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Hello everyone!
I'll begin with a few caveats: first, I'm brand new here, and so this may or may not be the the right forum for my post. I see that there's a "men in nursing" sub-forum but a) I feel like people from all specialties and perspectives may want to weigh in on the question, and b) gender is more complicated than binary "male/female" categories. (I'm being personal and not political with that statement, I promise.)
So, I am a nursing student in a BSN program and I graduate on December 14. I went into my studies not sure what type of nursing I wanted to do. I never thought I'd enjoy my OB rotation but it ended being my favorite rotation. I loved it. My current clinical instructor for advanced med/surg is an OB nurse, and she arranged for me to shadow on the L&D unit and help out at a pregnancy fair. The nurse manager on the unit took notice of my work and asked me to apply for the nurse residency program once I graduate. "I want to hire you," she said.
Obviously, I was flattered and very excited. I didn't have any reservations about it until I posted an article about men in OB nursing on Facebook. While the overwhelming majority of responses were positive, there were those who professed a strong and passionate objection to men in the OB field. That childbirth is a uniquely female experience, and men can never relate to their patient as closely as a woman nurse can, was one reason given. The concern for women with a history of sexual abuse and trauma and how a male nurse could reintroduce feelings of trauma or open up emotional wounds was another. Finally, many women expressed that, in the current cultural/political landscape, women need more safe spaces where men are not present.
I think all of these concerns are legitimate. And so, I'm torn. I love the work of OB and the feedback I've received from clinical instructors and other nurses is that I would shine in this field. But bearing in mind the fundamental principle of healthcare/nursing praxis, "do no harm," I am concerned that a man in OB might be too controversial and divisive. Maybe it is the wrong time, culturally and politically, for it.
I'm throwing it out to this forum for feedback. I have heard from my friends, family, and colleagues, but I want to make the right choice. Please share your thoughts - pro, con, I want to hear all perspectives.
Thank you!
But unless you go to a large teaching hospital in a less conservative area, the chances of being a male nurse hired onto OB are slimmer.
I also disagree. I'll say from my experience that the teaching hospitals ignored me and the community facilities jumped on me when I wanted to switch. I also had a director at the flagship teaching hospital in a major metro tell me they wouldn't hire guys because the physicians wouldn't like it. Had a nice meeting with their CNO, CEO, and VP of HR after that one. Mileage will always vary, but you are correct that if he has a thumbs up from a hiring
Manager he should get the experience. Once you have that it's much harder to get weeded out during hiring because good, experienced L&D nurses are worth their weight in gold in some cities.
I've actually found that in a lot of cases working in a women's-health space can make men into stronger providers - I actually usually prefer a male OBGYN, for instance, because I've yet to meet one that didn't have an excellent bedside manner and a real talent for putting their patients at ease, while I've had several negative experiences with female women's health providers. It's also been my experience that diversity strengthens a workplace. I say go for it - I'd much rather have healthcare providers that are passionate about their specialties than ones that just happen to match my gender.
I say go for it! I chose a male provider for my double mastectomy as well as my reconstruction. They were very caring and sensitive to my needs and desires. I had interviewed several providers and just loved these two!!
I have no problems with male providers in specialties that serve women.
Why is it such a big deal for a male to be an OB nurse, but not an OB/GYN (MD)?
I gave birth to my first child in March 2017. The on-call OB/GYN was male--the BEST doctor I could have had during a natural birth. He was phenomenal.
All my nurses happened to be female. But I would not have noticed or cared about gender so long as my nurses were competent/knowledgeable (my nurses were amazing).
A good LD nurse should have experienced labor/delivery as much as a good cardiac nurse should have experienced MI or CHF.
Speaking as someone who had two babies, one of whom was delivered by a man. I couldn't possibly have cared who did it, so long as they knew what they were doing. My first baby, was a giant undiagnosed GD baby (9 1/2 pounder) and very stuck. 69 hour labour. The MW who finally delivered her was a man, and I must have had 20 odd shifts of nurses over the time, and hes the only one I remembered. Did a great job. Do a job you're passionate about!
I'm not reading any of the previous replies and am going with my first impressions. Those people complaining about you being a male and "harming" OB patients are probably snowflakes. In my OB rotation, which was also great, the women didn't give two cow farts if I was a man. They wanted to get their baby out and start loving it. The only people that brought up anything about my sex were family members. I helped in the delivery of 2 babies on my rotation. One of the mothers of the patient said she didn't think it was appropriate that I was assisting the OB physician because I was a man. The patient said she didn't care and had given permission for me to be there.
The people claiming women need more safe spaces, that you can't connect because you're a man, and that you'll bring up rape memories probably subscribe to the current narrative being pushed. They also probably feel like you shouldn't have been a nurse in the first place because of your male privilege and you're probably paid more than all your female counterparts. You have a sack man, use it and be the best damn OB nurse you can!
Remimaco
5 Posts
Like I said. This is not my personal opinion. And not a good excuse. But an excuse I have been given. One of the most highly regarded people in the field of BF is JACK Newman, lol. I have had several male students who were great in L&D and Postpartum. And really the best fit for someone wanting to do OB is to start postpartum. But unless you go to a large teaching hospital in a less conservative area, the chances of being a male nurse hired onto OB are slimmer. I would say though, the OP appears to have gotten a thumbs up from a manager in that area, so he must be in a good place for it. I'd say go for it!