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
yeah tweety, maybe i am feeling a bit insecure about this, but this is because i get this reaction alot and its after i say i'm studying nursing. if its because of the stigma of a "male nurse" then i can only be the best nurse i can be and hope the stereotype changes in the future. if i'm no good at chatting women up then i don't want to use this as an excuse lol
my husband flew jets in the air force, worked on oil rigs in the gulf, drove a tow truck in la and teaches martial arts. he's also a nurse. ...
ruby
what specific style of martial arts does your husband teach? i studied uechi-ryu karate for several years & advanced to brown belt w/black tip [one away from black belt].
i just have to post this pic, again, in honor of all males that practice nursing & martial arts...
btw, i was an aircraft electrician in the usmc, 1980-1988.
I couldn't help but weight in. I became a nurse following a tour as an infantryman with the 82d Airborne Division. I've found that there may be a certain percentage of people with a preconception about men as nurses, but 99% of them will judge you based on how you carry yourself...period.
When I still lived in Fayetteville, I'd get some flack from the young paratroopers out in nightclubs, but "coining" them (showing them my unit coin) usually shut them up.
I also enjoyed being the "rare" commodity in my nursing class. (Something I occassionally remind my wife of, just to get under her skin!)
>>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.
Dude, when "chatting up women", you don't want things to get too deep. Keep it noncerebral and surface level. Tell them you are an international arts dealer who collects rare antiquities for eccentric billionares.
I just thought that I'd share with you the fact that my Husband is a Registered Nurse. He is greatly respected by his peers and friends. I think it's pretty damn sexy to see a guy in scrubs. I am a Licensed Practical Nurse and I work with a lot of Male nurses. Those people that have any comments really need to get a clue. Guy nurses rock!
>>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.
Dude, when "chatting up women", you don't want things to get too deep. Keep it noncerebral and surface level. Tell them you are an international arts dealer who collects rare antiquities for eccentric billionares.
the only reason a man would lie about his job is because many women seem to place a lot of importance on status and occupation. it harks back to the days where the man was the provider and the woman the nurturer and it was in her best interests to attract a man of as high a status as possible. this does not need to be the case anymore, however some women still place importance on this. some don't thankfully, though those that don't are usually in a similar or lesser position economically, generally speaking.
would a female doctor likely marry or have a relationship with a male nurse?
is a man still his job in this day and age?
in defense to men and women in the nursing profession, the mainstream perception of a nurse's role e.g.: nurturing, taking orders, doing menial tasks, is way off reality and probably contributes to women’s perception of male nurses (the reason i started this thread). it can be a physically and mentally challenging with much technology and research to keep current in the field. men may always be the majority in the police force and women in nursing, however both have their contribution to make individually and collectively as males and females in making these professions as valuable as possible.
this is 2006 and we all know that women are highly adaptive and capable. it is time that society gave men that credit too and not label us effeminate or gay for going out of traditional role that was a traditionally male domain. many of the men in nursing have already ‘proved themselves’ in theses roles. ultimate examples of highly adaptive and capable men imo are 11:11 and jlw,rn who posted earlier, these men have experience as infantry soldiers and nurses.
i've found that there may be a certain percentage of people with a preconception about men as nurses, but 99% of them will judge you based on how you carry yourself...period.
This is 2006 and we all know that women are highly adaptive and capable. It is time that society gave men that credit too and not label us effeminate or gay for going out of traditional role that was a traditionally male domain. Many of the men in nursing have already 'proved themselves' in theses roles. Ultimate examples of highly adaptive and capable men IMO are 11:11 and JLW,RN who posted earlier, These men have experience as infantry soldiers and nurses.
Deepest respect to you both!
johny1 - Any particular reason you left me off your highly adaptive & capable men in nursing roster? :angryfire
I think you may be missing something. You say the women's attitudes change when you tell them that you're a student nurse, and you assume that's because of the "nurse" part - that they no longer see you as manly.
OTOH, could it be they cool off because of the student part? Instead of it being a case of going from manly man to wimp, maybe the problem is that you're going from "guy who could take me someplace nice for dinner" to "guy with no money to spend on me."
I think you may be missing something. You say the women's attitudes change when you tell them that you're a student nurse, and you assume that's because of the "nurse" part - that they no longer see you as manly.
OTOH, could it be they cool off because of the student part? Instead of it being a case of going from manly man to wimp, maybe the problem is that you're going from "guy who could take me someplace nice for dinner" to "guy with no money to spend on me."
johny1 - any particular reason you left me off your highly adaptive & capable men in nursing roster? :angryfire
usmc veteran 1980-1988
i was originally going to include you in what i had posted, the only reason i didn't is because having experience as a front line soldier and a nurse is imo the ultimate example of what we men are capable of, that we as men can be warriors and nurturers. there is much in-between this diametric and men are capable of all of it. this is the point i was trying to get across.
you were a soldier in the military as an aviation engineer and currently as a nurse from what i have read. these posts and others from different threads show you to be proud of serving your country in these two very different roles.
corvette guy, i have the deepest respect for you as well and i apologize for not including you.
Corvette Guy
1,505 Posts
i'm very proud to be a male rn!