GRRR - The Gender Bias Continues

[SoldierNurse]

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Generation2 said:
I just make it a point never to say that I'm a male nurse. I am a nurse.

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Well, I must disagree. I'm very proud to be a Male as well as an RN. Therefore, I choose to proudly say I'm a Male RN. IMHO, a vast majority of the public still sees nursing as females wearing the white hat & white uniform. Yes, I agree the role of a nurse should be the same, no matter if a nurse is male or female. Nevertheless, what better way to show patients & their family members the "white hat nurse" is in the distant past by proudly representing the male nurse.

[SoldierNurse]

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1mg.epi said:
I am a NURSE:
Patients and family members will call me doctor. I say, "No, I Work for a living."

Wife of a patient said, "sorry honey, I guess you thought you were going to get a pretty one." I said, "you calling me ugly. I may be bald, but give me a break."

Red neck asked me once if I was gay. I said, "no, why are you."

I get very sarcastic with bias stupid remarks, made by people who just doent know any better. Dah

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Yes, they just don't know any better... so, rather than getting sarcastic with bias stupid remarks made by others just be yourself, a proud male nurse. This way your example will spread like wild fire to the ignorant masses that nurses can be heterosexual males, and better yet that all nurses are nurses.

[SoldierNurse]

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GratefulTedd said:
I have given up on taking affront to or trying smart remarks when asked if I am a nurse. I just smile and confidently inform the patient/family that I am indeed the nurse for the day (have to admit I still THINK those remarks). It's taken me 25 years to reach this point though. I just assume that most patients and families dont have a friggin clue what goes on inside a hospital (esp the ICU where I work) unless they have had a loved one critically ill before.

Its all perception- and we are perceived in the general public as bimbos (female) or gay +/- underachiever (could have been a Doctor afterall). In Nursing school I had only one freshman classmate give me a hard time about gay VS hetero due to choice of Nursing- the rest took it in stride or stayed silent.

Gender bias and assumptions are so ingrained that people just assume I am a Doctor when I go into a room or ask me to "go get the nurse" for them. Beat...beat...beat...Oh...thats you- ok well here's whats wrong.... and I take care of it. Takes a little longer to develop trust with some patients and families sometimes.

Changing the name of nursing will not solve a thing - unless its part of an overall program to change the publics perception of nursing which is really the issue as I see it.

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My sentiments exactly!

BTW, what is up with this Graemlin ... That Graemlin should be removed from this forum, STAT...IMHO That mentality is exactly what keeps the nursing profession from being non-gender bias.

[jenn4.5]

I am a student in college taking an English class where we have to take a stereotype and first prove that there is reason for ir and then prove that it is false. I have chosen "male nurses must be gay" because my boyfriend is a male nurse and I know the looks I get from people when they ask me what his profession is. What I am wondering is where to prove that there is "proof" of the reason for this stereotype. I know it is not true seeing as I am dating a nurse, but I need proof in a written formet both on and off the internet. Any help would be great. Also feel free to email me at jcobb012@student.monroecc.edu

[SoldierNurse]

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jenn4.5 said:
I am a student in college taking an English class where we have to take a stereotype and first prove that there is reason for ir and then prove that it is false. I have chosen "male nurses must be gay" because my boyfriend is a male nurse and I know the looks I get from people when they ask me what his profession is. What I am wondering is where to prove that there is "proof" of the reason for this stereotype. I know it is not true seeing as I am dating a nurse, but I need proof in a written formet both on and off the internet. Any help would be great. Also feel free to email me at jcobb012@student.monroecc.edu

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Below is a copy & paste of a term paper I did last semester in my UTMB Galveston RN-BSN program.

References to nursing need to be gender neutral to facilitate breaking down the gender – based associations with the nursing profession. Advertisements of female nurses wearing the white hat and crisp white uniform is a disservice to both male and female nurses. A conscious effort should be made to refrain from referring to all nurses as “she”. Kleinman (2004) stated language and images are often the most dominant and influential forces in our culture. Nurses, within the profession, must overcome the gender bias that became automatic in the 1900’s. Domrose (2003) stated most nurses don’t care who you are, male or female, as long as you can do the job. Domrose also found most patients don’t care either if their nurse is a male or female.

Traditional lines of thought such as nursing is “women’s work” further devalues the profession for both male and female nurses. The superior – subordinate physician – nurse relationship is no longer the norm in the health care industry just as the male – female husband – housewife role is no longer the norm in society. The Florence Nightingale era, although her contributions to nursing were tremendous, has long past. Kleinman (2004) stated Florence Nightingale advocated standards of conduct for nurses that emphasized deference, and obedience, which institutionalized the patriarchal base and power of men, as physicians, in health care. Men in nursing can foster a new physician – nurse professional relationship that female nurses can benefit from.

Lessons can be learned from military nursing in regard to the high percentage of men in all three services. In Boivin’s article (2002) on men in military nursing concluded the chances of having an all –male team of RNs is more than five times as likely to occur in the military. Boivin reported that in the Army 35.5% of the nurses are men, in the Navy 36% are men, and in the Air force 30% of the nurses are men. A camaraderie exist between the military nurses and physicians. In the military nurses hold the rank of officer same as the military physicians. Boivin found that while they don’t list it high on the reasons they became military nurses, men do admit being in the military carries less of a stigma than the still – stereotyped image of civilian male nurses.

If you would like to see references for the above cited I'll be glad to email them to you. I seriously doubt you will find hard statistics on male heterosexual nurses v. male homosexual nurses. In otherwords, out of the 6% male nursing population, I doubt you will find in the literature abroad a breakdown in sexual perference. BTW, I (a male heterosexual nurse) do know of several lesbian nurses, for whatever that is worth.

[hukilau]

I have been a psychiatric RN for 20 years. Since we don't wear uniforms our occupation is often unclear. I have had many patients introduce me to visitors: "This is John, he's a male nurse." But here's the funny thing... they usually say it with PRIDE! I think it's like someone else said, most people just have no idea of what goes on in a hospital. I personally feel no need to fix anything in this regard. I just try to set an example of professionalism and compassion and hope that's what people remember.

[SoldierNurse]

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hukilau said:
I have been a psychiatric RN for 20 years. Since we don't wear uniforms our occupation is often unclear. I have had many patients introduce me to visitors: "This is John, he's a male nurse." But here's the funny thing... they usually say it with PRIDE! I think it's like someone else said, most people just have no idea of what goes on in a hospital. I personally feel no need to fix anything in this regard. I just try to set an example of professionalism and compassion and hope that's what people remember.

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Setting the example for both male nurses & nurses in general is right on!

[Christof]

I couldnt agree more with your post.... I am very close to quitting this profession since I have fought this type of thing since becoming a nurse in 1993.... The worst offenders are female nurses of the old school. Flat out mean and treat males as bad or worse in their dominated profession as they have complained of being treated historically in male dominated professions... I never even got to assist in one delivery in my OB rotation in school (only male in my OB rotation) and have been placed on probation by a female DNS for "having the gall" to place tele leads on a female cardiac patient (exposing a breast) without having another female nurse at the bedside.. What kind of crap is that? Females cath male patints all the time with no other staff there, but just try cathing a female without another nurse present and kiss your job goodby... Called into HR one time and given a written warning because a female had made a comment r/t my male anatomy (in a joking way) and I had not made an issue out of it... Can you believe that? Had I made a comment about a female co-workers anatomy and I would have been out the door in a heartbeat...
Sorry for going on and on, but a vast majority of female nurses should be ashamed of themselves for their conduct. A great male nurse is not congratulated on a job well done, but rather despised as someone "clawing their way to the top". I will never recommend to any young man to enter this profession, and that is sad. It used to make me feel so fulfilled, now it simply makes me feel like I want out.. PA school here I come.

Christof

[Neonebula2001]

I am an R.N. who is workingon my BSN. I have been a Nurse for almost 9 years now and have experienced the gender stereo-type first hand. The first question I was asked when I started my first job had nothing to do with nursing at all. It was a question fishing for my sexual orientation.

I promptly alerted the staff member who asked me teh probing question that I was indedd heterosexual but if I were not would it be a problem? The yreplied no so I asked why did it mater in the first place.

I am writing a paper now for a class that has to do with personal culture and since nursing is a major part of my life I am choosing it as subject matter.

I do not agree with the term "Male Nurse" and have had heated discussion with the faculty at school regarding the use of this term to somehow seperate the MEN from the Women .

I am proud to be a Nurse and greatful for this site!! this is my first post.

Mike

[geargeezer]

I think all this belly aching is rediculous. Male, female, gay stright who cares??? There are way more important nursing issues to contend with (like showing up on time). I'm a male nurse and when someone refers to me as a male nurse weather it be a coworker or patient it doesen't phase me a bit nor should it. Maybe it's the New York in me. All you guys out there who it does bother, GET A LIFE! You sound like the biggest bunch of whiners.