Males asking for female patients?

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In my lab yesterday, one of the instructors was talking about having a female assist if a male has to perform a procedure which a female patient might potentially be uncomfortable with. She then said something about males requesting females (I forget exactly how it came up), and I was a bit taken aback. She didn't seem to think like it was a very big deal.

Females, how would you feel about caring for such a patient? Males?

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My husband prefers to see female doctors, I think it is a comfort zone thing. Definitely not a creeper thing.

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My husband prefers to see female doctors, I think it is a comfort zone thing. Definitely not a creeper thing.

I don't understand why a male would be uncomfortable with another male nurse, barring either "creeping" or extreme insecurity in their sexual orientation. I mean, whatever makes him uncomfortable with a male nurse, why isn't the fact that females don't evoke the same uncomfortableness in him worry you?

it takes a conscious thought process to have a preference for caretaker gender. As for me, the gender of my provider matters nothing to me because I'm not there to engage in any activity wherein gender matters whatsoever.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

In my experience, there have been men who have requested females because of nursing's "history" not a sexual insecurity. :no:

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My husband used to have a preference for female doctors and nurses, usually just uncomfortable with men "taking care of him". He was raised by his momma and auntie, so he's more used to it. Has nothing to do with being insecure with his sexuality. That's a very rude and presumptive accusation.

Unfortunately for him, a condition came up in which he needed the services of the best urologist in the area, who just happened to have the XY complement. The hubby is more accustomed to having a guy be up closer and personal with his equipment now, but he's still just kinda skeezy about it.

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Specializes in Pedi.
In my lab yesterday, one of the instructors was talking about having a female assist if a male has to perform a procedure which a female patient might potentially be uncomfortable with. She then said something about males requesting females (I forget exactly how it came up), and I was a bit taken aback. She didn't seem to think like it was a very big deal.

Females, how would you feel about caring for such a patient? Males?

Male patients requesting female nurses/students or male students requesting female patients?

I have experienced patients of both genders who refuse male nurses.

I'm not sure what you mean when you ask "how would you feel caring for such a patient?" What kind of patient? A male patient who prefers a female nurse? Why would I care?

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In my lab yesterday one of the instructors was talking about having a female assist if a male has to perform a procedure which a female patient might potentially be uncomfortable with. She then said something about males requesting females (I forget exactly how it came up), and I was a bit taken aback. She didn't seem to think like it was a very big deal. Females, how would you feel about caring for such a patient? Males?[/quote']

My aunt and uncle (both recently passed away, but would be mid seventies in age) would never "accept" having a male nurse. My aunt was also very proud of the fact that she would hang up the phone if a male operator picked up the line and she would dial again. "Some jobs are just women's jobs" she would say. Yes. I think they both were ridiculous with their thinking, but there ya go. Some people are set in their ways and to argue with them, for me, would have been pointless. I would assume these could be one of types of people your instructor was referring to.

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Male patients requesting female nurses/students or male students requesting female patients?

I have experienced patients of both genders who refuse male nurses.

I'm not sure what you mean when you ask "how would you feel caring for such a patient?" What kind of patient? A male patient who prefers a female nurse? Why would I care?

I suppose you'd care for the same reason a male nurse might feel more comfortable getting a female coworker to chaperone if needing to do anything involving things like bathing etc.

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If it's good practice for a male nurse to have a female chaperone when taking care of a female patient, why is it absurd to think of a male nurse being a chaperone for a female taking care of a male patient?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
If it's good practice for a male nurse to have a female chaperone when taking care of a female patient, why is it absurd to think of a male nurse being a chaperone for a female taking care of a male patient?

Who said it was absurd? I am curious.

In my experience I have seen it both ways; depending on staffing, you don't always have males on a shift or on a particular day; it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. :no:

I will add that I had to be a chaperone for a male tech for a male pt. It happens. :blink:

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Specializes in Pedi.
If it's good practice for a male nurse to have a female chaperone when taking care of a female patient, why is it absurd to think of a male nurse being a chaperone for a female taking care of a male patient?

How many male nurses are working at any given time? How many female nurses? When I worked in the hospital, with our staff of about 45-50 nurses, there were TWO men both of whom only worked nights. And, no, they didn't have "chaperones" when caring for female patients.

Bathing a patient who's unable to clean his peri area himself is more than likely a two person job anyway. The second person is unlikely to be male based on sheer numbers, though.

The only time I've ever had a female chaperone in the room for a male provider in my own life is when I was getting a breast ultrasound that a male radiologist was performing.

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I've seen a lot of older women ask for a female nurse but I don't think I've seen a male patient request a female. I usually see the opposite, the older men are a little embarrassed to ask me for help at first (I'm a bubbly 22 year old blonde). I get a lot of "You could be my granddaughter!". I understand it, but usually after the first day they realize we're all professionals and whether they get me or the male CNA doesn't matter at all.

I don't think having a "chaperone" is good practice - I think it just wastes time either way. Instead of assigning the patient a male nurse and making the female go in with him all the time why wouldn't you just cut out the middle man and assign the patient to a female nurse and assign patients that don't care to the male? If a patient is sexually harassing, trying to hit the staff, or some special kind of situation I could totally see bringing a "chaperone" with you. But in any other situation I would think its best to make it as efficient as possible.

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