If you are a male can you ask to only work for male patients?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I am taking the CNA course with a view to becoming either CNA or HHA. During the course I was shocked that in caring for female patients you have to view and touch the female genitalia which to me is a bit too much as a male and I would rather not do. I think that female workers can do that no problem. While I wouldn't be thrilled about cleaning males it would be tolerable.

What could I do to ensure that I only work for male patients? Would I have to go directly into HHA for male patients only? Will going into LTC require me to view and touch the female private part 100%?

Also does the training involve the instructors making sure that you can clean both sexes' private parts?

I'm in the middle of the course and there is no refund, and wondering if there is any way to work without having to view and touch at least the opposite sex's genitalia.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

In a typical LTC facility/nursing home, the vast majority of your patients will be females. That's just the way it is because females tend to outlive their male counterparts. Most nursing homes consist of many little old ladies and a handful of men. So if you request to have no female patients, there might not be enough male patients for you to take on a full patient load.

My advice is to get used to female genitalia. Your coworkers and managers will grow resentful of an aide who asks to care for only male residents, and some managers will even show you the door because they do not have time to deal with your requests and accommodations. There are enough CNAs looking for work who will not pick and choose which patients they'll provide care to.

Not too long ago, a female nursing student (or pre-nursing student-- I don't recall) asked the exact same question, but in reverse.

You have to learn how to take care of both sexes.

It's just not realistic to expect accommodations will be made so that you can only take care of the sex which you are comfortable.

It can be intimidating and awkward, but you must convince yourself to be a professional and handle this in a mature and professional manner.

Listen, I never saw a member before I became a CNA and I had to hide my true feelings of discomfort, because I knew it was something I just needed to do.

Don't psych yourself out.

Just know that having to see and touch female genitalia is nothing sexual... it's part of the job.

Soon enough, you will think nothing of it.

I think that female workers can do that no problem.

I'm really curious as to why you think this.

Specializes in Emergency Department.

While you could request to only care for males, chances are very good that you'll either not be hired, or you'll be shown the door very quickly. I hate to say this, but you really just need to move beyond your discomfort, or at least put on your "nurse" face and pretend that it doesn't bother you at all. Otherwise, you'll find that you're only limiting yourself.

You're entering into a job where you're going to be taking care of people who really can't care for themselves. In the healthcare industry, there is very little privacy for the patient. There just isn't. Something you must also remember is that for your patients, sometimes they are just as uncomfortable with things as you are. By you putting on a "nurse face" you may be able to reduce their discomfort by making it appear like it is nothing but business as usual for you.

Real big point in all of this is that by you choosing to only take care of males, you are severely limiting what you can do. My take on it is this: when you are at work, you are there to help people out, not check people out. Save that for your wife or your girlfriend. Once you get that idea set in your mind, you'll be able to provide that care for the entire range of people, young old, hot and not, of both sexes, and you won't even bat an eye, or even remember much beyond that you had a very busy day today...

While you could request to only care for males, chances are very good that you'll either not be hired, or you'll be shown the door very quickly.

I'm going with Option 3: laughed at!

I asked on Yahoo Answers and someone said:

I've worked in three different grouop homes (same company) and I've worked with both male and female clients. If a client needs help in the bathroom or to change clothes for example I can only help the male clients.

It looks like there are places that will only let male workers help the male clients when it comes to bathroom and changing.

How does one find the companies that are like that?

I asked on Yahoo Answers and someone said:

It looks like there are places that will only let male workers help the male clients when it comes to bathroom and changing.

How does one find the companies that are like that?

If you're more inclined to put your faith in Yahoo Answers than in a website full of actual professionals, well... good night and good luck.

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I asked on Yahoo Answers and someone said: It looks like there are places that will only let male workers help the male clients when it comes to bathroom and changing. How does one find the companies that are like that?

Ask Yahoo! Answers rather than a professional nursing message board?

Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Yahoo answers is known for trolls of all sorts. And if they aren't trolling you, they probably don't know what they are talking about anyway in most cases. I'm sure there are VERY FEW places, if any, that allow patients to take on same sex patients only. You would be heavily limiting yourself and may not ever find employment. Did you not research the job responsibilities before taking the course? And to answer your question about being shown, yes, you should have a lab day in which they show you proper peri care. Also keep in mind givin a bed bath does not always mean complete bed bath. Many time the patient can clean their own privates. Not all your patients will new peri care. And as a CNA you will get a lot of the "scut" work in a faculty. Bathing patients an cleanin them up after an accident is just some of it. If you can't handle that, you may want to stop wasting your time and drop the course, or buck and learn how to hide how uncomfortable you are.

Also, why are you so uncomfortable with female anatomy if I may ask?

Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Sorry for all the errors. I'm on my phone.

I think you'll find that actually cleaning the female genitalia is actually the most rewarding! You'd never believe where liquid poop can get to! ;)

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