Your Back

MistiroseRN · Dec 28, 2008

I have been asked many times to help another nurse or a CNA. I feel it's being a team player and taking care of the patients needs. I realize you were asking the men but I find this question a little offensive. If I need help I will ask anyone that is close, be it man or women.

patrick1rn, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 28, 2008

I have been asked many times to help another nurse or a CNA. I feel it's being a team player and taking care of the patients needs. I realize you were asking the men but I find this question a little offensive. If I need help I will ask anyone that is close, be it man or women.

why do you find it offensive ? I was asking the guys ?

MistiroseRN · Dec 28, 2008

I felt the post was stating that you feel like you should get more pay for lifting patients. Why? I do extra lifting and I am not getting extra pay. It goes with the job.

THAT Nurse., MSN, RN, APRN · Dec 30, 2008

Misti,

It goes with the job, that is undisputed. What you may not know, is that men become the lift team, and I do not mean that in any silly way either. I am routinely referred to as the lift team for the floor (I am often the only male Tech, and we have but a few male RNs. I understand I am often the strongest person around, so I never refuse to the request for help; though I will raise the beds every single time.)

I would wager most, if not all, males working in this area do more than an equal share of the lifting load, and due to the nature of it (hard on our backs, which can put us out of the field fast) I think we deserve a little hazard pay.

That said, we won't get it. It would be shot down as sex discrimination favoring men, and most Nursing orgs seem to have an underlying dislike of men (especially here in Tennessee). I think the best we can do is trade loads, as best we can. It won't make up for the wear on our backs, but it will ease our strain. Thankfully, the nurses I work with are a bunch of pretty, awesome, angels. They already pitch in for me when I need it, and frankly, are the sole reason I like my position in my current facility. As long as the women accept a team approach, and help us guys out in return, I can accept the status quo, for now.

patrick1rn, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 30, 2008

I dont have a problem lifting a patient, my max on the bench press before I started my FNP clinicals was 405 lbs, now its down a bit and i gained some weight but since i graduated I started exercising more intensely.

I tell my coworkers at work to protect your back, stretch out those muscles, work those abs , do pilates.. i dont do pilates of course.. ha ha

We men get called to help lift another patient from another floor or unit, both me and another male RN got called to help lift some dude who was on the floor.

This happens all the time

ANother thing they use me to do is to de escalate psychiatric situations with potential combative and confused patients. I work at the VA and im a veteran myself, so I know. sometimes ive had to use force, most of the time its matter of just talking to the patient like he is another veteran, i violate the rules, I go in their with a diet coke, ask him whats wrong. most of the time the dudes are just frustrated, I know I have been their.

MistiroseRN · Dec 30, 2008

First off I would like to say I am all for males entering the nursing field. I love men! I am even married to one lol. I would also like to see more enter the field. I think diversity is a great thing. Now that said I guess my point is that on some level you must have known you would be called apon for lifting before chosing this career. My floor is run on a good night with 4 CNA's and only one of them is a male. I asked him last night if he has felt the way you two feel. He said he has in other places he has worked. I guess not everyone thinks the way I do. I do not seek him out for assistants. If he happens to be close when I need help I will ask. More often than not it is a women that is close since we have more of them. I pride myself in being a team player. Nothing is below me. I change attends, answer call bells and put residents on and off the bed pans. When it comes to passing meds I only pass for my side other than that I don't consider what side the call bell is on when it is ringing if it needs answered I answer it. That is where I was coming from and my intention was not to make this a male-female issue. I just feel if the job needs done just do it. I am sure this is not the case in every facility. Maybe you just needed to vent sorry if I overstepped.

Saifudin · Dec 30, 2008

If I had to go back to floor duty after nearly 27 years out of bed-side nursing, with disc bulges since the late 80's and frequent back aches I'd call anyone who is pressing 400lbs to help lift. In fact, would 10 bucks get the job done? :lol2:

karenG · Dec 30, 2008

over here, we dont lift. we have hoists etc to do that. But when I did have to do lifting, I didnt ask the guys to help! we used to use a lift called an australian lift.. and I stand 5'1. I found lifting with a guy a foot taller than me was interesting and put more strain on my back.. so I prefer to lift with people my size. Dont really care if they are men or women!

TAB_RN · Dec 30, 2008

Well if you deserve a raise for that, then I deserve a raise for all the times I have to be in the room as a "witness" for rectals and pelvics! LOL!!!

Saifudin · Dec 30, 2008

Tab RN,

Being a 'witness' is often far better than being a 'first responder' (Yuk) LOL

gcupid · Dec 30, 2008

I'm not a nurse yet but, I guess female nurses could argue the same when it comes to other issues. For example: I've never seen a male nurse place a foley catheter into his female patient. The men that I observed usually ask a female nurse to do so.

So I guess, when it comes down to it, the raises should equal out and both male & female nurses should get the same pay.