Top 10 Myths of the "MURSE"

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Okay, somebody had to say it (and I am not sure if anyone has, only a member for a short time), so it might as well be me! As my name on this site would imply, I am a MURSE (that is to say a Male + Nurse = MURSE). And I just wanted to put to rest some common myths about such strange creatures as myself.

1. NO I AM NOT A DOCTOR!: First of all I work for a living. Secondly, I didn't flunk med school, or settle to be "just a nurse" It was a conscious decision.

2. No, I am not homosexual: Some male nurses are gay, I don't happen to be one of them. Just as not all female mechanics are lesbians, I am sure some are, but not all. (P.S. Personally I don't have a problem with anyone's lifestyle, especially nurses or mechanics these are just examples.)

3. No ladies, we don't have a problem with you asking for a female nurse to take care of you, the problem we have is when we see that all of your doctors are men, yet you have no problem with them caring for you. I still don't get that double standard....Someone please explain!

4. To our female co-workers: yes we can help you reach that, lift that patient, or take the handsy old guy patient, we know our role, just remember to say thanks every once in a while (boost our male egos, that's all we want)

5. Yes we have heard it all ladies...the embarrassing girl talk, the what's in this season talk, all of the talk, but please don't pull us into your relationship talk to get a "man's opinion." Chances are we are men, and will agree with the man's side of the story on the inside but will say what will keep us out of trouble at work...WE ARE MEN!!!

6. To management: you don't have to prove anything to us, we don't all want your job, we are not a threat to your power because of our gender. So relax, and don't go making an example out of us all the time.

7. Yes I am your nurse, yes I am a man. Now that we have that cleared up....

8. Question: Why do people have to state my gender before my profession? Really. Oh, did you meet Mike? He is a MALE nurse. As opposed to a male teacher or a male bartender. Odd? or is it just me, by the way, the correct title is MURSE!

9. Yes, I love my job, no I didn't get into it for the money, or for the fact that I get to work with a lot of women, if I wanted a job that made a lot of money, and gave me the chance to be around a lot of women, I would have become a night club owner, and never have had to wipe any butt besides my own! I got into the field for most of the same reasons as any other nurse in the world.

10. And the last myth of the MURSE.... Even though we may take some bs from some people in the world we really do love this challenging and rewarding life, and wouldn't change it for the world.

Well I hope this entertained some, informed some, and was understood by all MURSEs out there in cyber land. Thanks.

Mike the MURSE

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Since when is the "correct title" murse?? You just made the point that you don't want people to identify you by your gender as well as your profession -- what do you think "murse" does? What's wrong with "nurse"?? I've been working with nurses "of the masculine persuasion" :) for the entire >25 years I've been in nursing (I had male instructors in nursing school) -- my father was an RN in the 1930s and '40s -- and none of them have made any sort of fuss about being male (nor have I been aware of them suffering much harassment or the concerns you list). They came to work, did their jobs, and were pleasant and cooperative with all their coworkers. (Of course, I've also never encountered the term "murse" until I started visiting this site ...)

I'm not sure whether, as you note, anyone else has posted about this same list of concerns, but I do know there is an older thread here titled (something like) "Who hates the term Murse??" :)

Welcome to allnurses!

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Perhaps you misunderstand the intent of this thread...I did post it in the humor section, mostly just a bit of humorous observations about being in the unique 8% of this field. My father is a nurse as well, I use the term "MURSE" as a way of making fun of myself and the types of stereotypes associated with men who happen to be in this profession. I don't feel persecuted or mistreated....again this is the humor section, right? Also, if you check out the men in nursing section of this site, you will notice a lot of the same things that I have listed here, only I thought it was going to be interesting to all, so I didn't want this one to be just for the guys. I hope this clears up any misunderstanding about my above post. And thanks for the welcome, I really enjoy this site.

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Specializes in Cardiac.
Since when is the "correct title" murse?? You just made the point that you don't want people to identify you by your gender as well as your profession -- what do you think "murse" does? What's wrong with "nurse"?? I've been working with nurses "of the masculine persuasion" :) for the entire >25 years I've been in nursing (I had male instructors in nursing school) -- my father was an RN in the 1930s and '40s -- and none of them have made any sort of fuss about being male (nor have I been aware of them suffering much harassment or the concerns you list). They came to work, did their jobs, and were pleasant and cooperative with all their coworkers. (Of course, I've also never encountered the term "murse" until I started visiting this site ...)

I'm not sure whether, as you note, anyone else has posted about this same list of concerns, but I do know there is an older thread here titled (something like) "Who hates the term Murse??" :)

Welcome to allnurses!

Dude, it's called irony. Haha :)

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good work - I enjoyed it. I've been at this 29 years now and seen a lot of change. My personal little "myth" was that belief by some of my female co-workers that I was given special treatment as a male. Like you, being a nurse was my first choice, not a fallback from something else.

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Specializes in Trauma/Tele/Surgery/SICU.

What a cute list, it really made me laugh. As a "Furse" who is lucky enough to work on a unit with several "Murses", I have seen a couple of these stereotypes first hand. I have had a couple of patients (usually older) ask me "can you get that nice doctor to come in here please." hahaha. I always want to ask these patients have you had a doctor assist you onto a bedpan before? Did you not notice the navy blue (RN) or the maroon (PCT) that nice young doctor was wearing?

I also have to wonder where #2 comes from? Though I have been an RN for less than a year of the 12 male nurses I have worked with only one has been homosexual, granted I haven't polled them or anything but I am assuming since the other 11 have talked about their girlfriends or wives and only the one has talked about his boyfriend that I am correct in my assumption. Why is this such a common stereotype? I am sure if I pulled 12 random people off the street chances are pretty good one of them would be homosexual, so why do people assume homosexual men are so over-represented in the nursing profession?

I also do not get the double standard of some female patients, I once had an older lady refuse to allow the male PCT to help change her bed and gown because she didn't want him to see her undressed. I asked her were all her doc's female and she said no but that is different because they are doctors?!?

I also end up taking a lot of the male RN's patients to the bathroom, etc. When I say to them your nurse was just here why didn't you let him know you needed to get up they say "oh I didn't want to bother him!" hahaha. But it works out for me because I take some of their more closed minded patients to the bathroom or bed pan and they help me by holding the "larger" patients for me while I change their pressure ulcer dressings. I love my male coworkers!

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Sugarcoma,

Thank you so much for your comments on this thread! #2 that you were curious about really had to do with the general public, and some of their stereotypical responses when they hear that a man is part of our profession. Anyway, thanks again for your comments!

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If a kid wanted to get into nursing and kept playing nurse, would the child nurse be a CURSE?

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Specializes in Family Practice.

Thank You Nurse Mike!!!:yeah:

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I love working with Murses!

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Specializes in med/surg and Tele.

see i read the other thread about a MURSE and until I read it I had never heard it used like that...I always thought a MURSE was a "man-purse" LOL

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Specializes in Endoscopy.

I work on a cardiac step down unit, and the frequent flyer senior ladies LOOOOOOOOOVE their 'murses'. Strong, protective, heroic care in their eyes. While I was giving one little lady in her late 80's a bath, she told me her 'murse' was easy on the eyes. :eek: I nearly choked.

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