Would you be scared of 6 foot 3 male nurse.

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Do you think my height will affect my ability to get a job?

Will my height intimidate the other hospital staff and possibly the patients?

Or to the contrary people will love that a tall guy is taking care of them/working as a nurse?

Specializes in Emergency.

I will agree 6 ft 3 is not exactly considered out of the ordinary.

I really think your height will not affect you in any way- either in your ability to get a job or in people loving that a tall guy is taking care of them. They will love that a careful, thoughtful person is taking care of them, tall, short, thin fat.

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Specializes in Home Care.

One of the best nursing aids I ever worked with was a 6'4" man from Chad (a country in Africa).

He was our gentle giant and our patients loved him. He was the sweetest, most patient man with little old demented ladies.

I believe he was studying to be a PA.

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the majority of the male nurses where I work are in the 6' range and the patient's don't seem to mind at all. In fact at 6'2" and 200 pounds I thought I would stick out, but I pretty much look average around here.

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I know someone who is a big tall guy that's a male nurse. His patients love him. It's all in the attitude and not the physical appearance that determines if a patient feels a certain way.

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I worry about this myself. I am 6ft tall and also a big guy. (Ok I am still 50lbs overweight and working on it..don't be mean or I will have to go eat my feelings lol kidding)

Anyway yeah I always worry that people will thin, who is this big guy coming in here??! I certainly have a professional appearance I would say, and I am very aware of carrying myself in a way that doesnt exude macho-ness or whatever.

I fully expect that ppl will have some thoughts about me though..oh well.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

There are only a couple of areas in which height would be an issue. In the OR and other procedural areas (Cath lab, GI lab, etc) the working surface is geared to that of the physician. So.... if you're working with a tall doc, you'd be golden. BUT if you are trying to assist a shorty, it's definitely back cramp time - especially if you have to wear a lead apron... OUCH. Working a code can also be awkward if everyone is shorter than you. We shorties have a much easier time, since standing on a stool is always an option.

Weird but true - Left-handed nurses also have problems working in environments that have tight quarters. I know of two left-handed interventional cardiologists that pretty much limit their procedures to the facilities that can provide them with a left-handed crew to assist so there's no chance of bumping elbows and such.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

There has only been 1 hospital where I've had a problem and that was my first clinical rotation. Everything was designed for 5'4" to 5'6" tall women. Not 6'3" tall dudes. I had to duck under stuff all the time or risk getting cracked in the head by the TV support or by the cabinet over the sinks in the rooms that the hospital figured nobody over 5'4" tall would be using. Other than that for the most part nobody gives a crap how tall you are.

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Yeah I'm 6'8" 300+ line backer size. Patients have never been scared even on my OB rotation in school, and my obese patients like it. No 5'3" girl is going to scoot their oversized rear off the bed onto a bedside commode.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I am a big guy. Not as tall as you but I am wide and, frankly, physically very strong. My experience has been that most people, coworkers and patients alike appreciate it; elderly patients especially.

If you're affable and show an interest in people, smile a lot and so on, any trepidation about you should evaporate immediately and be replaced by relief, respect and reliance.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.
Yeah I'm 6'8" 300+ line backer size. Patients have never been scared even on my OB rotation in school, and my obese patients like it. No 5'3" girl is going to scoot their oversized rear off the bed onto a bedside commode.

EXACTLY!

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I think your height should not be a problem. I am 6ft 2in and when I do my EMT work height has been nice. :) Unless you bonk your head. But I agree it depends on how you carry yourself. Good Luck to you.

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Specializes in Psychiatric nursing.

I work in psych and we are always thankfull for the big men on the unit, especially when restraints occur. We keep trying to get some of the bigger security guards in the hospital to come work with us as mental health workers.

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