Short male nurses

Nursing Students Male Students

Published

Hey everyone, I'm pretty new to these boards, and I'm hoping to be accepted into nursing school starting this fall...anyway, on to my question(s).

I am 37 years old, 12 year veteran of the US Air Force (intelligence), and former BMW technician....and I'm 5'3, 155lbs, so this is my third profession.

Do any of you short guys get any grief for being a nurse? Do other nurses assume you can't lift a patient or are less of a man because of your height?

I always see the bigger dudes saying they are "the muscle" because they are big and strong and get asked all the time to help with patients. I may be short but I am stronger than I look. I am a kind-hearted person, and it really sucks when someone mistakes my kindness for weakness.

Idk, I'm usually very confident in myself, but this has been running through my mind lately.

Story time from you experienced shorties please!

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hey man

Tall or short it dosen't matter, you are not there to be some kind of heavy machinery and lift people.....

Just last week one of the other guys that works with me on the ortho floor came in to the ER with a herniated disk.... you need to take care of yourself. Being kind is much more important than trying to prove something by hurting your self. We want to be nurses not construction workers....( that was my first career)?

5
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Good response! That actually makes me feel a lot better about being me.

Sucks about your friend and I hope he recovers quickly.

Thanks hard hands! It's what I needed to hear.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Quite the opposite for me actually. I'm 29 and 5'4 and a solid 163lbs of flank steak. I have never once been any grief for being short in general and I get asked quite a lot to be the muscle out of the other guys on my unit. Mostly cuz everyone knows I'm a gym bro. I don't mind usually, but it gets annoying sometimes when I notice that MOST of the time I'm always the one getting the heaviest patients.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical - Surgical/ General Surgery/ICU.

Hello. I am 5'7", 160lbs & I considered myself moderately strong. But if I think that the patient is 2 person then I still needed to ask someone for help. I am just trying to avoid injuring myself. I have yet to work for 30 more years and back problems are common for seasoned nurses.

- Pay attention to proper body mechanics

- Boosting/lifting a patient requires 2 person

- Use machine instead if needed

Up Vote Up Vote ×

@barcode120x , sucks that you tend to get the heavy patients. I'm 5'3, 160....of the muscle that you cut off of the steak in order to remove the fat. Lol. I've got some muscle, but a definite dad-bod.

@hypnotizer90, is it ola thing you can tell over experience? If a person is a "two person patient", or is it something a prior nurse should tell you? I'm not trying to hurt my back either.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 5/9/2019 at 1:08 AM, BlueWolfStitch said:

Do any of you short guys get any grief for being a nurse? Do other nurses assume you can't lift a patient or are less of a man because of your height?

I always welcome a manly presence, whether short or tall. Try being a woman who always has to ask a man to help lift a patient, etc. They will appreciate your help, shorter or tall, trust me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family.

Most of the nurses I worked with would be glad to have you help! Most of them were 5 ft 110lb women!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

At 5'7, I do get asked to help with PT's but, when I say "ask" it means they watch while I do. I figured that out a week into work, so I put a stop to that. I never handle a PT alone now. If "asked" for assistance, I also grab another person to help, CNA, LVN whoever. Never had back problems before this job before. So now ppl know Im not there for manual labor.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

@fibroblast @Kahalaukane I will always be willing to help, it's just how I am.

@Mix1990 that's not a bad idea to get someone else to ensure you're not doing it alone. I'm sorry to hear about your back problems.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment