I recently observed a male and a female nurse providing care to a group of patients. I observed that the female nurse was passionate about her work. She was courageous and ready to assist every patient. She appeared to communicate effectively with her patients. Men and women tend to have unique interpersonal styles. Such styles will eventually affect the nature of communication between these gender groups. At the same time, the male patient appeared calm and ready to assist the targeted patients. However, he did not talk much. He appeared to take a masculine role. The male nurse did not communicate effectively with the targeted patients.
The above situation highlighted key differences between the two caregivers. The female nurse portrayed the best interpersonal skills with the clients. She was ready to listen and answer every question raised by the patients. This observation shows clearly that female nurses can offer better support to their patients. They develop the best interpersonal relations with their patients. On the other hand, the male nurse appeared to take a leadership role. He was also skeptical and unwilling to assist most of his patients.
Although the nurse collaborated with his female counterpart, he did not talk much with the other physicians. The female nurse was ready to share her ideas and opinions with every physician. This observation supports the differences discussed by Grossman and Valiga. Studies show that “patriarchal gender differences and relations are exhibited in many nursing roles.” This observation also explains why some professional barriers make it impossible for male nurses to provide effective health care to their patients. These findings can be used to transform the nature of nursing.