Sexism in nursing

[RNGuy12]

I find that as a man in nursing, I encounter a lot of sexism from my female coworkers. When I am doing my shift in labor and delivery I'm always called out of my patient's room if one of the nurses wants help with lifting heavy patients or things and instead of helping me lift, they stand and watch as I do the lifting.

They make remarks about me being a "male nurse" which I find to be a sexist term. I don't call them female nurses.

The unit secretary also makes very sexually suggestive remarks to me constantly. I mean, if I said to her the things she says to me, I would be fired in a heartbeat.

I've tried to explain that some of their behavior and phrases are sexist and as such offensive, but my concerns are dismissed. The reason I was told is that, I am a man and men have been sexist against women for years. So I should be able to handle women being themselves.

Anyone else run into issues like this?

[ixchel]

Studies show that none of our backs are safe. Discs are not the same as muscles. I always HELP when asked. But I don't let them stand there. I would like to keep my back as healthy as I can. I've had surgery once already. As for the sexism...... It exists in this world. The nursing world. It's just reversed. The majority power lies with the women in this field. Like the majority outside ruled by men, inequity causes the cruel to rise and practice their brand of "fairness". It has been addressed in the outside world but it has NOT been fixed. Probably never will. We are not a well balanced species.

My advice? What I am learning to do daily? Increase in empathy. Empty yourself of a sense of self importance. Exchange selfishness for selflessness to bring contentment. A sense of purpose. Peace.

I like your thoughts here, although I'm unsure how much I agree that the power is with women. At my hospital, the leadership is nurses. I love that about this hospital and believe very much it is why it is a place I love to be part of. But....the CEO, a nurse, is male. Many higher positions are filled by men. Perhaps we are an outlier, though.

I do think this CEO is absolutely perfect for his role. First time I met him, I was a student. He was roaming the halls of each unit, just asking how everyone was doing that day. He spotted my student scrubs, and chatted me up - I guess because he figured I had nothing to lose sharing honest opinions about his hospital. I had no clue who this man was! But, in hind sight, I totally nailed that conversation because I put my name on the radar for a new grad residency. 😉

My point - I'm not sure it was gender that got him the position, and when I see that it's probably 50/50 in terms of management positions held by men and women, I think (hope!) that gender isn't as much of an influence anymore in terms of upward mobility at my own hospital. I would hope that because women have fought to break the glass ceiling, in a female dominated work force, we don't create one for men. Not seeing a large number of men in leadership positions may simply be indicative of available, willing male employees to fill those positions.