I do the rounds as an agency nurse. Obviously I’m male hence why I’m writing this. The agency life allows me to experience aspects of nursing I wouldn’t get to try if I held a permanent post in the NHS or private care. Being a male in a predominantly female dominated profession you often get labelled with a couple of stereotypes that come with the title “male nurse”. These fall into questions about sexuality and not being clever enough to be a Dr. Did I want to be a Dr? No thanks.

Stereotypes aside, men in the ward environment can have their uses.

So before Mrs Jones in bed 6 asks the other female staff to “send that orderly boy to the shop”…..

10 things the male agency nurse can bring to your ward for the shift;

  1. We can reach the stuff high up on top of the stacking system.
  2. We can change the batteries in equipment without sending it to medical engineering
  3. We can re tune the TV that has no remote.
  4. You can (and do) call on us to the the heavy manual handling.
  5. We can listen to your husband/partner/teenage son problems and give our perspective on it.
  6. We can undo the over tightened IV giving sets.
  7. We can show you how to properly clean a man’s winkle.
  8. We can show you how to shave man’s face without cutting it to ribbons (go with the grain! And use hot water!)
  9. We can show you that trick so the bed extends for the 6ft plus club.
  10. We can fart better than you if that’s of any help.

As for the male population in hospital we are there to lend an ear and help men to understand what is going on with their care and help with their fears, look up what the football results are, help find the best way to explain to work you need time off to recover from illness.

We are here to debate petrol Vs diesel engines, concrete lintels Vs RSJs, Liverpool Vs Utd and why plastic push fit plumbing is quick but not a substitute for copper, is it?

Note: This is a guest blog from one of our male nurse workers, Oliver.

Oliver - Guest author
Oliver - Guest author