50 / 50 had the opportunity to speak to a male nurse Mr . Buba Jammeh of Heartlands Hospital , and this was what he stated :
50 / 50 : When did you become a nurse and how did you feel like working in the midst of women ?
It was a little bit challenging to work with women at the starting , this was during my training time but as time goes on they became a useful partners in terms the supporting we give to each other . When there is a gender balance ( having both male and females ) it make nursing very professional , and I think it ’ s brilliant . I qualified in 2006 , personally I don ’ t feel anything different of being and man and attending women , it ’ s normal to me . For some patients I think it ’ s because of their cultural issue whereby some people won ’ t allow men to attend women , but whenever they request for a female nurse we do respect them and ask the female to see them , but at the Intensive Care Unit , patients are usually put to sleep on a ventilator and so choices doesn ’ t come to play much , so we just go according to the way we are
50 / 50 : Why do you choose to be a nurse instead of othe jobs that are male dominated ? I think it ’ s a matter of choice , anyone who wants to be it all you need to do is to see it
50 / 50 : What advice do you have for the society ? My advice is that , nursing is a great job
Photography by : Habiba Khanam
and very rewarding and the best you could see in life is look after someone who had a journey from illness and become better and starts normal life , nothing is pleasant to me in life than working as a nurse and I ’ m calling on anyone particularly men to come forward and join this rewarding profession , put the cultural believes aside and become professionals .
To crown it all , I think people have a different opinion about the issue of male nurse / mid wives , haven interview several people from different cultural backgrounds , shows how sensitive the topic is , regardless of the efforts male midwives / nurses could render to the society , the fact still remains that , not all culture accept them .
Written by : Sarata Jabbi
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