Unsure male student

[Ltv2988]

I am a 42 year old male about to retire after a police career and am taking some nursing prerequisites. I have an interest in the nursing field for many reasons but have serious second thoughts at this point upon hearing about the apparent hostilities with the female nurses. Due to the seriousness of police work in general, race, gender, religion, etc. were secondary to surviving the day. The comraderie that we experienced when we were new and petrified was always there and enabled us to learn and feel secure in the beginning years. In regards to the nursing field, I am getting all sorts of conflicting information as to what exactly I will encounter. Are the females basically hostile because its "their" profession? Are they envious that the male nurses have better rapport with the male doctors? Are they literally sexually harassing the male nurses? And of course, will all basically assume I am gay? I realize that nursing would be a life long learning experience and what I fear is being in critical situations surrounded by unsupportive/hostile coworkers. Is all of the above exaggerated and to what extent?. If there is hostility how does it manifest itself. If I am not permitted in the delivery room, so be it, but I do not want to work where I am not welcome.

[RonRNBN]

Don't give up because of a few stories out there. Sure you're going to meet some female nurses that are *****y and power-hungry (as in all facets of life); I have worked with women that will turn on you on a dime, but the majority of female nurses that I have worked with are great. I think some women resent us men in the field because we often garner respect simply because we're men (and often mistaken by patients for being doctors in a hospital setting). If you're afraid of being labelled gay just because you're a nurse...well that's security issue you have to deal with on your own. The best advice I can give you is to be humble and sincere about wanting to learn from everyone who has been there longer than you have; and if you come across someone that resents you just because you're a man..and you will...just keep away. That's the great thing about travel nursing..if the work environment becomes insufferable, you know you only have to stay till the end of your contract. The rewards and opportunities in a nursing career are far greater than the threat of a few hostile women.

[prn_12345]

I am a 42 year old male about to retire after a police career and am taking some nursing prerequisites. I have an interest in the nursing field for many reasons but have serious second thoughts at this point upon hearing about the apparent hostilities with the female nurses. Due to the seriousness of police work in general, race, gender, religion, etc. were secondary to surviving the day. The comraderie that we experienced when we were new and petrified was always there and enabled us to learn and feel secure in the beginning years. In regards to the nursing field, I am getting all sorts of conflicting information as to what exactly I will encounter. Are the females basically hostile because its "their" profession? Are they envious that the male nurses have better rapport with the male doctors? Are they literally sexually harassing the male nurses? And of course, will all basically assume I am gay? I realize that nursing would be a life long learning experience and what I fear is being in critical situations surrounded by unsupportive/hostile coworkers. Is all of the above exaggerated and to what extent?. If there is hostility how does it manifest itself. If I am not permitted in the delivery room, so be it, but I do not want to work where I am not welcome.

Nursing can be a trying experience for anyone female or male. I think that once you get into the nursing program you will find out that the gender bias especially amongst the students is pretty much non existent. I can not speak for all, but I for one am glad that I am a Registered Nurse. I have been nursing for 30 years now, and have had my experiences with bias but they have been far and few in-between. I think in retrospect the most problems I encountered were the "Eating the young" syndrome. I have never been sexually harrased by a female colleague nor do I feel the docs treat me any different than a female nurse. They treat you with respect if you show them that you know what you are talking about and are informed about thier patients. I am professionally challenged everyday by my job. I go home feeling as if I made a difference in somebodys life ,by being there when they needed me, and I am proud to be a Nurse.

You will find that there is seriousness in Nursing as well. When you are in the middle of a code and a life hangs in the balance and the team is working in harmony to keep your patient alive. Nothing can be more serious nor fulfilling than that experience. Keep the faith and go for the degree. I can tell you from experience that you will always be employed, respected and looked up to by your peers and neighbors as well as by your self at the end of the day, when after a long shift you can say "I did my best and so and so is alive because of it.

[HDMotorcop]

Hey LT (always respond to rank...judging by your screen name!)

I'm an LPN and worked in nursing & EMS before becoming an LEO. Now 18.5 years later (soon approaching retiremnet also!) I have jumped back into the field part time. Currently I work in a Docs office and am one of 4 nurses and several Med Assists. I have had nothing but positive interaction with the staff and patients. We come from a unique backround.......though new to nursing (I consider myself new because of the hiatus) we have extensive people skills, dealing with crisis and the ability to take control and work as part of a team to settle a stress situation. Everything we've done for our 20 years in LE can be drawn on in dealing with pts and staff.

I have never had a nurse give me a hard time about being "male" in a the nursing field, now or in the past. As far as your concern about being viewed as "gay", the only people who will do that are ***holes who are of no consequence. Their attitude will change quickly when they "NEED" you skills.

I truly believe you should move forward in your schooling, you won't regret it. I am planning on starting RN school soon, I hope to do a distance program and would ultimately like to do ER work. I like the high stress and short term environment! Much like police work.

[kinnlee]

I am a 42 year old male about to retire after a police career and am taking some nursing prerequisites. I have an interest in the nursing field for many reasons but have serious second thoughts at this point upon hearing about the apparent hostilities with the female nurses. Due to the seriousness of police work in general, race, gender, religion, etc. were secondary to surviving the day. The comraderie that we experienced when we were new and petrified was always there and enabled us to learn and feel secure in the beginning years. In regards to the nursing field, I am getting all sorts of conflicting information as to what exactly I will encounter. Are the females basically hostile because its "their" profession? Are they envious that the male nurses have better rapport with the male doctors? Are they literally sexually harassing the male nurses? And of course, will all basically assume I am gay? I realize that nursing would be a life long learning experience and what I fear is being in critical situations surrounded by unsupportive/hostile coworkers. Is all of the above exaggerated and to what extent?. If there is hostility how does it manifest itself. If I am not permitted in the delivery room, so be it, but I do not want to work where I am not welcome.

It's so interesting to me to read of these concerns so far into the history of nursing being for males and females alike. But, I must admit I wondered all of the same things 10 years ago. There is an old addage that "nurses eat their young." Well, that's bogus! That's like saying all of one particular ethnicity are bad. Truth: there is good and bad everywhere, which you, I'm certain, have experienced as an officer. I've had some pretty negative experiences as a new nurse, but ironically, they were with another male nurse. He was ex-military and allowed little room for mistakes, and would completely dismiss my successes. That experience taught be to be a stronger person, irrespective of my maleness. LOL. You will always find at least one great mentor who is interested in helping you to succeed. I've had wonderful experiences with fantastic mentors of both genders. Widespread hostility of female nurses towards males is a complete sham. Don't buy into it! Nursing is what you make of it. And everywhere you go, someone along the way will assume you are gay because you chose a non-traditional profession. So what! Gays are honorable people too, and some of the best nurses I've evern known. The comparison is only negative if you yourself view them that way. You know what I say? "Pork them all!" (I substitute "pork" for the "f" word!) Just be at the top of your game at all times! Be the best nurse you can be, and the respect will resonate throughout your career, and your gender will have zero reference to your success!

Warm Regards,

Lee Kinney, RN

[cvp1983]

This post kind've reminds me of the president seat. When will a woman have the chance to willingfully lead our country? Will the men in our country ever will agree to this? Just a thought, when thinking about the controversy in male nurses.

[cougarnurse]

At one time, nurseing was a male dominated profession....during the Crusades, etc. As for us ladies being a bit 'hostile' about men in nursing, well.......I guess the situation can be likened to women being in Law Enforcement.

I wish you luck, and keep us posted!

'Cat'

[MountainMan]

I too am a student.
I remember the first few hours of the first day of class.
Being the only male in the class I felt like an alki-seltzer sizzling away in a vat of gasoline. But with-in hours to days I was fully accepted by seemingly everyone. Everyone was cocerned about me when I missed a day of school. We all get along very well and we continually joke genderally and otherwise. I don't feel hostility from anyone and look forward to my career.
I fully expect to be victimized in many different ways in the early days of my new possition, but I have had many different jobs and the new guy is always picked on. You should try construction where ego and competion is brutally fierce. If you are not tough enough to endure the staff you won't be tough enough to endure the emotional shredding some of the patient's circumstances will put you through.

Good luck and stay sensitive and remember why you are there.

[FNP-Randy]

Don't forget, we were all students at one point or another. If we go in with the attitude that we are going to be looked at differently then we will. Besides working as an Emergency Room RN, going for my Masters and becoming an FNP I also taught as an adjunct professor both at the Associate and the Bachelors level. I only met one instructor that I felt expected "different" from the males versus the females, she often gave them more difficult assignments in the clinical situations. One semester I shared the same med/surg unit with her during clinical rotation and saw what she was doing. I questioned her on her assigments and she told me she thought that the "heavier" both physically and mentally would be more challenging for the male students. I then asked her if any of her females students upon graduation would ever have to take care of these same patient's, she looked at me for a minute and said that she hadn't even thought of it that way. I was told after that she changed her assignments. Sometimes it's just making people realize what they're doing and why they're doing it that causes positive change.

Best of luck and go forward

[kevin23226]

At one time, nurseing was a male dominated profession....during the Crusades, etc. As for us ladies being a bit 'hostile' about men in nursing, well.......I guess the situation can be likened to women being in Law Enforcement.

I wish you luck, and keep us posted!

'Cat'

I hate to say it, but this is the bias the police officer is talking about. You are stating that women who joined the police force in the past had trouble from "all" the men. It is this attitude that makes for a hostile work enviorment. Please start living in the now and not the past. Life will become a lot simpler. You will also make your "male" patients a little more comfortable.
Kevin