I am a nursing student, currently studying to be an RN. I am really enjoying the experience, however I have an issue that is concerning me.
When chatting up women and the conversation comes up about what I do, and I reply studying nursing, their eyes widen and the mood seems to change. This is not related to women in the field but those outside. As soon as I utter the word nurse, I seem to go from a confident manly guy to a nice guy to them. I know women want confident manly sort of men, but women also say they like a man to be sensitive and caring. Can’t a male nurse be sensitive and manly? Do these women see nurses as somewhat effeminate, at worst gay?
If a woman is able to climb the corporate ladder and make big money in business and still have sex appeal, does a man need to limit himself to traditional masculine roles to prove his maleness and be attractive to women or can he do a traditionally feminine job of helping and caring for people.
I understood that when women refer to equality, it is for both men and women. They it’s a great idea for men to be nurses, but individually, their actions seem to speak louder than their words.
I would be very interested in your opinions on this both guys and girls
I like variety in my life, I like learning new things, experiencing new things...I like to be different than the men in my life...Looks, Jobs, Personalities, Backgrounds....I like the spice of it. For instance I am blonde, won't date a blonde....I have green eyes, I don't care for green or blue eyes. I know it is strange and crazy. But dang if went some where with a man with simular looks like me....I wanna know if my kid has my looks or his. You may think it is shallow but look at it like this....most women have a height requirement, men have desires with legs, butt, or breast....mine just go deeper.
Personnally, when asked what I do for a living by family and friends, I find it to be much easier to just lie my ass off. Let's face it, there is nothing manly about "nursing" someone ill anymore than it is to nurse a child. Oh, but don't we gents like to tell ourselves otherwise.
Nurses make wonderfull husbands. The prettyest girl in my nursing school broke all the doctors hearts when she married a nurse. Nusrses give back rubs, are people oriented and nurturing. my husband would be just perfect if only he were a nurse. Come to think of it nurses also make wonderfull wives.
Heh... great thread. I've noticed that when girls find out I'm a nurse the first thing they tend to do is try to figure out if I'm gay... some are more subtle than others... sometimes I'll be as ambiguous as possible... just to see how long they'll keep at it. Of course I've been hit on at work a fair number of times, too. If you're getting that response from "all" the girls, you're just talking to the wrong ones.
I had simular experiences with women being a male nursing student. One lady even stated " Whats wrong with you, nursing is for women". Obviously she asked for another nurse.
I worked as a carpenter, and made the transition into nursing after caring for my terminally ill mother. Thank you, to all you hospice nurses.
So now the door is opening for me. Not sure in which direction I will go, hospice, correctional institution, burn unit, etc.
Oh and the OB unit,,,,, finally got to see a birth on my last clinical only because of a fellow students sister-in-law was delivering and explained my situation. Nice to have friends looking out for you.
All you 'new' nurses out there (and future nurses! ) - remember that while public perception is hard to change, it's upto us to strive for that change! Your professional behaviour as a nurse will go MILES in helping alter public perception of males in nursing.
Remember, nursing was a male dominant profession at incpetion and for many years in it's history!
This issue isn't about "dominance" though -- if physicians aren't questioned about their gender, why should nurses?
I don't know about that, I get respect. Right now I would love to find another female nurse close to the Ohio Valley to date. We would have so much in common and could help each other study. Nathan777
To all male nurses and student nurses-- I agree completely w/ all the previous comments by posters regarding male nurses. I have been a nurse for 16 years and my husband of 2 years is also an RN, and we also work together in our hospital. He is one of the most caring people that I have ever met, and his patients and coworkers really enjoy him at work. I think that some people look at him with respect, or admiration that he took it upon himself to work in a field where he is in the minority and do such a great job everyday. (Of course, I'm partial) but he has a sensitivity that also is carried from work to our home life, and I could not ask for a more loving husband.
To the guys, please don't let anyone shoot down your desire to become a nurse if that is what you want, please know that there are plenty of us female nurses that love working with you and appreciate the job you do every day!
Dunno what other women think, but a man that brings home the bacon with one hand, and can administer an enema with the other...well, he's simply ALL MAN in my eyes!!!
Dunno what other women think, but a man that brings home the bacon with one hand, and can administer an enema with the other...well, he's simply ALL MAN in my eyes!!!
Hahaha!!! That's funny.
I don't think we'll let public perception deter us, after all, any guy that'll get into a nursing program has really thought about all of the biases, and misperceptions most people have.
Most male nurses, or male nursing students just want to emote and air our thoughts and concerns about the fact that many many women think ill of males as nurses in terms of sexual attraction (subconciously or conciously).
This thread is more of a support group thread...atleast for me anyway. It's comforting to know others are having the same concerns I am. Also, my program is around 15% male, so that's encouraging as well. We've all talked about the Gaylord Fokker effect, and the jokes, and comments we've recieved...it's very cathartic.
Wow - I had no idea so much stereotypical thinking still existed. Most of the male nurses I met ( alot of them) in my class and then actual nurses during clinicals...seemed to not even worry about it... and they did fine...far as I know... you want to know what...these men of so many variety were way more sensitive to the patients than many of the female nurses while at the same time...being darn good nurses to boot. I think the stereotype needs to go out the window and slam it shut! It's so nice to have both men and women nurses available for patients....then if they are for whatever reason more comfortable with "intimate' procedures with someone of a certain gender maybe they can be made comfortable by the help of an appropriate coworker..especially when it comes to kids/teens....we had a teen boy in pacu that needed to use the urinal so bad...but whenever he heard the women nurses talking...it was difficult for him to accomplish what he so needed to do .Finally...a male nurse entered....and talked to him and that was all it took. He needed some testosterone in the area! Likewise...for a girl she may need women around....all depends. But it's good ...this type of diversity.
As far as I'm concerned, most male nurses rock! Besides, you're great to have around when those really heavy lift jobs come along!
) - remember that while public perception is hard to change, it's upto us to strive for that change! Your professional behaviour as a nurse will go MILES in helping alter public perception of males in nursing.
Balder_LPN, LPN
458 Posts
mmmmm.....not really