Why are male nurses looked down on?

Perpetual Student · Jul 19, 2008

I've never perceived a negative attitude toward member-equipped nurses. Generally, I perceive a little extra appreciation for a man who is equally as good as a woman, perhaps related to the expectation that men won't be as caring, gentle, etc. I feel very respected and appreciated by patients, families, coworkers, and management.

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.......

They were just giving the gal the reaction she obviously wanted when she put those low, tight pants on to go to work. It was quite tacky to comment like that, though. But do you have pictures? :uhoh21: Kidding.

MassED, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

I've never perceived a negative attitude toward member-equipped nurses. Generally, I perceive a little extra appreciation for a man who is equally as good as a woman, perhaps related to the expectation that men won't be as caring, gentle, etc. I feel very respected and appreciated by patients, families, coworkers, and management.
They were just giving the gal the reaction she obviously wanted when she put those low, tight pants on to go to work. It was quite tacky to comment like that, though. But do you have pictures? :uhoh21: Kidding.

ha ha :yeah: though I feel bad when some guys bring attention to certain body parts (ahem... biceps) by wearing tight shirts and it's noticed that we (females) notice... or wearing tight pants and then act all "aw shucks" when it's noticed... though women are better at being more discrete....

william4930 · Jul 20, 2008

As a male nursing student, I have never been looked down upon.

paganoid · Jul 21, 2008

I'm 6'2"--VERY few nurses look down on me . I have only encountered a few that do not like me due to the fact that I am male. Most of them are like that because they have had it with men in general, not male nurses. I have on the other hand had the comment made to me, by an INSTRUCTOR in nursing school no less, that men did not belong in nursing. I won't even get into how that one turned out--wasn't pretty:angryfire .
Tom

Florence Nightengale said pretty much the same thing:

"...the woman is superior in skill to the man in all points of sanitary domestic economy, and more particularly in cleanliness and tidiness," and, "the Anglo-Saxon would be very sorry to turn women out of his own house, or out of civil hospitals, hotels, institutions of all kinds, and substitute men-housekeepers and men-matrons." (*)

I had no idea that this attitude went back that far until I took Nursing History this summer.

Good thing Flo never met my ex-wife. :lol2:

--

* Warner, J.H., Tighe, J.A. "Major Problems in the History of American Medicine and Public Health." 2001. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Ransome-ER · Jul 22, 2008

I am a paramedic I work in the ER and just took my nclexx. "female nurses" love to have male nurses and so do patients never received a derogatory statement to date. I was a union construction worker for ten years, maybe a few jokes from friends "GregRN". Male nurses will only help the profession, IMHO

Butterfliesnroses · Jul 22, 2008

I work in a LTC facility...Alot of the females don't want a male aide or nurse...This is d/t the fact that they are elderly and in their time it wasn't appropriate for a male to see them that exposed...Alot of the males though like having a female because they feel it makes them more macho...But some of the ladies request a man to come lift them also because as a female aide I just can't do it...I'm just not strong enough...m'kay that's why I've lifted men twice your size huh?...I guess people have alot of double standards...

leemacaz · Jul 23, 2008

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....???

:uhoh3: UH??????? guess the fact that I have learned to trust nurses further than doctors cause they usually have an answer...know what Not to do often, and what To do at others...without causing more pain or even catastrophic damage (ie death) because of wrong meds or other things. wouldn't go far with your mom......

My experience is that we pay docs big fees so nurses can treat us. Docs are mainly brokers or facilitators of some sort aren't they? I know all nurses aren't so great, but then some docs aren't very good facilitators either.

MicStar · Jul 26, 2008

never been an issue for me or any other male nurses I know...

KansasFNP · Aug 7, 2008

I actually see the opposite happen to me. I have had doctors on NUMEROUS occasions begin to give orders to me, THE STUDENT, while I am standing next to the RN. I have also been allowed in on many procedures that my other female students were not allowed to witness. I have an UNFAIR advantage as a male nurse. Kinda sick.

malenursewithpride · Aug 8, 2008

as a male nurse i have to say that i have not had any bad experiences while on the field.my co-workers love working with me,and i met my wife at my work place so for me it has worked just fine.

chevyv, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2008

I love working with male nurses. Actually, I love working with most nursing staff.

rph3664 · Aug 16, 2008

Because everybody knows that the only reason someone goes to nursing school is because they couldn't get into medical or pharmacy school.

:chair:

How about maybe BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO BE NURSES?

:mnnnrsngrk:

You should all be :prdnrs: ! I certainly couldn't do your job.