Why so closed minded? WHY?

Nurses Relations

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Worked with a male nurse the other night. This nurse is agency and has worked at our facility for some time. He always gives good pt care and is helpful to the aides and other nurses. As I took V.S. One pt. starts going OMG a male nurse! Why do the let guys do this? Dosent he realize we're female!...etc...etc..etc.

This is absolutely one of the most closed minded attitudes I have the misfortune of dealing with...and it happens time and again. Well it ended up that everytime he had to go into the room i had to go with him. And to his credit he endured the stuff she said to his face !...me on the other hand ..I had to duck outside for a few minutes and unclench my teeth... Why is it acceptable for a woman to see a male doctor, a male pt to been seen by a female doc or to be cared for by a female Nurse/Aide.? and yet not acceptable for a female to receive care from a licensed PROFESSIONAL who happens to be male? GRRR

P.S. today i was a pt. had seen the NP about the prob before and was made to feel as if she really didnt have enough time to be bothering with me. (not saying that all are like this,Ive heard NP's are wonderful) anyways saw the MD today he TALKED with me and examined me more than she had and actually got some history on me etc. generally treated me like a human. had to get ex-ray etc. the female tech made me feel like i was going through a proccesor...at that point i had already had a bad enough day and didnt need it getting worse. well the guy actually doing the films talked with me held my hand was so gentle and generally it felt like he cared. i felt sorta human again after that ....well we will see what P.T. brings. Tis truly better to give than to receive!

:chuckle

Kudos to all you wonderful and caring Nurses AIdes and Techs,no matter how your chromesomes are arranged!:kiss

Well, believe it or not, the close-mindedness is not only gender specific, but to race as well. Recently, I had a home health patient stop me at his front door saying, "I don't allow n-ggers in my home, you have to leave". Ah well. Somethings never die.

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Specializes in Hospice/Homehealth/Homecare.

Here's a new spin. I work in a PCP office and our male DOCS are having trouble getting new patients because 85% of the female patients are refusing male docs. They don't mind male surgeons or specialist, but for primary care they want women. Our male medical student is even having a tough time with just interviewing the patients because they don't want to even TALK to a man.

Back to the subject at hand, I have worked with the best male nurses in many different settings and have found that many times, if the patients get to know a nurse , they will eventually allow that nurse to take care of them. I know this is especially hard with agency nurses. I have had patients refuse any agency nurses (not just the men) because they don't know them and are not good with changes. Let's face it, when these people grew up, a nurse was a woman and a doctor was a man. It may take a while for this attitude to change.

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Specializes in Psych.

I'm a male and a nurse and I have had both men and requests that I not care for them for the aforementioned reasons. I don't take it personally, though some of my coworkers feel a great need to protect me.

I now work in an ICU and about 15% of our staff of 100 is male. Pt's just don't have a choice. I would imagine that a Muslim woman would be accomodated (I would support the patient and insist).

I love the stereotype of the male nurse as gay. I live in San Francisco and of the approx. 15 men who are nurses, only 3 or 4 of us are gay. And this is San Francisco for crying out loud! By far, I have found most male nurses to be of the heterosexual variety.

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When I took my nurses's aid class we had a clinical in a nursing home. My partner ORDERED me to just stay back when we were doing anything with our patient because she felt I had no business even touching a female resident. I had a new partner very soon hehe. Funny that the patient didn't mind at all. Saw my ex-partner retaking the class last quarter *snicker*.

Brian

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Oh yes, Las Vegas, your point is very well-taken and I am sorry you ever have to endure this, especially in this so-called "enlightened" age!

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Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

Oh yes, Las Vegas, your point is very well-taken and I am sorry you ever have to endure this, especially in this so-called "enlightened" age!

Thanks, Deb. With all close-minded folks, it's always important to remember that one bad apple doesn't spoil the bunch. Gee, I just flashed back to that Osmond cartoon in the 70's! :lol2:

For each one of these kind of patients, there are 100 that will appreciate what you do.

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I like working with people/other nurses and health care professionals that take their jobs seriously, the patient being #1 and being part of a team. RESPECT! .=.

and also know humor is cool'.....like chill' hehe haha :-)

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well I think some of the attitude is because some of the general public have trouble seeing men in "caring" roles :nurse: and assume that there must be something wrong with them.

Personally all the male nurses I have come accross since I starter my training 13 years ago have been some of the very best. I believe that any man who makes that choice and leaves sterio types behind has something that makes him good at what he does. Us women on the other hand can fall into the job and just because we are female it does not make us compationate or good at what we do.

I have a male GP and always have wouldn't have anything else I have had to see a female GP a few times one didn't believe I was ill until she saw me (I had a temp of 40.6C :eek: ) quite apart from the fact I could hardly stand, I left a large person shaped damp patch on the bed and my glasses kept steaming up. both male GP's in the practice are excelant :D

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

For the first time I have had the pleasure of working with just as many males on shift as females. And I like it! I have only had one pt., who refused to allow a male CNA to take her to the bathroom. She was an very small framed, elderly hispanic lady, and he is a very tall, good looking hunk.:chuckle....so I can understand her feelings in a way. But for the most part....I see males who are caregivers as just that...caregivers...no matter if they're female, or male.

I personally, am very glad more men are joining the nursing ranks! I think this is something the public will need to just get used to. With the number of males on staff at the hospital where I am...there is a good chance of there being more men, than females scheduled. So if they want to be taken care of in a timely fashion...they're going to have to deal with whatever problems they have with males taking care of them. Because they may not have much of a choice. I say the more the merrier..:cool:!

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As a male entering the biz, I ignore the patients' beliefs that I'm either gay or not smart enought to be a doctor.

But the abuse issue is a problem. In the current environment of litigation and abuse charges, I don't want to be caught in the middle of a patient spouting charges and a hospital administration anxious to investigate "just to be safe."

Bad career karma: being interviewed by law enforcement after an 80-year-old woman accuses you of touching her improperly during a bath. Geez, I'd quit and become a Catholic priest where they get away with the REAL thing!

:imbar

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Specializes in ER.

LasVegas- his loss IMHO.

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I try to be sensitive to religous,cultural, generational issues while nursing and have on a few occasions reassigned a pt. BUT if the only reason for the pt. to refuse care from a spacific nurse is race/gender/religion discrimination I will not adjust the assignment. I just tell the pt. that So and So is a highly trained professional and I am sure they will be well cared for and that So and So was assigned to their care based on his/her experience in nursing in general and their particular diagnosis. I don't allow for time to respond. I do go back and check with the patient after care has been delivered and have received responses all the way from "You where right, So and So is a great nurse." to "You'll be hearing from my lawyer." The only time I will reasign is if the NURSE him/her slef have concerns over his/her ability to care for the patient based on the current environment OR if the nurse and I are afraid of the lenghts the pt. will go to to get his/her way. Sometimes it's just easier to step around the pile than clean it up ;)

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