[juswilliams0978]

i worked in a hospital were male nurses weren't allowed to work on the o.b. floor. i questioned some of the nurses about this and they said it was the decision of the manager of that floor not to allow male nurses to work on the o.b. floor. is that descrimination. why are the female patients on the o.b. floors not comfortable with male nurses if most of the doctors are males. what do you males think?

[Elvish]

Ok - I'm not the male responder you asked for, but keep a couple things in mind.

1) This is a debate that tends to get heated. And trust me, if I'm peeking in here, you can rest assured that other women are too, and they will respond with a number of various answers.

2) Every floor is not like the one you described in terms of not allowing male RNs - which, I do think, is discrimination based on gender if she's stated categorically that she will not hire male nurses. The OB/GYN floor I'm on hires male RNs (just none have applied) and we have male nursing students all the time that get to do all the same things as the ladies.

3) I've not met many women who have cared or would care that a male RN was taking care of them, myself included. So yes, there may be patients that, for religious or psychological or comfort reasons, may prefer a female nurse in certain situations. However, I can assure you (I work in OB/postpartum) that there are many many more who don't care what or who you are as long as you care and know what you're doing.

I hope this answers at least some of your question.

[piper_for_hire]

This is the same discussion that happened in the corporate world not too long ago. Should women not be allowed to hold management and executive positions because people weren't used to it? I mean, c'mon *who* is going to listen to a woman? The company will go under! That fight isn't over but it has come a long way. You can find these fights with any minority group - in our case - men in nursing. Do we allow certain hospitals to openly practice sexism and blame the patient population for their actions? It is absurd that this is even a problem today. Notice some hospitals practice this behavior - but do not advertise it. Why not? Why are there no commercials on TV for all female OB floors? Come have your kid with us! We are Y-chromosome free since 1993!

-S

[happyloser]

I am a male CNA and I work in a hospital that does not allow any male workers on the OB floor. One day I was asked to float to OB because there were no NA's. when I arrived on the unit I was greeted by a rather nasty RN who called the supervisor asking for a female NA and when the supervisor said she could not do that I was told to go back to my unit and OB had no NA for that shift. I felt to say the least like crap

[barefootlady]

I think they should be allowed to work OB...but the patient should have the right to refuse the care of a male nurse...like any other nurse...without any slap to either person involved in the situation.

[SteveRN21]

I believe that it is a gender discrimination issue. No employer can refuse to hire you based on your gender (except if you are a woman wanting to deploy on a submarine....) Whether I would take an employer like that to court in order to get a job there is another issue. That said, I believe the choice is ultimately up to the patient. There are many male RN's here who work in the perinatal field (myself included) who find ourselves in the delivery room or postpartum, and have no troubles at all. JMHO.

Stevern21

[jackson145]

They should absolutely not make rules against men being in OB. Having said that, when my husband did his OB tour of duty he spent the whole time at the nurses station. Not one patient would let him in their room to even empty the trash. If a male is hired for an OB floor and the patients refuse to have him for a nurse, the other nurses on the floor are going to have more than they can handle.
I can't really understand why some women mind a male nurse. When I was in labor with my first, it didn't matter who was there as long as they we're willing to help me (I was moaning so loud that the staff thought the delivery room was haunted). Had an epidural with #2 and I would have invited aliens into my room I felt so great!

[pawashrn]

logic thought! Iam 14 years old and just had my first child. It is 3 am and this man I don't know wants to check my lochia and vaginal drainage w/ a flashlight. law suit waiting to happen. I would have to question any male nurse who had the desire to work on an O.B. unit.

[manny1222]

Originally Posted by piper_for_hire

This is the same discussion that happened in the corporate world not too long ago. Should women not be allowed to hold management and executive positions because people weren't used to it? I mean, c'mon *who* is going to listen to a woman? The company will go under! That fight isn't over but it has come a long way. You can find these fights with any minority group - in our case - men in nursing. Do we allow certain hospitals to openly practice sexism and blame the patient population for their actions? It is absurd that this is even a problem today. Notice some hospitals practice this behavior - but do not advertise it. Why not? Why are there no commercials on TV for all female OB floors? Come have your kid with us! We are Y-chromosome free since 1993!

-S

I disagree Mr Piper when you say that it's like the cooperate discussions from the recent past because the business and clinical fields are entirely different. It is not a case of whether or not male nurses are as competent as their female counterparts. The issues is whether or not the patients feel comfortable with it.

I'm a male nurse and even though I don't ever see myself working OB, I think it is discrimination. There is really no reason why male nurses shouldn't be allowed. I work in a trauma/neuro ICU and when I've had female patients that were awake enough to complain about me being male, I've told them that if they are here in the ICU, then that should be the least of the troubles. I've also taken care of a patient who had a cerebral bleed following birth and ended up in our unit while the baby was in the OB nursery. I did have to take care of her neuro and OB issues.

[jackson145]

If a nurse told me that anything that I felt strongly about should be "the least of my troubles" d/t my whatever my situation was, that would be the last time they were my nurse. I had my first child before I was married and when I asked about birth control my nurse said that, given my situation, I really shouldn't be worried about having sex in the near future. She said "don't you have enough trouble already?" That was the last time I ever allowed her in my room.