You're not a male nurse

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Specializes in Wound Care, ICU, and Interventional Radiology.

Hello everyone,

I'm new to allnurses, but I created an account just for the fact that there is a great community of nurses on here. I have 3 years of experience as a nurse and cannot imagine doing anything else as a career. I am a male and I am a nurse. I just wanted to reach out to those guys that are considering entering the field that may or may not have some hesitation due to the fact that it is a female dominated field.

I never thought once while I was in high school that I'd become a nurse. If you want to consider the "masculinity" or whatever of me, I can tell you I was a multiple sport athlete with state letters in basketball and football. I worked in a rural community as a farmhand. My father and brother are both construction workers. I had many reasons to choose a "man's" profession. When the suggestion from an aptitude test was nursing,  I thought "that's a women's job" or "people will think that I'm a homosexual." There is a stigma that nursing is a "feminine" field, whatever that means.  Obviously these were close minded, immature thoughts of a high school guy but I know that these same thoughts will cross many guys' minds when considering nursing as a career. Even my father after he found out I chose nursing was confused, asking "why would you choose a women's job?"  Though these were barriers to my choice to become a nurse,  looking back, I'm extremely proud I went through with it.

A defining time for my choice to become a nurse was when I was just like you, researching online "what is it like to be a male nurse?" I remember coming across an article on a site just like this. I remember seeing the varying experiences as what it's like to be a "male nurse" or "murse." Some were good, some not so great. There's even communities of male nurses offering support to one another. The problem here is that we have created a dividing line between ourselves and our female counterparts. Now that men are starting to dive into the nursing field you see even more division such as women belonging in the maternal units or pediatric units because they are more "nurturing." THIS ASSUMPTION IS NOT TRUE. I've seen a 6 foot 7 300 Ib previous D2 football lineman soothe a peanut of a baby to sleep and I'll tell you what, I wouldn't cross the man.   The one thing I can only hope to reach you men out there is that you are not a "male nurse." You're a nurse and be proud of it. We are the same as our colleagues, male or female. You're a nurse just like they are. We each individually have our own strengths and weaknesses. You just have to find what you're passionate about as find a specialty you are happy in. There are endless opportunities as a nurse. It's up to you where you'll fall in. 

Do not let anyone shake you from choosing this profession. I promise you, it will reward you in ways you never thought possible.  In the end, find your place, be proud, and be humble. Thanks everyone!

 

 

Specializes in Sm Bus Mgmt, Operations, Planning, HR, Coaching.

Great perspective.  Thanks for your contribution.

On 12/19/2020 at 12:46 PM, GunnyNurse said:

In the end, find your place, be proud, and be humble.

This is what matters.  PEACE be with you and Happy Holidays.

Specializes in Nursing Student Retention.

What a fantastic post! I’ve mentored more than a few male nursing graduates/ RNs I know would readily agree with you 100% but who may not have been able to express it as well. I hope your future plans include precepting new nurses or nursing education. You have a perspective and gifts that should be shared!

Specializes in Nurse Anesthesiology.

There will always be the stereotypes with this profession and many other things so don't let them get to you.  As a CRNA if someone gives me crap I just like to remind them how good my paychecks are.

Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.

The best rejoinder I’ve seen is, “I nurse females too.” 

Specializes in NICU.
7 hours ago, Hannahbanana said:

The best rejoinder I’ve seen is, “I nurse females too.” 

Patient: "You're a male nurse?"

Nurse; "No, I take care of female patients also."

Specializes in Medical-Surgical.

We always need nurses, no matter the gender. I will be the first to admit how much I appreciate the male presence on the unit floor. The world really does see men different than females and together we can accomplish much more than being solely dependent on only one. I encourage men to enter nursing. We really need them. 

I've always said that nursing has a lot of traditional 'male' duties. A lot of 'in charge' responsibilities and decision making. 

Specializes in oncology.
On 7/2/2021 at 8:47 AM, summertx said:

A lot of 'in charge' responsibilities and decision making. 

What? In my 40+ years I have always seen new RNs who were male rise to management positions. 

 

On 7/2/2021 at 8:47 AM, summertx said:

I've always said that nursing has a lot of traditional 'male' duties.

These management positions do not have links to male or female traits. Rather these promotions happened in Catholic hospitals where there is a definite preference for males in positions of power.

Sometimes these new male managers flame out....their skills were lacking.  

13 minutes ago, londonflo said:

What? In my 40+ years I have always seen new RNs who were male rise to management positions. 

 

These management positions do not have links to male or female traits. Rather these promotions happened in Catholic hospitals where there is a definite preference for males in positions of power.

Sometimes these new male managers flame out....their skills were lacking.  

It's just like Hollywood, the less experienced, more attractive, more preferred person gets the job.  I'd venture to say they are mostly white men, not minority. 

I am non-binary but perceived as male by society.

Specializes in Student Nurse.

Honestly never thought about medicine as a career ever in my life up until a few years ago (just before SARS-CoV-2 hit); but when I saw the pressure that was put on the nurses who were taking care of patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms, I wanted to help them all on the front lines. People were so scared around here, but the people who were in the hospitals just needed others to be with them and care for them, not to mention the medical care they needed. Something switched inside of me and made me want to be there for them in their hour of need so they could have the medical and emotional care they needed. I talked it over with my wife for about a year and she surprised me with some prerequisite textbooks for Christmas, effectively giving me her blessing to go ahead with the schooling.

I applied and began my prerequisites the following Summer (it was difficult getting all the necessary info into the college from Canada—there was a lot of bureaucratic red tape). I completed my prerequisites for the ASN program at Valencia and am just waiting on their decision, now. I will likely get in (hoping ?), but people lately have been commenting on the idea that I’ve chosen to be a male nurse.

I have to tell them that I didn’t exactly choose to be born a male, but that I really look forward to becoming a nurse. My doctor keeps asking me about when I’m going to be finished school for nursing. LOL. I keep wondering if it’s because he wants to hire me.  We get along really well. You can tell he really cares. 
 

Anyway, I totally get why people feel weird about being called a male nurse or a murse. You wouldn’t talk about someone being a male boilermaker or a male manager. But I still kinda laugh at the notion of people thinking of careers being either male or female careers. My friends and family are actually very proud of me and can’t wait to call me “nurse Brian”. I, personally, think society is kind of over and past the idea that nursing is a female profession, for the most part. You still have people who haven’t caught on yet, but still, I think the stigma has pretty much run it’s course…at least in America and Canada.

That’s just been my experience and my personal opinion so far. It may change in the future.

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