Intimidated by being only male

, avoid anywhere that is excited about the fact that you're a male... because you will be the one doing the heavy lifting. Take the job that expects the females to be capable of everything you are.

No heavy lifting in the NICU, but I am the official spider killer of the unit.

It depends on where you are going to school. My ADN program was 15 out of 60 or so were guys. The numbers keep increasing every year

my nursing school is 100 people and like 13 are dudes. We're like 2 semesters into our program and I made good friends with a bunch of guys and we hang out alot outside school like going to bars/playing basketball so don't feel intimated dude. You'll find a good group of guys in your school even though it's majority female.

Not trying to an a-hole, but I'm going to be an a-hole. Grow a pair. Those ladies are probably going to be some of the best individuals you've ever met and become some of the best buddies you've ever had. Let me tell you, you don't know crazy until you go out after finals, to drink, with a bunch of women at a strip bar. The stories I could tell...

I just finished nursing school and passed the NCLEX. I start my new job next Monday, and I will be the only male on the floor that I am aware of. I think males bring something that compliment a mostly female prof. I can lift heavy stuff. I don't mind doing that kind of thing since I am taking for granted that some people may have a problem with a male nurse. Whether it be a homophobic thing, or wanting the 4'10 90lbs girl to give a suppository rather than the 200lbs man (which I can't blame them for) females will be able to help me out.

However, if you are talking about buddying around with co-workers outside work I don't really see that being a thing for me at least. The females I am friends with are more tomboyish and into the things I like. Us all being nurses is great, and we have something in common, but somethings just don't translate well. When I was checking out my new floor a guy came in and showed the other nurses the engagement ring he bought his fiance. Women surrounded him like coyotes on a carcass lol. Not really my thing, but that is why there is a difference between men and women.

oops, double posted.

I am one of 2 guys working nights on my floor, and honestly, most complications come from patients and not from the fellow staff. I have always felt supported by my co-workers, but you always have those patients that assume you are a doctor because you are a man, or they assume that you want to go to medical school because you are a man. I just simply correct them, saying that I am a nurse, and shrug it off

On 3/3/2018 at 10:59 PM, nurse2bnoob101 said:

I am coming with a degree already and thinking about doing nursing. I got into a program and I am not going to lie I am pretty intimidated by all the females in my class. Just walking into lecture and just seeing 98 percent females is intimidating. Just makes me feel lonely and that I am doing something wrong with my life per se. I can't relate. Anyone feel this way?

Do not feel intimidated being the only male nurse. I was one of two males in my accelerated nursing program (nursing is my second career like others in this thread). As men, we are entering a field that has been predominantly female for a VERY long time. I've worked med surg and now ER. When I first started, there was one guy on each of the three shifts, I worked the evening shift (1500-2300). When I switched to ER, I was one of a few men again. There was one on days while I did nights. We have a male critical care float that comes to work ocassionaly. I switched to 1100-2300 for my ED.

Do I feel out of place? No. I've been told many times by patients through the five years I've worked they were excited that men were entering the nursing field. Some of my female patients felt more comfortable with me as their nurse. Do I feel I need to be careful around female patients? All the time. I always keep a door open or I have a chaperone.

To get back to your original post, I don't believe that you're doing something wrong. Nursing has been very good to me. Yes, it sucks that there isn't another testosterone-filled person to chill and talk with all the time. I have a secretary, registrar, and tech I can talk guy stuff with every now and then. I'll be honest it's lonesome at times, but you will be able to make relationships with your coworkers.

Just get through school. You started your journey to becoming a nurse. We need more male nurses in the profession. You won't be alone because there are other men in the profession already. Study hard!

The only time I felt out of place in my program is OB. My CI was an idiot and kept assigning me to woman who for religious reasons didn't want a man examining them. Even though I totally respect the client's choice the way my CI handled it was just poor. Beyond that I've been lucky to have amazing women in my cohort who are going to be fantastic nurses.

Interesting reading about the other side, as a female. Two of my few nursing school friends are male, but I never really thought about what may go through a male students head in a class that is almost all female.

In my class, there are 6 dudes out of like 60 something total people. The class behind us (Class of 2020) actually has quite a few men. Easily like 15ish out of a similar number of students. I personally like the fact that nursing is starting to change and it's no longer viewed as a "female" job. It's nice too because some patients prefer a male being their nurse for modesty reasons, male perspective, etc.

I've been on the other side too. I'm about to graduate nursing school, but my long-time occupation has been driving a box truck and I'm the lone female in the sausage fest. But I don't mind it, we all get along great, and we try to have fun.