Sex Discrimination or not?

[VAC]

I am a male nurse working for almost 2 years on a med surge floor. I recently interviewed for an L&D position. During the panel interview the question came up at to whether I would be able to do the job as to my gender with certain cultures. I question myself now as to should I go to HR to discuss this or leave it. If I fight on this point, I feel I have a good chance of winning, but I would still have to work with those that did not feel I could do the job because of my sex. This is the second time I have interviewed and the manager suggests I try mother baby post partum of which I have been turned down for in the past for other reasons.

Tell me what you think.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

i am really appalled by some of the nursing claiming that males aren't allowed in l&d. just because that is your perception, doesn't mean that it's the truth. i've seen a male physician my entire life and wouldn't think twice about a male nurse entering walking into my room and introducing themselves as my nurse.

for me personally, it's not a perception, it's a feeling. i've been pregnant 4 times. 2 late miscarriages and 2 live births. i personally cannot begin to imagine being taken care of by a male nurse during both those good and bad moments. once delivered, i don't think it would matter to me too much but during labor and delivery no males please

[sharkdiver]

"If a male nurse decided to persue it legally (which most won't, but let's say that one did), a hospital would have a very hard time explaining in court why they have males working in every department except L&D, especially when well qualified males apply for jobs and if they are consistently passed over and only females are ever hired."

Actually, this is not true. There is provision under EEOC regulations called a BFOQ (bonafide occupational qualification) that applies here. There are numerous instances where hospitals have limited employment in L&D and post-partum to females only that have been held up as legal by court ruling. It's the same exception that allows a health club or similar facility to hire only same sex employees as locker room attendants, or a jail to limit the duties of a female guard in a male corrections facility. The key difference between L&D/post-partum and the rest of the hospital that makes this applicable is that L&D/post-partum patients are exclusively female. This is not discrimination and the case law exists to prove it.

And as DutchgirlRN said, it's about what's most comfortable for the patient. Studies have indicated that more than 70% of L&D patients strongly prefer female nurses for their care.and more than 50% would outright refuse one. If a male nurse wants to pursue a career in L&D, go for it, but I personally can't understand why they'd want to work in a department where the majority of the patients don't want them there and would refuse them as caregivers - seems like letting yourself in for a lot of frustration.

And make no mistake, a patient has the absolute right (again, supported by case law) to refuse to be attended by any caregiver for any reason. At the point it occurs, it then becomes incumbent on the facility to evaluate the circumstances and either come to some accommodation to satisfy the patients objection or arrange to transfer the patient to another facility.

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

As long as I am cared for properly, I could care less if they are male, female, black, white, green, purple, or blue. As long as they are clean, neat, and professional, that's all that matters. To the OP, I'd be happy for you to be my nurse. If I was in L&D, there was a male party involved at some point, I can not imagine why I would pick then to get bashful.:D

[LydiaNN]

When the OP mentioned "certain cultures", my first thought was of those religions that forbid this kind of contact between unmarried partners, even when the contact is related to medical care. I don't foresee an insurance company ever refusing coverage to a woman refusing care on that basis, or any facility refusing to honor the request for female caregivers.

[bigjay]

Why would the OP want to go into L+D/OB? Probably for the same reasons any female would, an interest that area of nursing. One's genitalia generally don't determine what field of nursing we're interested in.

Will there be challenges? Sure there will be but that's true for any area of nursing. The "no male" challenge will come up surely but that's not unique to L+D by any stretch of the imagination. In my brief experience as a student in L+D and post-partum I never had any patients refuse to be cared for by myself. I had one lady make a comment that it was strange to have a male trying to teach her how the breast feed since I'd never done it. One of my female student colleagues was with me and snickered to which I replied "I have as much experience as you do, just not the equipment!". We all had a bit of a chuckle and moved on.

As far as a male L+D nurse being a "drain" on the floor that all depends on how the floor works. I don't see my less experienced female colleagues as a drain when they ask me questions. I don't see my colleagues as a drain when they as me to do difficult IVs or help with a heavier lift. In return they don't see me as a drain when I occasionally have to change my assignment if a female patient doesn't want me doing personal care. If the "no male" situation in L+D comes up so often it creates a too difficult work life for the OP that's something he'll have to deal with as it comes. To dismiss a career choice based on a problem you are assuming is going to be too troublesome to deal with is silly and short-sighted. Those quoting studies of patient preference should probably provide links to them if you're using statistics from them as part of your discussion.

To the OP, if this really is your dream job you should definately pursue it. I don't particularly think that question was out of line though since it's likely a situation you will come across. Without haven been there though I could see that the exact manner in which that question was asked could've felt very discriminatory.

[bagladyrn, RN]

Get real.... It may be " blatant discrimination " but that is the reality of the situation. Is it right? NO Will it change in the near future? Probably not. They can always " find " a reason not to hire someone. This may not be a " popular " statement, however it happens. Bottom line: MOST patients and / or husbands do NOT want a male nurse or even a male student. This makes a male in L&D a bad return on investment and a drain on the other staff members.

I am "being real". It will not change as long as everyone accepts the discrimination as normal. These are the same thoughts that for many years restricted women from many positions. I, for one, will continue to challenge this thinking wherever I encounter it and encourage those who wish to change the status quo in a thoughtful and professional manner.

I've noticed that it is seldom really the women who object to a male nurse unless this is a tenet of their religion. Generally it is their male partner objecting or the female staff of the unit thinking she will object but not actually asking her.

By the way I've worked in OB for 19 years now and in 10 different states in multiple locations (as a traveler) over the last 11 years and the attitude is NOT this way everywhere. Certain area particularly in the south tend to be more regressive in their thinking.