The Best and Worst things about being a male nurse

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Alright, let's try to drum up some conversation in here, huh? How about it guys? What do you hate and love about your job?

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Alright, let's try to drum up some conversation in here, huh? How about it guys? What do you hate and love about your job?
As far as my experience is concerned, being a male nurse is so challenging. First of all, many clients mistake us for doctors hence expecting more knowledge from us than from our female colleagues. Secondly, nursing was traditionally assigned to females and therefore would tell us there is no nurse when actually we are there. Lastly, most clients believe that males were not gifted in caring.
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That sounds promising :(

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Everyone expects the male nurses to assist with all lifting jobs. Despite years of training and alleged non-judgemental, gender neutral double-speak, most of our colleagues think of us in stereotypical fashion.

:uhoh21:

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To make you guys feel a little better, I'm going to tell you a little story about my sister...

She just had her 3rd child and there were student nurses on the floor that day, one happened to be male. The instructor asked if my sister would mind having a male student as she happened to have the most deliveries of the patients currently on the unit. Without hesitation, she informed the instructor it wouldn't be a problem. While the instructor had to be with the student during the assessment because he was male, she was not with him for the rest of the time. My sister informed me she had the best treatment by the male student than she did by any other nurse on the unit. And, my sister is a person who absolutely HATES hospitals and can be a difficult patient.

So, you see guys, there are people out there who like you.

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Lastly, most clients believe that males were not gifted in caring.

I just don't get it! I'm not disagreeing with the sentiment here, because I'm sure it's true, but what are the implications? I'm sure that many of the people who believe men can't be nurses because they're "not gifted in caring," but I'd bet that very few of those people wouldn't say that men shouldn't be doctors. Shouldn't doctors be caring? Are women, who are "gifted in caring," more suited then to be nurses because they can't handle the hardcore clinical knowledge that comes with being a doctor? So many false dichotomies.

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Everyone expects the male nurses to assist with all lifting jobs. Despite years of training and alleged non-judgemental, gender neutral double-speak, most of our colleagues think of us in stereotypical fashion.

:uhoh21:

I wouldn't say most anymore, although my first couple of jobs I would have said the same thing because it was so frequent. I also felt that many of my fellow male colleagues back then were to blame for it as well with their "running to the rescue of the fragile little ladies" routine when it came to lifting or dealing with combative patients.

Your co-workers are just lazy, not stereotypical, in my opinion.

And the problem is compounded by some men getting testosterone pumped and flattered when asked to do heavy work for female staff, it makes them feel like a man so the women take advantage of it.

If there were no men on the floor, and it still happens as we are still by far the minority in the profession, they would still have to get those same tasks done regardless.

I'm happy to say that my female co-workers now do not come running to me or any of the other men on the floor just because we are men (our staff is close to 50/50) we just grab whoever is closest when we need help.

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Everyone expects the male nurses to assist with all lifting jobs. Despite years of training and alleged non-judgemental, gender neutral double-speak, most of our colleagues think of us in stereotypical fashion.

:uhoh21:

i get that too from the other perspective.

i am a (21 yr old) lady :) and a LIFT TEAM member at my hospital.

i am dispatched out to units to assist with the more complicated lifts within the hospital including moving patients that way 600ish pounds, to helping orthopaedic pts into their giant SUVs, to picking up patients from the floor after coding, to assisting quads to the shower chairs.

i get the whole, "you? you little thing? youre the lift team? where are those bug muscular men?" i just jokingly say "are you kidding? look at these pythons! i eat my wheaties." and show them how well my technique is in lifting the patient. and actually, some of the nurses themselves perpetuate this stereotype too if they havent seen me work yet.

in fact, with those who use our services often say they appreciate the women lift team members because we are gentle and cautious with our lifting.

thats right, im pretty amazing. haha! i feel that both men and women are needed in the nursing profession and both men and women have the ability to be excellent nursing care providers.

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I haven't seen one thread where male nurses are not complaining. Guys, it's like you've lost your identities.

Anyways, here is my share: I worked in a nursing home full time as a CNA while I was taking 18 credit hour/semester. I mean, there were only three guys on the whole building that worked there. I was sociable, smiling (I used to have this resident who used to say your teeth are so white, my god, would you look at that! lol). It was a lot of fun, but what happened on night shift at one night was way beyond border. There was this nurse, we were in the lounge room, and she even has a fiance, she started messaging for me because she thought I was tense. As she was massaging me, on of her arm went down my chest and she was like wops!s, slipped there. I felt so uncomfortable because I have a gf and I am loyal to her. Therefore, when she really stopped the massage and started feeling on me, I wast so nervous that I was like I need a fresh air. And I heard from other coworkers that she has a crush on me. Man there were so many girls who had crush on me on that facility that all my guy coworkers were just filled with envy. I am considered to be a handsome guy, but what I don't understand is why me? I mean there were other guys in the facility. I don't understand women, neither do I try to understand them, maybe that's why they like guys who just don't care. Perhaps, if you stay out of their business and not notice them and grin for them, they will definitely like you, at least with me it works just fine. **EVEN THOUGH ALL THIS HAPPENED I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT WOMEN COLLEGUES.

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I haven't seen one thread where male nurses are not complaining. Guys, it's like you've lost your identities.

Uh ... and woman don't complain? C'mon. Female whining is the norm on this board.

I don't see why guys can't do the same.

:rolleyes:

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I agree, but do we have to be like them, I mean were different in almost every way. Your saying we should be superimposable and I am saying we shouldn't be superimposable. You look at as were different, so it's best if males quit complaining, and just be a man about it.

Maxs

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I haven't seen one thread where male nurses are not complaining. Guys, it's like you've lost your identities.

Anyways, here is my share: I worked in a nursing home full time as a CNA while I was taking 18 credit hour/semester. I mean, there were only three guys on the whole building that worked there. I was sociable, smiling (I used to have this resident who used to say your teeth are so white, my god, would you look at that! lol). It was a lot of fun, but what happened on night shift at one night was way beyond border. There was this nurse, we were in the lounge room, and she even has a fiance, she started messaging for me because she thought I was tense. As she was massaging me, on of her arm went down my chest and she was like wops!s, slipped there. I felt so uncomfortable because I have a gf and I am loyal to her. Therefore, when she really stopped the massage and started feeling on me, I wast so nervous that I was like I need a fresh air. And I heard from other coworkers that she has a crush on me. Man there were so many girls who had crush on me on that facility that all my guy coworkers were just filled with envy. I am considered to be a handsome guy, but what I don't understand is why me? I mean there were other guys in the facility. I don't understand women, neither do I try to understand them, maybe that's why they like guys who just don't care. Perhaps, if you stay out of their business and not notice them and grin for them, they will definitely like you, at least with me it works just fine. **EVEN THOUGH ALL THIS HAPPENED I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT WOMEN COLLEGUES.

I'm confused :confused: are you complaining in this post or

stroking your ego :p Just kidding!!

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