I try not to be too sensitive about stuff like this, but it is discouraging that even today people sometimes feel they have to preface the word "nurse" with the word "male," when their nurse happens to be a man. It is discouraging to see a supposedly progressive news organization like Yahoo! continuing to "otherize" us males by using such verbiage:
London (AFP) - A Filipino male nurse was jailed for life with a minimum of 35 years on Tuesday for poisoning 21 patients with insulin at a British hospital, two of whom died. Nurse jailed for life for poisoning patients - Yahoo News
It reminds me of when I was telling my friends and family I was going to nursing school. I remember how my pastor told me, "Do you really want to spend your life being a male nurse?" To which I replied, "No, I want to spend my life being a nurse."
Seriously? What if people called someone a "female doctor" or a "female lawyer?" This is silly.
I remember way back in clinicals at the VA a male veteran asked me if I was gay. I said no, I was married to a woman, etc. He asked to see a picture of her. I obliged. He said okay, you can touch me. Afterwards I felt embarrassed for myself. I should not have to defend my profession or throw my gay colleagues under the bus like that.
I know, flame me or say these are "microaggressions." Maybe you are right. But it is not fair either to our male or female colleagues.
The traditional nurse's uniform with the cap reflected the gender or the profession.
You know what? I think you're right.
And on that note, with all of my heart I thank you men for scrubs. I swear to god if I had to wear nylons and a cap, I never would have become a nurse. That probably sounds absolutely insane. Maybe it's a sensory aversion or something, but the most my head can handle is a hair tie, and the tightest my legs can do is pants.
And white? HA! Yeah, no. I'd be filthy just driving to work.
Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
I try not to be too sensitive about stuff like this, but it is discouraging that even today people sometimes feel they have to preface the word "nurse" with the word "male," when their nurse happens to be a man. It is discouraging to see a supposedly progressive news organization like Yahoo! continuing to "otherize" us males by using such verbiage:
It reminds me of when I was telling my friends and family I was going to nursing school. I remember how my pastor told me, "Do you really want to spend your life being a male nurse?" To which I replied, "No, I want to spend my life being a nurse."
Seriously? What if people called someone a "female doctor" or a "female lawyer?" This is silly.
I remember way back in clinicals at the VA a male veteran asked me if I was gay. I said no, I was married to a woman, etc. He asked to see a picture of her. I obliged. He said okay, you can touch me. Afterwards I felt embarrassed for myself. I should not have to defend my profession or throw my gay colleagues under the bus like that.
I know, flame me or say these are "microaggressions." Maybe you are right. But it is not fair either to our male or female colleagues.
I was actually was more annoyed that the Agence France-Presse used racial/ethnic portrayal in the news item. But yes, my point is probably a discussion worth its own thread.
I completely agree with you. I do not think just because you are male you should be labeled as a male nurse. I think just because they aren't as popular as female nurses doesn't mean we need to point out they are male. A nurse is a nurse and everyone should be treated equal. Each semester in school I have more and more males in my classes which is awesome because I like seeing both genders in the career of nursing, its not just a females job!
Brand new male nurse aide here fresh off my STNA exam and I can easily say that I don't have an ounce of shame over my "chick job."
What are we, 12?
"Ha, ha! You like looking after people? What a loser."
As to the labeling, I really don't care. Call me a nurse, man nurse, male nurse, that guy that brings me stuff when I hit the button, buckaroo, whatever. It changes nothing.
ixchel
4,547 Posts
You know what? I think you're right.
And on that note, with all of my heart I thank you men for scrubs. I swear to god if I had to wear nylons and a cap, I never would have become a nurse. That probably sounds absolutely insane. Maybe it's a sensory aversion or something, but the most my head can handle is a hair tie, and the tightest my legs can do is pants.
And white? HA! Yeah, no. I'd be filthy just driving to work.