Why are male nurses looked down on?

Asklepios · Jul 3, 2008

I'm halfway through school, and I work at a hospital where I've told some of the nurses about being in school. Haven't heard one bad thing about it yet.

Also, during our psych rotation, I told my clinical instructor I thought it was a field I might be interested in going into after graduation. She was very encouraging,and told me most psych facilities would be thrilled to hire more guys as RNs, and the female staffers would also appreciate having guys on their team as well.

As an assistant, I've been questioned by some patients and/or their families about why I'm doing the job, or why I don't want to be a doctor. I tell them the truth - I want to help people and work in healthcare, and nurses do much more with the pts than most doctors. Also, I have no interest in spending all that time in medical school and incurring $100,000+ in debt to pay for it.

Hope1978, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2008

I am not sure where the idea that male nurses are looked down came about; but I can tell you from my personal experience they are wonderful. When my dad was in the hospital (ICU) he was so glad to finally have a male nurse that he could talk to about guy things or else he would have probably went crazy. Also, I personally enjoy working with males exspecially as charge nurses because most the time they handle stress very well and can help in physical situations because they are naturalluy stronger. I say if you are a male and you are thinking about nursing school, go for it!

Batman24 · Jul 3, 2008

Don't be discouraged because most male nurses I've found to be beloved and welcomed. I graduated with 3 male nurses and they were treated like gods by all. They even did their OB/GYN rotation without a problem. Keep your chins up...we needs more good nurses on our side and you will see the vast majority of us will welcome you with open arms. :yeah:

Biol20fan · Jul 18, 2008

I have three males in my class (I'm female, btw), and all of them are going to be outstanding nurses. I'd rather have them taking care of me than some of the other female nurses I've had in the past! I don't think I'd want to see them in the little white dresses and caps, though. :chuckle

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

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

I have never even heard of that - if anything, they are looked up to for many thinking they're the doc.... never looked down on... in my experience.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

I have worked with many male nurses and respect 99.8 percent of them. Probably better ratio than some of the female nurses I work with. The more men in nursing the better. They add a much needed perspective on sooo many issues. They are an asset.

I won't disagree that it provides some balance, but it's a bit unfair to say the more men the better in nursing. I think there needs to be more balanced females, in my opinion - more females who are less catty, angry, judgmental, histrionic, gossipy, feeling competitive with other females (eating their young)... I could go on and on about what should change about many females in this profession.... which is why I like the balance that males can bring (and also those females) that are easy-going and not egotistical (like me!) - makes work that much more tolerable...

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

Heck no.
They'd be laughed at right out of the room upon requesting such a thing.
Men aren't supposed to feel things like modesty and most certainly aren't supposed to feel intimidated or threatened by women seeing them exposed.
In fact, they shouldn't complain and should instead be enjoying the attention according to our current cultural standards.

whenever I've had younger male patients (20's) - if there's a cath involved, I always ask if they'd like a male nurse - many have said they'd rather have a guy - and I don't want to embarass them, for whatever their reasons may be - unless it's the guy who's in so much pain and needs a cath, they end up not caring in the least. I don't want to put a younger man in that position of having a female of the same age or generation and to feel uncomfortable and not feel as though they can ask for a male nurse... if there is one available. Just as the younger male nurse taking care of a female of around the same age or generation not wanting to make them uncomfortable and to offer the same sex nurse for a personal procedure...

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

But that's my point. Not all women want male doctors and that's fine.
It makes sense to me if a female patient is uneasy with males period for her own reasons.
But to be perfectly ok with a male examining you or seeing you exposed as long as he is a doctor but not ok if it's a male nurse is the double standard I'm talking about.
If you don't want men taking care of you, fine.
But don't make exceptions for physicians because you are lulled under the false impression that just because they have more education, autonomy, authority, etc. that they somehow are above seeing female patients as sexual objects and/or being inappropriate.
And as far as people seeing them as father figures goes, well that just makes the whole thing even more absurd, bizarre, and twisted.
They are no more or less men than a male nurse is.
Over the years, I've heard plenty of MD's make inappropriate comments about female patients and colleagues alike.
Male MD's are not immune to this. They are still men with the same hormones and sexuality as a male nurse.
Professionalism is an individual thing, not a gender thing.

on that note - I walked past two of my ER docs (who are fantastic docs) gawking at this CNA who was wearing some low rider type scrub pants that were TIGHT - and just as I walked by, I noticed where they were gawking and they each said something to the other about what they'd do to that... I was horrified and pretended not to notice - only to wonder if they do that about all of the females there.... and the comments that are made by a handful of these docs to some of the female nurses (who play into this).... just further seperates and divides.......

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

That would have been mean but I would have laughed if I'd been there. I know I'll be good at whatever I do and I know that most people will respect that.
Hey, we men have to break this stupid stereotype that all nurses are women. Luckily the ratio is closing, slowly, but it's still closing. Every year the number of men enrolling in nursing programs increases. I mean, in our lifetime nursing will always be predominatly female, but by the time we younger nurses are dug into our careers there should be many more men nurses out there.
Does anyone know the ratio of women to men in the CRNA profession? I still assume it's more women than men but most of the CRNAs I've seen are men. Just asking because that's what I intend to be eventually.

my mom makes the comment to me "why stop now, why don't you go on to medical school, you're so smart" blah blah blah - How about: because this is what I want to do. Why is it if you are smart, you must do more than being a nurse?? You must be a doctor... because nurses aren't nearly as smart as doctors....??? :nono:

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

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.

I think males gravitate to those specialized areas where there is an adrenalin rush ... not because of the pay. Where males choose to work within a hospital setting.... that should be another thread topic - that is my belief anyway - my hubby was a rescue swimmer (and EMT) and thought the only way a guy would ever go into nursing is for trauma - that would be the only thing to interest him - so he assumes all guys must think this way..... I tell him that is all I'm interested in as well, but unfortunately you have to do the jobs of those things in between... .we all have our niche. Again, I think certain personalities are drawn to those specialities that are for those type A people...

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

I don't know about that.
We're a long way from the 70's.
I live in ultra-conservative Texas and even down here that stereotype is long dead and outdated.
The vast majority of men I've worked with on any unit in any hospital are straight as an arrow and I fail to see any assumption from anyone that they are gay because they are nurses.
Maybe in some podunk backwoods hospital, maybe....but that same mentality would go along with believing that you are gay just because you don't like hunting or football, so consider the source.

that stigma is unfortunately still present... sad, but true. I have heard comments from patients or visitors that are inappropriate regarding male nurses.... also from other nurses and docs... it's unfair, but it persists and it is unfortunate.... :down:

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

As a young male nursing student who is about to graduate, that is minority and very young, I am going into L&D, and I have had no problems with patients, but while i have been interning in my last semester, the older majority nurses have given me a very hard time, and I am just slowly earning their respect, so I think that in some areas men have to definetly prove themselves harder, but I am ready to prove myself because I love L&D~

L&D... that is an interesting choice.... I would imagine that will be a hard unit to break - haven't ever met any males that work L&D ....