Males in Nursing? Should I do it?

As a qualified male nurse, think I'm pretty well placed to comment on this one Look, you're gunna get comments throughout your career about all sorts from "Why didn't you become a Dr?" to "Are you gay?" and anything in between. At first it seems like you've bitten off more than you can chew, but after a while you become used to it and just laugh it off - just don't be too oversensitive about things.All the girls I work with are incredibly accepting, and treat me as one of them. If anything, I think they quite like having a man around sometimes - it does give a different dynamic to a team. (Be prepared for lots of banter from the girls!)

You have to be considerate of people's privacy in a slightly different way. Though this isn't something you will encounter much, I as a children's nurse always check with breastfeeding Mums that they are happy for me to be in the room while they are feeding as I am aware they may be particularly conscious about this - just an example. You have nothing to worry about, you'll be great!

As a qualified male nurse, think I'm pretty well placed to comment on this one Look, you're gunna get comments throughout your career about all sorts from "Why didn't you become a Dr?" to "Are you gay?" and anything in between. At first it seems like you've bitten off more than you can chew, but after a while you become used to it and just laugh it off - just don't be too oversensitive about things.All the girls I work with are incredibly accepting, and treat me as one of them. If anything, I think they quite like having a man around sometimes - it does give a different dynamic to a team. (Be prepared for lots of banter from the girls!)

You have to be considerate of people's privacy in a slightly different way. Though this isn't something you will encounter much, I as a children's nurse always check with breastfeeding Mums that they are happy for me to be in the room while they are feeding as I am aware they may be particularly conscious about this - just an example. You have nothing to worry about, you'll be great!

As a breastfeeding mum I couldn't give toss who saw me doing it! I had a male obstetrician. Twice. Patients ultimately don't care who's taking care of them. They just care you're doing a good job. But this gentleman makes an excellent point. As long as you're professional and sensitive, you'll be everything you need to be.*

Good luck.*

Thank you! That makes me feel a lot better about it. I was starting to worry i'd gone into the wrong career/ chosen the wrong degree, but I had to realise it was because of other peoples opinions and not my own

I'll have to work on the oversensitive thing, that's kinda what got me asking this question sometimes I get offended too easily

What would you say my chances of becoming a nurse practitioner are? I know you have to have many years experience and do a prescribing course/ additional qualifications in your chosen field to get onto masters degree courses in advanced nursing. I'm guessing it isn't easy though. Is this something that would be more highly paid (i've been told so)? As in is the extra work and time worth it in the end/ reflected in the salaries of people with masters? Of course pay wouldn't matter to me too much, patient satisfaction would, it is just a career progression i'm considering.

Sorry for all the questions BTW

Majority male nurses chose Mental health nursing than Adult nursing.

That's simply not true. I am now studying my nursing degree and at my chosen university where 15/400 nurses are male and very few do mental health, from what I remember there are 3 doing mental health, 1 doing child nursing and the remaining 11 do adult. Besides the branch shouldn't matter as that's down to each individuals experience of care and various other often personal factors that drive their impulse into their chosen field

I have to agree with you here.
At my university we have 0 males in my year doing learning disability (3rd year) and only 1 in 1st year and 1 in 2nd year. For children's and mental health it is limited too. A handful of males if even.
The majority are doing adult.
But again this is because of their personal experiences and career aspirations.
However, all fields need a nurse who is male. And not just for personal care. Males can offer a different perspective and a different rapport with patients.
Males are needed! Regardless!

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I have to agree with you here.
At my university we have 0 males in my year doing learning disability (3rd year) and only 1 in 1st year and 1 in 2nd year. For children's and mental health it is limited too. A handful of males if even.
The majority are doing adult.
But again this is because of their personal experiences and career aspirations.
However, all fields need a nurse who is male. And not just for personal care. Males can offer a different perspective and a different rapport with patients.
Males are needed! Regardless!

Posted from TSR Mobile

I am male and currently hold a conditional offer to do Adult Nursing at a top UK university starting this September, but recently, although I am perfectly happy being a "male nurse" (I hate that term why attach gender to it?), I am starting to regret my decision. This is not because I wouldn't enjoy it or be happy with it as a career, but due to the reactions of others. I have had family members and friends bare face laugh and scoff at me/ question my motives. Teachers at school also weren't happy especially my maths teacher who had a serious problem with it and spent a good chunk of the year trying to persuade me not to do it, and even got my head of sixth-form involved! My head teacher once walked into our chemistry class of 6 males and went white as a sheet and looked shocked when our teacher told him what I was doing at uni. I think this is because I do chemistry and maths A-levels which they see as somehow "superior" to doing any degree like nursing (I also do English Language).I have done lots of work experience in care settings and have thoroughly enjoyed them. My career plan would be to be an RN for some years and then do a masters degree to become an advanced nurse practitioner working in general practice. My question is, would you discourage a male to go into nursing? If so, why? Any advice from current nursing students or otherwise would be appreciated

-Tom

How nice to read a thread where people have been supportive and informative without any snide comments or personal insults.

If you want to be a male nurse, then just go for it - who cares what anyone else thinks about it!