To Stacy and others biased towards male nurses

****o, Im a male cardiac nurse, age 30. I would physically appear to fit some of the stereotypes of someone who is not a male nurse. I am an amature bodybuilder, ex kickboxer, and wrestled all the way through college, but I have a love of people and care that is in the heart of nurseing.

Growing up my mother never could afford a babysitter, so she always took me to the elderly she worked with. She was a PCA, and my father was an abusive unemployed alcaholic. She not only saved me from my father those 8 hours a day, but I learned to respect my elders, and I developed a care and bedside manor doing it. Most important I developed a compassion and gentle approach in growing up that has matured as I have matured and is the basis of my aproach in my care.

I could go into the stories of hurdles and socio-economic ladders I have climbed to get where I am, but I appriciate where I am, and I love my job. When I entered the job force at my current hospital, the other nurses did not take me seriously at all, but eventually they came to respect me. Not only for my gentle care of patients, but also as a coworker, and on occasion my presence. Its amazing how much a detoxing 6'3 250 lbs patient can scream at a 120 lbs nurse, and its also amazing how quiet they become when I come into the room and gently, but firmly ask them if they could respect thier nurse more, and to stop yelling. That nurse in particular had a problem with me prior to this because I was male, now she looks foward to working with me.

I have helped crying elderly women laugh, and I have helped multiple families deal with the loss of thier loved ones. I love this job, I love being a nurse, and someday stacy, I hope to have the privedge of working with you so I can help you with these stereotypes.

Cheer's!
Michael Perkins

MikePerkins wrote:****o, Im a male cardiac nurse, age 30. I would physically appear to fit some of the stereotypes of someone who is not a male nurse. I am an amature bodybuilder, ex kickboxer, and wrestled all the way through college, but I have a love of people and care that is in the heart of nurseing.

Growing up my mother never could afford a babysitter, so she always took me to the elderly she worked with. She was a PCA, and my father was an abusive unemployed alcaholic. She not only saved me from my father those 8 hours a day, but I learned to respect my elders, and I developed a care and bedside manor doing it. Most important I developed a compassion and gentle approach in growing up that has matured as I have matured and is the basis of my aproach in my care.

I could go into the stories of hurdles and socio-economic ladders I have climbed to get where I am, but I appriciate where I am, and I love my job. When I entered the job force at my current hospital, the other nurses did not take me seriously at all, but eventually they came to respect me. Not only for my gentle care of patients, but also as a coworker, and on occasion my presence. Its amazing how much a detoxing 6'3 250 lbs patient can scream at a 120 lbs nurse, and its also amazing how quiet they become when I come into the room and gently, but firmly ask them if they could respect thier nurse more, and to stop yelling. That nurse in particular had a problem with me prior to this because I was male, now she looks foward to working with me.

I have helped crying elderly women laugh, and I have helped multiple families deal with the loss of thier loved ones. I love this job, I love being a nurse, and someday stacy, I hope to have the privedge of working with you so I can help you with these stereotypes.

Cheer's!
Michael Perkins

Hey Michael,

It was good to read your post. Growing up the hard way has made you a fine person and well cut out for your chosen profession. Stick around, we're lucky to have you. BTW, I think Stacey quit this site because she hasn't posted in a long time. Do you think maybe she has trouble dealing with rejection?

Keep the workouts up- not only for fitness but stress reduction too, right?

Another male cardiac nurse who works out.

To me a person's gender is not what matters when it comes to being a nurse. When I am at work gender is not an issue. I want to know that you are competent, skilled and organized, caring and compassionate and professional but with a good sense of humor. As you know nursing can be a very difficult profession. As nurses instead of bickering amongst ourselves or complaining about what the last shift did or did not do we need to work together for the good of our patients and our profession. ;)

IMHO, opinions by Female RNs similar to stacyL's are not the norm.

Anyway, thought you would like this Pic.



BTW, being active duty Army I workout on a regular basis, too!