some younger male nurses.....

Published

I can say I have nothing but love for the older male nurses (I mean over 30) that I work with. That said, the younger ones have got to be the most apathetic, jerky people I have ever had to deal with. They specifically work at night because they don't want to really deal with patients when they're actually awake. They specifically wear the light blue "MD-looking" scrubs so that they will be treated like doctors, and many times are--because they're men, and they've purposely dressed this way. The more mature men on my floor don't care what color scrubs they wear, and seem very helpful and kind and caring. Time and time again I witness a patient who is reluctant to ask anything "petty" of these guys (like fetching a glass of water or a snack, etc) but will think nothing of calling some random female nurse to come do it.

It' a disservice to any male nurse that really cares about his practice and isn't just "slumming it" because he couldn't get into med school. Nursing is not "slumming it" and if you have to pick a night shift to do your job because the thought of dealing with people when they're conscious is so irritating, rethink what you're doing and go into research.

Specializes in Hospital, Psych, Corrections, Case Mgmt..

wow - ok - so you're obviously a judgmental witch of a nurse who eats their own huh? no, wait a minute - how could i make such a generalized assessment without knowing you? hmmmmmm

i guess you've had the opportunity to work with every single male nurse to reach such a venomous conclusion. wait!!! that can't be right either. as i am not yet 30 and have been in nursing for ten years and i am pretty sure we've never worked together.

granted, i always did work the night shift when i was a hospital nurse. but that was to avoid administration, not my patients.

nursing will continue its arduous struggle to be defined as a legitimate profession as long as narrow minded and judgmental people (male and female) continue to spew their individualized and unfounded bias for the world to see.

what's next? will watching a male nurse insert a catheter into a female patient make you feel "violated" or remind you of rape?

(hopefully some of you have picked up on the sarcasm, as i don't think the original poster would be so adept)

oh well - you can yell at a brick wall all day, but the bricks will still be red by the time you run out of voice.

:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

what's next? will watching a male nurse insert a catheter into a female patient make you feel "violated" or remind you of rape?

(hopefully some of you have picked up on the sarcasm, as i don't think the original poster would be so adept)

oh well - you can yell at a brick wall all day, but the bricks will still be red by the time you run out of voice.

:yeah:

please be careful using words like rape and sarcasm in the same train of thought.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If you all will look..you will see that a lot of the comments on others behavior....are saying the same thing..just from a different corner of the room..As tough as Ruby Vee comes across she is only reacting to broad generalizations of the conduct of female gender. such as saying they are catty or they are something.and the guys are outraged that they are generalised at the beginning of this thread depicting young males as lazy and self centered.

I have had enough family in the hospital in the last 10 years to tell you that no age group or sex has a monopoly on kindness or competency...and no age group or sex has a monopoly on morons or battle axes...

You all ought to see what patients families see..when they are with their loved ones night and day for weeks on end...We witness some of the most awsome displays....of kindness..of being smarter than the doctors (seriously...I saw too many docs who had no clue at all)..and unfortunately some incredible hatefullness..meanness of spirit aimed at fellow med health folk and at patients...I have seen nurses like what I really think Ruby Vee is..no nonsense..and most of the patients are lucky she is around..she keeps docs, PCs. lab techs, family and others from killing them...And have seen young male PCs and nurses who were just as dedicated to pt.care....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Just those battle axes!!!

It's only a few nurses but they ruin the lot...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

Hate men much?

While I don't condone the OP's apparent generalizations, she did say that she has nothing but love for the "older" male nurses, which is a sentiment I would be inclined to encourage in all young women. And while her remarks don't correspond to what I've observed, I have to say I can think of one male nurse who did fit parts of her decription. He was over thirty and not "apathetic," or "jerky," but I did sometimes get the feeling he wanted something with more prestige than bedside nursing. I'm a bit ambivalent about that: I don't like the idea of someone thinking he's "too good" for direct patient care, but it's hard to fault someone for looking for a postion that receives more professional respect than bedside nursing. Which, ultimately, is what he did.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.
Please be careful using words like rape and sarcasm in the same train of thought.

he was referring to another thread discussion of a female who thought having a male insert a foley into a female patient reminded her of rape. He was making a point of the absurdity of it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
not reading your link yet, but the first male nurses were other soldiers taking care of the wounded.... because there was no one else to do it.

Nope, the first nurses EVER were men but not soldiers. Men started the profession. There was an entire order dedicated to nursing. It was only in the 1800s that it somehow became a woman's job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.
Nope, the first nurses EVER were men. Men started the profession. IT was only in the 1800s that it somehow became a woman's job.

um, did you read my post before replying? :confused:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Added an edit which I forgot to include. I think you missed the part where I mentioned that there was an order of non soldiers that were nurses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.
Nope, the first nurses EVER were men but not soldiers. Men started the profession. There was an entire order dedicated to nursing. It was only in the 1800s that it somehow became a woman's job.

I am not discounting the distant history of males in nursing, or more appropriately put, males in a caring capacity. Though you are incorrect that it became a female occupation in the 1800's. As far as the Army Nurse Corp, it was in 1775 that females were brought in http://www.army.mil/women/nurses.html

I have an issue with the only real historical link to male history making references without citing the information as here: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6011/sld006.htm

Some of the biblical references referring to men as caretakers were likely because women were not to touch a man, other than their husband. You could conclude these men were nurses, but with the bible, it's always up to interpretation.

I am not disputing that males cared for others in history. It is debatable as to when, seeing as records from 200AD are a little difficult to source.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Some of the kindest, most sincere men I've ever met were nurses. I find that attitude very sexy!! ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).
well, it's a switch! i'm convinced that most of the nurses who post on this board hate women!

which is interesting, since most of the nurses who post on this board are women. but i don't entirely dispute the point. it does seem like a lot of women (not all, or hopefully even most, but many) have difficulty loving themselves, or other women.

i would encourage all of us who love women to do what we can to help them improve their self-image.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion