Why are male nurses looked down on?

Nursing Students Male Students

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I am a female nursing student but I dont understand why male nurses are looked down on. They are human beings too.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Scrubz, CRNA is a the one area of nursing where men are highly represented. I think I've read about 50%, but I'm not sure. Maybe someone else will know.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Cardiac/Surgical Stepdown.

The only problem I've experienced since deciding to become a nurse has been with some of the older people in my family. They just seem to be unable to wrap their heads around the concept of a male nurse. They will usually ask me things like "How long before you start medical school?" or "When will you go back and get your MD?" To which I usually reply "hopefully never!":D

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I usually use the line that I have a long memory and will be in control of the pain meds. It really shuts my buds up in a hurry. Feel free to use, if appropriate.

Mike

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My wife and I are both nursing students. My wife thinks it is great that we will both be in the same field one day. She works in an emergency department in a hospital as a tech. All her friends (docs, nurses, and techs) think it is great that I am making this transition in my mid-life. I even get some tutoring from a doc friend and his RN wife.

There maybe some with the "old school" attitude towards male nurses, but I haven't run into it...yet.

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I have noticed just the opposite. Seems that they have an even better shot at the great positions (specialty units, management, ect). And I have seen statistics that show males in nursing often make more money than females.

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well i dont think everywhere male nurses are looked down upon, but at my university it seems that the instructors seem to favor the girls most definetly.

i have my reasons but one thing that kind of stood out is this

i was in my seminar group and the instructor said of "thats fine if some times things are late ladies, i know some things happen, maybe you broke up with your boyfriend."

they basically talk like i am not even there.

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well i dont think everywhere male nurses are looked down upon, but at my university it seems that the instructors seem to favor the girls most definetly.

i have my reasons but one thing that kind of stood out is this

i was in my seminar group and the instructor said of "thats fine if some times things are late ladies, i know some things happen, maybe you broke up with your boyfriend."

they basically talk like i am not even there.

From what I have seen, it also goes into the workplace. It may be more habbit then anything else. Usually they catch themselves and say, "...all you ladies..........oh, and you too!"

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one thing that kind of stood out is this

i was in my seminar group and the instructor said of "thats fine if some times things are late ladies, i know some things happen, maybe you broke up with your boyfriend."

Now that's a great reason to be late!

Especially for the very young and/or immature for their age students who might be completely devastated and think it's the end of the world after breaking up with a boyfriend after a grand whopping 2 days or 6 weeks of dating.

That should go over real well after graduation and they call into their employer saying they are not coming in because they just broke up with their boyfriend.

Great instructor.

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Now that's a great reason to be late!

Especially for the very young and/or immature for their age students who might be completely devastated and think it's the end of the world after breaking up with a boyfriend after a grand whopping 2 days or 6 weeks of dating.

That should go over real well after graduation and they call into their employer saying they are not coming in because they just broke up with their boyfriend.

Great instructor.

I have to combine two threads on this one. What if they couldn't make it to their pinning ceremony because of a break up?:lol2: lol

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Specializes in ICU, PACU, Cath Lab.

One of my male classmates had the greatest comeback...to the "Why would you want to be a male nurse?" He looked the patient square in the eye and said...well I wanted to be a female nurse but the wait list was just too long!! OMG i about pee'd my pants!!! I am not sure if he had heard that somewhere or if he made it up, cause he is really quick on the comebacks...but it was great!!!

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I have noticed just the opposite. Seems that they have an even better shot at the great positions (specialty units, management, ect). And I have seen statistics that show males in nursing often make more money than females.

I've seen stats like that as well, but it can be a deceiving number because you need to keep in mind that men also tend to gravitate toward the better paying nursing jobs.

For instance, I rarely, rarely, see men working in doctor's offices (lower paying nursing jobs) and most outpatient settings.

The only settings I've ever seen men equal or even outnumber the female nursing staff in a given shift is in ICU or ER settings. (Higher base pay than in other settings, shift diff's, bonus pay for extra shifts, tons of OT).

It also seems like men have fewer childcare issues and are more freed up to work the erratic hours and off shifts in the critical care areas.

I know some female nurses who take 9-5 outpatient setting jobs simply because of childcare issues/expense and would rather take the lower paying position with better hours because the higher pay in other areas just gets eaten up in childcare expenses.

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One of my male classmates had the greatest comeback...to the "Why would you want to be a male nurse?" He looked the patient square in the eye and said...well I wanted to be a female nurse but the wait list was just too long!! OMG i about pee'd my pants!!! I am not sure if he had heard that somewhere or if he made it up, cause he is really quick on the comebacks...but it was great!!!

I like that one. Given the opportunity, I will use it.

I also agree with you RN34TX. Stats can be very deceiving.

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