. I'm agreeing with you.

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