Article February 2, 1998 Issue

Mr. Nurse

You may need to hurdle gender stereotypes in order to find your niche.

By Daniel G. Watts

Gender-Based Stereotypes are still fairly common: the school district providing more funding for boys' athletics than for girls', the many popular books on interpersonal relationships that report the inability of men to share their feelings with others; discrimination against women in the workplace because they are not assumed to be as strong or rugged as men. These gross characterizations, if left unchallenged, would restrict both sexes and keep them from activities and work for which they may possess excellent ability.

In my own case, I found that one of the stereotypes needing to be broken down was the notion that men are not able or inclined to nurse. It seemed that almost everything was pointing me toward career that emphasized intellectual achievements and the development of personal forcefulness. These lines of endeavor were becoming less and less appealing to me, however. I felt a need to develop heart more than head. I wanted to learn more about love. I desired to get away from personal charisma and control, to find out how to relate to and interact with others on a more spiritual basis. I felt drawn to Christ Jesus' words "Feed my sheep" (see John 21:15–17) and "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).

Around this time, the idea of Christian Science nursing first came to my attention. An acquaintance happened to see me giving assistance to an individual who had fallen off his bicycle, and suggested that I think about it. At the time, pursuing a career in nursing didn't make much of an impression. A few months later, however, the idea came again, this time with a conviction and assurance that made me feel it was God's plan for me.

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