[locolorenzo22]

mr. normandy...I treat all of my patients the same REGARDLESS of age/sex/race, etc....I'm a nursing student and a CNA for the same reason I'm going to be a RN...I care....

[mr normandy]

Locolorenzo22

I'm sure you do as well as many male nurses on this forum. Perhaps I should have been more specific. I agree with you as
a male caregiver. So many female nurses think that male nurses are predators of some sort. I'm just offering my experience as a male patient regarding female caregivers.Keep up the good work.

[barefootlady]

mr. normandy;
I am truly sorry you have been made to feel uncomfortable as a male nurse by female co-workers. Let me assure you, most female nurses do not feel as if a male nurse is some sort of predator. I hope this never happens again, if it does, please be professional but address the issue quickly. I wish you blessing today.

[mr normandy]

The point I want to make was my treatment as a Male patient by
female nurses.

[barefootlady]

mr. normandy
Excuse me, but once again, I am at a loss as to why a female nurse would treat a sick man in this manner. It was certainly unprofessional. I hope you addressed this issue with the HN. Once again, blessing to you.

[RedBrick]

I was a CNA for 3 years while taking prereqs before full-time nursing school began for me. To be honest, I never gave it much thought when it came to giving someone a bath. I took the CNA course through the hospital where I worked. I was taught very well, and I knew exactly what was expected of me. I only remember very few times when a female patient asked for a female CNA. I am in my 50s and I think that may have something to do with the comfort level. I am there to care for my patients, and I think my approach bears that out. Most of the time I had a pretty good time with my patients. I use humor a lot in my dealing with people.

[reckton]

I'm just a student so I can offer very little hands on insight. But, that being said, I feel that we must remember that our job is to care for patients first and foremost. If there is issues with a male/female situation, be professional and respect the patients wishes, but not at the expense of quality care.

[nurselizk]

Even if your patient is uncomfortablle with the idea of a guy giving her bath, you can do most of the bath and have someone else finish up. It was never a problem on my unit. The guys would swap with us for the baths or we'd do peri-care and caths for them. I do believe that approaching the patient confidently helps. An awful lot of women have no problem with a nurse of any gender giving a bath. As for the patients who are reluctant to get bathed at all, we usually have a chat which includes a comment that most patients feel better after getting cleaned up, turned and clean linens placed. Never had one yet that said they were sorry they agreed to a bath.

[up2late]

I consider myself a fairly liberated woman, and much as I hate to admit it, I refuse to have a male gynecologyst.

That said, you can act professional and remember you have the same training, etc... But in the end - literally and metaphorically - you have to remember not to take it personally if a female doesn't want a male nurse to bathe her. You're a guy, and most females even today don't want a guy they don't know touching their personal areas.

Imagine it this way: you are a perfectly lucid guy in the hospital as a patient. If you had your choice between a male to bathe you and a female, who would be your preference?

Don't take it personally. It ain't about you.

[nrsman1]

I don't take it personal. I just have to understand that this is the patients request and I respect that. I have also noticed that how often the patient has been in the hospital makes a difference as to how accepting they are of different (male) nurses. I think of it this way, If I were in the hospital(at this point in my life) would I want a FEMALE nurse? honestly for the more intimate parts I would probably want a male.