Showing posts with label nursing stereotypes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nursing stereotypes. Show all posts

Thursday, March 24, 2011

What being a male nurse is NOT, Scrubsmag.com

Urban legends. That what they are.

Some like to refer to them as ‘stereotypes’. Public opinion is generally not in sync with reality when it comes to the world of nursing.

This website and many others have discussed all the discrepancies before. Well, being a male nurse is no different. I’m here to tell ya those stereotypes are not what’s in store for ya.

Here is what being male nurse is NOT about:

  • We don’t always get accused of being gay. Sorry. In my entire time as a nurse I’ve never once been confronted with this gem of a myth.
  • We don’t get a job simply because we can lift the heavy patients.
  • We are not singled out as the go-to free-labor nurse on the unit, simply because we’re men and we might have muscles.
  • We do not lose our ‘man card’ when we become a nurse.
  • Critical care and emergency nursing are not the only place that hires us or employs male nurses (it just happens to be the popular choice).
  • The last time I checked I did not get a higher rate of pay just because of my gender. You earn every penny you get as a nurse, be it through experience or education.
  • Male nurses don’t have it ‘harder’ working as a nurse. Yes, just by the percentages we are the minority. But the job itself has never been gender specific.
  • And lastly, no you don’t get to tell a patient they have to accept you being their assigned nurse just ‘because’ or some cockamamie explanation about gender blindness. In the end the patients comfort is part of their care. Get over yourself. It’s not a stereotype, it’s just a patient preference.

Just in case you were wondering, here are a few things on what being a male nurse IS about:

  • You have to earn everything you think you deserve
  • You will have patients who are just not comfortable having a male nurse take care of them. It’s not a conspiracy against you are the entire male nurse working force, it’s just the patient not feeling comfortable. Try being the patient once. You’ll understand it more clearly.
  • Due to society’s traditional legacy, yes, you will be mistaken for a doctor. Be sure to correct them and explain why.
  • No one who comes across your path cares about you being a male, what they do care about is how you care.
  • The minute you stop acting like a ‘male’ nurse is the minute they stop treating you as such.

Any questions?

Click on the "via" link for the rest of the article.

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Friday, November 12, 2010

Gender Stereotypes In Nursing?

Phil Boorman | Cultura Collection | Getty Images

image: Phil Boorman/Cultura Collection/Getty Images

Yes. It can and does happen. Contrary to popular belief and myth, there really are male nurses out there!

And yes, we do encounter discrimination every so often – some greater than others, and some more severe.

I can remember when I first made the decision to be a nurse…

“You want to be a Murse?”
“I guess you didn’t want to be a doctor?”
“Are you gay?”

I have seen and heard it all from all walks of life. You would be surprised at some of the reaction and interaction I have experienced being a ‘male’ nurse.

Even after I made it through nursing school and started working, the stereotyping continued in some small way. This time it was from my co-workers…

“Oh, I’m so glad you’re here. Now we have some muscle on the floor.”
“You’re so great to work with, lifting my patients is so much easier when you’re around.”
“The doctors like you better – it’s a guy thing.”

So my gender as a nurse has been a blessing and a curse. And there really is no rhyme or reason, no prediction, and no preparation. Some patients/families out there simply do not like nor want a male nurse, while some prefer them. Same goes for the doctors, some will unconsciously treat me ‘better’ or ‘differently’, while others will make my life difficult. Is it simply because I’m a guy? And some co-workers will also unconsciously ‘like’ me simply because I have muscles. God-forbid I bring skill and knowledge to the table?!

All of these ‘challenges’ still are manageable. All of these so-called difficulties can be ‘worked around’ in most cases. Even at its most severe, I’ve only had to change patient assignments due to a patient/family/physician nursing gender preference. But, I’ve never had to worry about not practicing as a nurse.

I have balked at some things I’ve experienced. I’ve moaned and groaned at past interactions. But mostly I just let it roll off my shoulders and simply move on – because in all instances I still get to practice as a nurse in this wonderful field of nursing. I still get to do the job I love in the setting I prefer and love.

Others are not so lucky.

It seems in India – for a particular diploma nursing program – they will not accept male candidates for their program!? In fact this discrimination was petitioned – and lost! It seems that males are being prohibited to enter because the diploma program’s course work involves mid-wifery as well as pre and post-natal care?!

(insert facial expression of shock and disbelief??!!)

To make matters worse, the higher court ruled that there is a sufficient number of male nurses already working in the areas they are needed – like jail, ortho department, mental health hospitals and operation theatres??!!

Wow.

As a nurse, male or female, we are taught to be culturally diverse – including transcultural nursing. We are encouraged and trained to be culturally competent practitioners, but this – in my humble opinion – is astonishing.

How can you judge or even pre-judge, and ‘genderize’ the practices of a profession that works side by side with the field of medicine?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but do they discriminate female candidates who have an interest in being an orthopedic physician? Or a male candidate wanting to pursue obstetrics?

Original story from ‘The Times of India’ here.

As well as the original commentary from ‘The Truth About Nursing’ here.

Things that make you go hmm.

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Any questions, please drop me a line.

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