Confessions of a Male Nurse

We are male nurses. These are our confessions.

[confessionsofamalenurse]

Red Cross volunteers fight the flu pandemic, 1918.

The harrowing Ebola outbreak that is overwhelming so many communities in West Africa and has sparked fears that the severe, often fatal illness will make its way to other parts of the globe has also raised the specter of previous pandemics. And of all those awful natural disasters, none was more devastating than the 1918 flu pandemic (the “Spanish Flu”) that infected an estimated half a billion people around the globe and, by most estimates, killed somewhere between 50 and 100 million people—at the time, three to five percent of the world’s population. Read more: The 1918 Flu Pandemic: Scenes From a Cataclysm | LIFE.com http://life.time.com/history/the-1918-flu-pandemic-scenes-from-a-cataclysm/#ixzz3Gbjre5w2

[confessionsofamalenurse]

Nursing School Was A Bust

I am a former student of an ABSN program. First semester went well. All A's. Second session/semester not so much. Pharmacology I, Health Assessment (lab & lecture), and Skills (lab/lecture) was life changing to say the least. A test in each course every week for 5 weeks and comprehensive finals in all three at the end. Health Assessment and Skills weren't too difficult, but when you tack on Pharm I in 5 weeks ON TOP of the other two, it was a nightmare. Pharm I demanded & got most of my attention. Needless to say, I did well in skills and HA, but didn't make what was necessary in pharmacology to proceed in my program.

I was off 0.5 points from what at my school is deemed a "C". We are not allowed to make lower than a C in any course. If we make below a C in just one course, we are removed from the program. I take responsibility for my grades. I busted my tail. I know the responses I'm probably going to get will be along the lines of "you knew how fast paced this was going to be" and "maybe you're just not fit for an accelerated program."

I would like to hear other input besides those generic responses. First off, let me say the primary reason I applied to an ABSN program/went into nursing period was to work in the ICU and apply to CRNA school. I'm not sure if I want to be a nurse. I just know I have numerous family members and friends that are CRNA's that love their career. I've gotten the chance to shadow/intern with them, and it's simply amazing.

The surgeries I've seen blew my mind. I also have a BSE in Exercise Science. I received that major in hope of attending PT school, but that was not the route I feel I was led to follow. I would just like advice on what I might do from here.

Thank you for your time and I apologize for this being so long as I planned for this to be short, sweet, and to the point.

by sigchi1855

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

Tips For Clinical - For Nursing Students

I would so much rather have loose fitting but modest scrubs than all your bits hanging out. If they are clean and not wrinkled you'll look fine. This doesn't apply to men, but I hate this trend of messy buns to clinical/work. Totally fine if you're running errands or whatever, but this is our work environment. No one would go to an office with their hair piled on top of their head.  Always listen to the nurse you're following, even if you think he or she is an idiot (lol). Always volunteer to practice skills and even though it's hard, don't congregate with your clinical mates when there are things you could be practicing. Don't let the nurses or aides bully you or make you do grunt work. Certainly volunteer to get so and so off the bedpan, but that isn't why you're there. If you plan to do a care plan on that patient tell the nurse up front that you will need some time to go over the chart but don't go hide with it. Ask questions, there are no stupid questions. There are always two right answers: the right answer and "I don't know, let me look that up" then make a note so you don't forget! Don't forget that some people just have bad days. If you aren't clicking with a nurse, go to your instructor and try to resolve it. Clinicals are what you make of them. Good luck! It's scary and exciting.

by EuropaRN

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

Finding A Girlfriend or Wife As A Murse

I would like to ask my fellow "Murses" a question. For me, I just recently finished/graduated from my nursing program, and looking at the next step in life - getting a girlfriend and finding a future wife. While I was studying in nursing school, I did not care much for dating. It's been almost SIX years since I was in a last relationship. Actually, the truth is, there were some decent-looking or okay-looking female students in my nursing class cohort. It's just that I was more on the quiet/introverted side. I also had no luck, as I have found out through the 'grape vines' that either the girl already has a BF, or is already married to a guy. Shucks! So do you guys know of any murses who found a girlfriend while working in a hospital, LT care facility, and eventually got married to that person? I have just started my work as a nurse aid in a hospital about a month ago. So far, a lot of the younger female employees in my department are already married, or already have a BF. =(  I have already tried the bar scenes, joining a church, hanging out at other college campuses, and still have not been successful in finding a significant other.

By PlentyOfMurses

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

A female coworker asked me this once, about how I feel about being a "male nurse." I replied, "I'm just a simple man trying to make it in a woman's world." She rolled her eyes, and I couldn't stop grinning.

BoyNamedSue

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

Male Nurses? Who Cares?

I honestly don't care, I make male nurse jokes saying "Then again, I am in a female dominated profession". Not a single F was given. I love my job, love my patients(most of them), and wouldnt do anything else. If anyone challenges my masculinity they can go screw themselves. I could care less if more men or female join the field. Their gender doesnt do anything for me, as long as they care about the patients and they are a team player that is all that matters. The only thing is that I feel on AVERAGE, a male nurse is more caring than the Average female nurse. Especially back in the past. It was ballsy to enter a female dominated profession. "Male nurses are homosexual blah blah blah" I know plenty of gay guys who are not caring at all and heterosexual straight guys that are super caring toward their kids and family. I know its a long rant that derailed but w/e.

by DatMurse

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

A nurse is a nurse. Male or female just doesn't enter into it for me, I'm just really glad when I have good nurses to work with. I do believe that, as more men enter the field, the respect as well as the pay and benefits for nurses will increase.

Sixtyseven

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

Male Staff In The ED

If you want something that is forever changing you should try the ED. I'm not a people person by definition so it's easier for me to "fake" it with the constant turnover of patients. Plus, if you get a difficult family to deal with, you know that you won't be their nurse for 2-3 days in a row.  The camaraderie and teamwork are different in the ER too. You have your own patient assignment but when you have a patient come in by ambulance that is not doing well, or a trauma, you have a whole group of people that are instantly working together to help stabilize that one patient. Not that it doesn't happen in other departments, but less frequently.

We are constantly helping each other with difficult IV starts, NGT placement, Foley's, and all kinds of stuff that doesn't generally seem to take place as much in other departments. I also like that close proximity to the docs and the greater level of autonomy that we experience in the ED.  Where I work, there are a lot of male staff of all types in the in the ED. It's an entirely different environment but seems to be one that the guys tend to gravitate to more than some of the other departments.

By GM2RN

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

Men in nursing have come such a long way since I began 34 years ago. On my first RN job in ICU, my locker was in the basement of the hospital with the housekeepers and my time clock was in the female locker room. I had to make sure that there were no females in the room before I could time in.

hapaboy

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

My ICU is about a third male staff. It isn't weird at all. It is nice to have help from the guys especially turning heavy patients. Sometimes we take turns doing each others baths if the pt is more comfortable with a man or a woman. There are also a lot of male nurses in the other units throughout the hospital, except L&D. Also there are plenty of male aides, phlebs, radiology techs, etc. I think if you want to be a nurse, go for it! Gender isn't really an issue anymore, as far as I've seen.

87RN

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

Nurses are so privileged 

[confessionsofamalenurse]

Should Men Stay Away From Nursing?

I've worked in hospitals and nursing homes. It sucks. Don't let people here convince you on how great it is. If you are going back to school dont hang onto the mentality of "nursing is a great career there where always be jobs" that was 10 years ago when that was true. do research, there are no nursing jobs. People from overseas come here by the boat and take jobs. The wage is on the down trend, there are more then enough nurses to replace those ready to retire.

Please if you are just getting into college pick a less stressful, good paying career choice. PLEASE research on forums and here from nurses who are not happy with their career. coorprate has destroyed nursing. Dont listen to the few on here who say nursing is so wonderful, i promise you when they run out of Paxil and Ativan, which is fueling there happiness, they will no longer be posting on these boards on the issues of how great their jobs are.

by DUDERNGUY

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

A LONG time ago...we had a male tech in the ICU. He was a pre-med student. The older patients always wanted that doctor. We would fall on the floor laughing...he was such a nice guy....we would send him into confused patients room to calm them down. He never claimed he was Dr. anyone but the moment these confused little old people saw the male person they were instantly engaged on the bad nurses behavior. Saved on over medicating these old folks. Our male nurses....we had two of them (remember this is a LOONG time ago) had the same calming effect. Never bothered me though I was just glad they stopped trying to hit us with the call bell.

Esme12 

[confessionsofamalenurse]

I had a old friend say to me " your a nurse? what are some kind of *** ( you can fill in the rest)" I looked at him and said yup I'm the *** that makes your 2 week paycheck in 2 shifts. Needless to say he just walked away and didn't say another word.

NextGenRPN

[confessionsofamalenurse]

Male Nurse: Am I Being Picked On?

I'm struggling to relate to a colleague in my unit. I'm six months off orientation in the OR - because it's OR, we have to partner closely with another nurse or OR tech in the room each day.  I have a nurse colleague who seems to be universally liked, caring, and very, very good at the work. And every time I work with her, I get immensely stressed.  On the surface, our relationship is fine. Every time we work together, however, I encounter a constant stream of corrections. Yes, I still make mistakes - of course I do. Many more than she does. But every mistake seems magnified, every task I choose to do next is the wrong prioritization.  While I was on orientation (and remember, OR orientation tends to be longer than on other units), I despaired because every partner I worked with seemed to do this to me all the time. Eventually another man on the unit took me aside and told me, You're doing fine - remember some people will have an interest in making you continue to seem incompetent to build themselves up. This was enormously helpful. Now, the combination of practice, my slightly increasing competence, an increase in confidence, and lots more practice, have got me to the point where I can function OK. I enjoy most days.  When I work with this one person, can be like the worst days of orientation all over again. So: is this overwhelmingly respected and beloved co-worker picking on me? Is she just trying to help in a way that adds to my stress enormously? It only happens with one person. I really want to believe that she just wants to help - she has no need to "build herself up" in the unit. Everybody but everybody thinks she's terrific. But this only happens with this one coworker.  It really only just crossed my mind that perhaps this is a male/female thing. I'm still optimistic that perhaps it'll get better as I get better at doing the work - I'm still very, very new at this. Guys: do you have any experiences or perspectives that can help?

By insa

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[confessionsofamalenurse]

Ebola: Eric's last walk

RIP Nurse Eric 

Thank you for all of your work

[confessionsofamalenurse]

A Struggling Male Nurse: Questioning The Career Choice

I recently graduated with from an accelerated second degree BSN program, April 2012. I precepted in an inner city SICU for 3 months, and was hired as a GN, then became licensed and am now practicing as an RN. Currently, I have 6 months of experience on this unit.  Here is my problem #1, I am working midnights and I cannot stand midnight shift. This shift is absolutely awful. Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate my job by any means, but the shift is killing me. I feel unhealthy, I haven't had a good "sleep" in 3 months, and I am constantly tired. I've tried every schedule change imaginable: wake up late, wake up early, sleep in the day, sleep at night, you get the idea. It just comes down to the fact that I have ALWAYS been a morning person, and never have been able to do nights, at any job, at any time.

My original intention was to stick it out and get the unmatched experience I am obtaining at my current job, being an SICU and all, and eventually apply to anesthesia school (my dream for the last 5 years). I have family in anesthesia both a CRNA, and MDA, along with other physicians, so I had a sparked interest early in nursing school. And I don't mean I woke up one day and decided to try to be a CRNA, my life has been designed around the eventual return to school. My car, house, finances, expenditures, etc., I have shadowed CRNA's multiple times over the last 3 years (even when I was in undergrad). These factors all have been carefully calculated to aide me in my goal.  I find myself increasingly demotivated about going back to school, simply because I do not feel well most of the time. In fact, it seems as though my dream of CRNA school is slipping away. I blame it mostly on the night shift because I can parallel this phenomenon with other aspects in my life: I find myself caring less and less about things I used to be very excited about. It is strange, and I have never felt this way before. I thought I would enjoy nursing, and when I was training on days (aside from being stressed), I didn't have this feeling. I was eager to learn, and did not feel run down all the time.  My point is, should I stick this midnight shift out to get the experience ultimately sacrificing my happiness and health? It is a 2+ year wait for a day shift here.

by SIguy_RN

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