[SoldierNurse]

Originally Posted by nurseguy55

I started my current phase of nursing, in a nursing home, as a noc shift nurse. The prohibition against any kind of physical restraint took some adjusting. I had worked in hospitals and was accustomed to using posey vests and soft cuffs on confused patients who were at risk for falling and injury. This was now not an option and sprinting into rooms when a personal safety alarm went off was frustrating, especially when it was happening over and over. I will always remember a demented gentleman who not only taught me to deal with this new situation, but gave me my favorite job title on the same night.
After firmly reminding this resident for the 7th or 8th time that he must not self transfer out of bed, I noticed that he was staring intently at my ID badge which identified me by name and title. I returned to the nurse's station and resumed my charting No more than ten minutes had passed when I heard the alarm again give it's high pitch squeal. My NAC's ran into the room ahead of me, as I was tied up signing out narcotics for another resident. When I had locked up the narcs, I followed them into the room where they were, once again, re-settling this man in bed. He looked at me suspiciously, but said only " I know, I know" The aides were smirking and obviously amused, I was not. I just repeated the caution about self transferring, When we left the room, both NAC's burst into laughter. they said that when they entered the room, this fellow was on all fours on the safety mat that we had place at his bedside earlier. He looked up at them and said, " I don't mind if you girls help me, but I am getting sick of that son of b**ch with a badge!"
Now...that's a title I could live with. Not a soft squishy nurse. But a rugged SOB with a badge. Sounds more like a gunslinger. I still hear co-workers(3 yrs later) comment...don't mess with him, he's no sweet, little nurse...he's the SOB with a badge."

LOL, that was great! In fact, I'd think a better username for you would be SOBwithBadge

BTW, please post up a Thread in the New User Intro Forum... and WELCOME!

[TheInvisibleCar]

Okay, I'm sick of being insulted for my opinion on the word nurse. I know what a nurse is, but I'm not the only one who uses or defines that the English language means. Of course, to the person who has really thought about and reprogrammed their brain, nurses, nannies and maids are of course, totally both male and female, and using such words are not gender specific and words like nurse, maid or nanny do not in anyway bring to mind an image of a female more than a male. But I don't think that's what the words mean to most people. I think most people, distant to the profession particularly, if you were to ask them to draw a picture of a nurse, maid or a nanny, well, I don't think you'd get many drawings of men at all.

And also to the insulter, I wasn't insisting on particular new titles, and I didn't use the word assistant way except for where it already is, in a CNA's job title. I don't think nurse assistant sounds a bit more stately than administrative assistant. And I am serious, Maid, Nanny or assistant nanny brings up an image of a female to me, if that's being wrong brained, and there's manly man nannies who really wish the 800,000,000 English speakers who haven't gotten the jest yet would hurry up and get it in their heads that some nannies are men now too, so they won't have to hear giggles or comments like "male nanny" anymore. If you are so right, then no nursing home residents or hospital patients say "male nurse"? Ah...but they do, all the time!!! And I haven't heard "female doctor," in ages, even though I'm not sure the ratio there is any different...it's the word "nurse" in people's brains...it might prove next to impossible to reprogram everybody to think equally of men when they hear "Nurse, nanny or maid," and there's been no big outcry by nannies or maid to fight using other titles instead, as most of their employers have!

I wasn't insisting on using Registered or Licensed Practical HealthCare Process Administartors RHPA or LPHPA, or just RHA or LPHA, although I like those. Come up with something. Call them Registered Healthcare Commanders for all I care! Just as I'd rather be an office clearner, house cleaner, cleaning service worker, or something, rather than be called a maid, I'd rather a job title without the word nurse in it, even if in fact one is still an nurse practicing nursing.

Although I guess until then I'll have to put up with being called or refered to as a male nurse, and knowing this is how people obviously DO think, I might has well insist on Man Nurse. I mean, come on, male nurse sounds about as sissified as male maid, or male nanny. Come on, at least I'm going to try to beef up the unofficial second title that people give nurses who are not women. Man-maid or man-nanny or man-nurse all sound a bit more toughed up to me, not nearly as emasculating as being a male-nurse, or just nurse even if that's what people are even thinking but not saying.

Until the job titles chance, I'm a Man nurse, got it? It doesn't seem to take the wind out of the sails of Patient Care Technitions to be called that, instead of nursing assistant, and I don't hear people screaming that it's ridiculous, that they should be called nursing assistants, and that PCT sounds stupid! So why be so defensive of job titles like Licensed Practical Nanny or Registered Nurse, even if by any other names excluding the words Nanny or Nurse, they function of the job is exactly the same!!!

I understand than Nurses and Nannies are perhaps used to and proud of the titles, even male nannies perhaps. But I beg pardon that I can understand those out there who for some strange reason think that nurse, nanny and maid are sissy words for a man to be called. Maybe they are trying to be respectful by saying male nurse, as to let you know that they aren't seeing you as an emmasclated sort of sissy man who thinks or wants to be a woman! Words like doctor and teacher, are different than words like nanny and nurse, the concept of the latter two just don't seem to change with a change in gender ratios very easily. Even for me. And I've been in the field for years, and it's still sort of a sissy word for me too, sorry to say.

Anyway, show me any man who the terminology "Naughty Nurses Go Wild," brings up some mental picture of bad boys having fun, even if in equal numbers with bad girls going wild, and either you they have been in nursing, or somehow exposed to nursing a lot, for a very long time, or they are gay. Bad boys having fun is not my image of "naughty nurses gone wild" and to heck if this man-nurse ever wants that to be his image! If I start thinking like that, trying to de-sissify sissy words, them I might end up too terrified to even think of accepting some gag gift of a french maid to come clean my house, for fear of what sort of weirdo freak of a man might show up!!!

I like the job, the position, helping people, caring, don't even mind having a degree in nursing or a nursing profession, as I havea degree in another field too, and have done other things so it is not the definition of my being outside of working and practicing it, but the job titles with the word nurse in it, you can take it, please, I beg of God in heaven!

Even the title D.O.N. is okay, because you are the "Director of..." and last I heard, "Director," isn't a sissy word. Neither is secretary, considering things like "Secretary of Defense," etc. I could live with that even, being a secretary, as that word, like doctor, isn't anchored in gender by anything other than the ratios of who does it. But because of Nursemaids, nursing babies and the fact that some nurse still wear little white hats and white skirts as part of the "professional," image of the profession, well, changing the image of the word is helpless.

Just too many Hollywood movies alone have already been made with little white hat submissive cuties. Do you think doctors who happen to be women would seriously consider lowering themselves to wearing a white skirt and little old fashioned white waitress type hat or something as part of looking professional? Get serious.

For now, the job title is just a slight humiliation I just gotta live with, if I want the money and satisifaction of knowing I'm helping people in the way that nurses do. Just thought I'd suggest ways to make things better.

[SoldierNurse]

"...For now, the job title is just a slight humiliation I just gotta live with, if I want the money and satisifaction of knowing I'm helping people in the way that nurses do. Just thought I'd suggest ways to make things better."

I found a way to make things better... for me as a male nurse.

[Ricu]

Originally Posted by TheInvisibleCar

Okay, I'm sick of being insulted for my opinion on the word nurse. I know what a nurse is, but I'm not the only one who uses or defines that the English language means. Of course, to the person who has really thought about and reprogrammed their brain, nurses, nannies and maids are of course, totally both male and female, and using such words are not gender specific and words like nurse, maid or nanny do not in anyway bring to mind an image of a female more than a male. But I don't think that's what the words mean to most people. I think most people, distant to the profession particularly, if you were to ask them to draw a picture of a nurse, maid or a nanny, well, I don't think you'd get many drawings of men at all.

And also to the insulter, I wasn't insisting on particular new titles, and I didn't use the word assistant way except for where it already is, in a CNA's job title. I don't think nurse assistant sounds a bit more stately than administrative assistant. And I am serious, Maid, Nanny or assistant nanny brings up an image of a female to me, if that's being wrong brained, and there's manly man nannies who really wish the 800,000,000 English speakers who haven't gotten the jest yet would hurry up and get it in their heads that some nannies are men now too, so they won't have to hear giggles or comments like "male nanny" anymore. If you are so right, then no nursing home residents or hospital patients say "male nurse"? Ah...but they do, all the time!!! And I haven't heard "female doctor," in ages, even though I'm not sure the ratio there is any different...it's the word "nurse" in people's brains...it might prove next to impossible to reprogram everybody to think equally of men when they hear "Nurse, nanny or maid," and there's been no big outcry by nannies or maid to fight using other titles instead, as most of their employers have!

I wasn't insisting on using Registered or Licensed Practical HealthCare Process Administartors RHPA or LPHPA, or just RHA or LPHA, although I like those. Come up with something. Call them Registered Healthcare Commanders for all I care! Just as I'd rather be an office clearner, house cleaner, cleaning service worker, or something, rather than be called a maid, I'd rather a job title without the word nurse in it, even if in fact one is still an nurse practicing nursing. Although I guess until then I'll have to put up with being called or refered to as a male nurse, and knowing this is how people obviously DO think, I might has well insist on Man Nurse. I mean, come on, male nurse sounds about as sissified as male maid, or male nanny. Come on, at least I'm going to try to beef up the unofficial second title that people give nurses who are not women. Man-maid or man-nanny or man-nurse all sound a bit more toughed up to me, not nearly as emasculating as being a male-nurse, or just nurse even if that's what people are even thinking but not saying. Until the job titles chance, I'm a Man nurse, got it? It doesn't seem to take the wind out of the sails of Patient Care Technitions to be called that, instead of nursing assistant, and I don't hear people screaming that it's ridiculous, that they should be called nursing assistants, and that PCT sounds stupid! So why be so defensive of job titles like Licensed Practical Nanny or Registered Nurse, even if by any other names excluding the words Nanny or Nurse, they function of the job is exactly the same!!! I understand than Nurses and Nannies are perhaps used to and proud of the titles, even male nannies perhaps. But I beg pardon that I can understand those out there who for some strange reason think that nurse, nanny and maid are sissy words for a man to be called. Maybe they are trying to be respectful by saying male nurse, as to let you know that they aren't seeing you as an emmasclated sort of sissy man who thinks or wants to be a woman! Words like doctor and teacher, are different than words like nanny and nurse, the concept of the latter two just don't seem to change with a change in gender ratios very easily. Even for me. And I've been in the field for years, and it's still sort of a sissy word for me too, sorry to say. Anyway, show me any man who the terminology "Naughty Nurses Go Wild," brings up some mental picture of bad boys having fun, even if in equal numbers with bad girls going wild, and either you they have been in nursing, or somehow exposed to nursing a lot, for a very long time, or they are gay. Bad boys having fun is not my image of "naughty nurses gone wild" and to heck if this man-nurse ever wants that to be his image! If I start thinking like that, trying to de-sissify sissy words, them I might end up too terrified to even think of accepting some gag gift of a french maid to come clean my house, for fear of what sort of weirdo freak of a man might show up!!! I like the job, the position, helping people, caring, don't even mind having a degree in nursing or a nursing profession, as I havea degree in another field too, and have done other things so it is not the definition of my being outside of working and practicing it, but the job titles with the word nurse in it, you can take it, please, I beg of God in heaven! Even the title D.O.N. is okay, because you are the "Director of..." and last I heard, "Director," isn't a sissy word. Neither is secretary, considering things like "Secretary of Defense," etc. I could live with that even, being a secretary, as that word, like doctor, isn't anchored in gender by anything other than the ratios of who does it. But because of Nursemaids, nursing babies and the fact that some nurse still wear little white hats and white skirts as part of the "professional," image of the profession, well, changing the image of the word is helpless. Just too many Hollywood movies alone have already been made with little white hat submissive cuties. Do you think doctors who happen to be women would seriously consider lowering themselves to wearing a white skirt and little old fashioned white waitress type hat or something as part of looking professional? Get serious. For now, the job title is just a slight humiliation I just gotta live with, if I want the money and satisifaction of knowing I'm helping people in the way that nurses do. Just thought I'd suggest ways to make things better.

Wow, you wrote a lot on the matter of title. I feel the same way, really, that there will never be a gender besides female associated with the term "nurse." Assigning a gender neutral title to what is currently called nursing would help us guys out and probably the women too. I don't see it happening because it's just us guys who seem to be hung up even a little bit, on the term. "Nurse" really does conjure up many assorted images none of which is masculine. I, like you and most other guys in the field, have come to live with it even if I still introduce myself by name and say "I'll be taking care of you today". I don't say "Hi, I'm your nurse today." My patients get it. If their prior experience has led them to believe or if their foredrawn conclusion is that male nurses have to be effeminate, I think I positively change their perspective. I am a highly skilled, very caring and sensitive nurse but also very masculine.

Hang in there, dude.

R

[SoldierNurse]

TheInvisibleCar - Be advised, no one has insulted you! However, FYI your reference to "the insulter" will get you a verbal warning from me! Why? Because I'm one of the Mods on this threads that has the back of our founder of this site... Shortbus [A.K.A. Aaron]. Now, with this advice I will add another suggestion that you not take ANY OF THIS personal. Okay? In other words, take two and post back on this Thread in the morning.

I do admire your passion and enthusiasm towards bringing more males into the nursing profession. However, I must agree the best we can do is educate the public to the healthcare role we nurses fill. As an active duty Army ICU Male RN at Madigan Army Medical Center patients often mistake me as an MD. I politely inform those mistaken that I'm an RN. BTW, I always introduce myself to my patient's as ... Hello, my name is First Lieutenant Cary James Barrett and I will be your primary nurse today. I realize that is a mouthful but important to clearly introduce myself to my patient's. Yes, I do wear an ID badge that clearly states my name, rank, and staff position. Nevertheless, we all know about stereotypes.

Patients, especially geriatrics, see male staff as MD's & female staff as nurses. Yet, this does not imply that the general public is gender bias towards the healthcare profession. This does give light to the technological advances that have been made since the days of Florence Nightingale and the ignorance of the general public. I will not downplay, or discredit the importance of nurses some +15 years ago. However, I'd venture to say the general public is unaware of the autonomy that is given to most critical care nurses today. Time has long past since female nurses were hand-maidens to crusty old male doctors. The healthcare profession is a team effort with males & females on both sides of the nursing & medical model.

The Madigan Army Medical Center motto is Care with Compassion. This motto is for all AMEDD [Army Medical Department] staff... officers, enlisted, professionals, ancillary staff, etc. Bottom line, I'm man enough to nurture & cultivate [i.e. nurse] my patient's whether that be in the environment of a Medical Center CONUS, or on foreign soil in a Combat Support Hospital with IEDs in the immediate area.

In closing, be proud of your gender, your profession, and educate other's of the same appropriately.

[SoldierNurse]

Originally Posted by Ricu

Wow, you wrote a lot on the matter of title. I feel the same way, really, that there will never be a gender besides female associated with the term "nurse." Assigning a gender neutral title to what is currently called nursing would help us guys out and probably the women too. I don't see it happening because it's just us guys who seem to be hung up even a little bit, on the term. "Nurse" really does conjure up many assorted images none of which is masculine. I, like you and most other guys in the field, have come to live with it even if I still introduce myself by name and say "I'll be taking care of you today". I don't say "Hi, I'm your nurse today." My patients get it. If their prior experience has led them to believe or if their foredrawn conclusion is that male nurses have to be effeminate, I think I positively change their perspective. I am a highly skilled, very caring and sensitive nurse but also very masculine.

Hang in there, dude.

R

I always inform my patient's that I will be their primary nurse. BTW, in my line of work the term nurse need not conjure up non-masculine images...

[SoldierNurse]

Ricu - Do these guys conjure up images of non-masculine nurses?

[Cammer]

Just a few comments/observations.

- Apparently the term "nurse" has enough female connotation within it to make a Male Nurses Forum necessary on this website.

- Ask ANY child to draw a picture of a nurse. What gender do you think would be selected most of the time? What would that nurse be wearing?

- The politically correct terms PoliceOfficer and FireFighter are not gender neutral since the separate words Officer and Fighter are not necessarily gender neutral and those sub-roles are usually describing masculine traits/characteristics of either men or women. The profession of Doctor has been evolving and is no longer perceived as primarily a male role. I attribute this to the popularity of TV shows that have a large number of female doctor characters. Shows like ER, House, Scrubs, etc, all have many female doctor characters with management roles. Ironically they have very few male nurse characters. In fact I'm not sure that the show "House" has ANY nurse characters, male or female... but that's a separate thread.

- Since the public determines the evolutionary road of language, it is not possible to "educate the public" as to the proper definition of any word. However, it is possible to change the public's perspective on the use of the word by the manipulation of the mass media, i.e. the term "doctor." Consider the many words that have changed definitions over the years, even within my lifetime of 40 years. The best example I can think of is the word "gay." Do you think it would be possible to "educate the public" as to the correct definition of that word? No. Because the correct definition has changed. Find a dictionary from 50 years ago and compare it with a current version and you'll see what I mean.

Personal note -

I very much dislike the term "nurse" because of the female connotations and stereotypes that go along with it. The gay stereotype is losing steam and I appreciate that because lifestyle really has very little to do with profession.

The true solution to this issue would be to actually change the female connotation by the use of mass media. If the news reporters would stop referring to male nurses in the news as "male nurse soandso" and if a popular TV show featured a high ratio of nursing characters who were male and correctly showed the nursing role of both genders as one of being in charge of patient care and the decision making process in the plan of care, partnered with physicians, then this gender stereotype would die down.

[cougarnurse]

A bit off subject, but during the Middle Ages, many priests/monastarians were nurses.

Cammer, you make a good point as to how kids would draw nurses. Back in my parent's day, the 'normal' job openings for women were secretaries, nurses, the Phone Co. Yes, things are changing. My job description will always be a 'nurse' though.


'Cat'

[Ricu]

Hey Mag,

Clearly you feel very comfortable in your male nurse skin. For that, I'm grateful. Some how, you interpreted my less than full bore enthusiam with the title of nurse as shame. Let my assure you, I am not ashamed of the title, just not very cozy with it but I think it's pretty clear to my patients and colleagues what I do for work. I think I belong more in Cammer's camp than yours, Mag

Take care, friend.

R