by SkySoldier

I am a nursing student about to graduate in 3 months and I keep running into nurses who are scarying the crap out of me about being a male nurse. I am getting the feeling that women patients seem to feel more comfortable with male docs but not male nurses for some reason. I have had another run in with an ICU nurse today while visiting a family member who told me this horror story about an EKG tech she had worked with for over ten years being accused and fired over a supposed fondling while placing an electrode. She told me to be extremely careful and plan on a second career because she wouldn't be supprised if at some point some patient successfully sues me for assault. I am tired of hearing this kind of stuff. Is this really that big of a concern for male nurses? And if so what what do I need to do to avoid it?
I have already start performing my assessments differently such as not placing a stethoscope in a gown to listen to lungs/heart sounds. I bought a high end scope so I could try and listen through gowns, but I feel that at some point it will affect the care I give because I am so paranoid I am going to run into someone who misinterprets something I do or is just out to get paid. While in the Army, I had to have a chaparone while working with female patients but I doubt that is not an option in an ED or ICU where I want to work. Any advice?

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

You should speak to your supervisor any time you get bad "vibes" from a patient or if the patient makes any remarks that indicate a problem. Getting another employee to accompany you can usually be worked out if necessary.

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

You can trade certain duties, like putting in a foley cath or other thing that would make females uncomfortable, in exchange of doing some less desirable things for another nurse, whether it be put a foley in a male or do some enema's or hang blood or whatever.

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

Thanks for some ideas. I still have so many questions though. I think this is going to be something that is an on going learning process just like nursing it self. I just hope there is a better understanding of these types of concerns. I just finished a labor and delivery clinical and I experienced a patient that appeared hesitant with me providing care. She was a RN who just moved here from the Phlippines. After I started to realize she was little hesitant about me working with her so I asked and she said yes, in her culture men aren't normally in this role. I said thank you for telling me and I would gladly find you a female nurse. My instructor asked me why I asked her about working with her. She told me that it helps to be assertive. I don't think my instructor gets what its like to be a male nurse. I felt, in this situation, if I pushed, I would have been sued, rightfully so. Instead my instructor put me down. I don't have an assertiveness issue, I was medic in the infantry for 6 years with multiple deployments around the world, my last being a year in Iraq. I am extrememly comfortable around patients and I felt I read this patient correctly which benefited both of us. I hope other nurses in this position can be a little more understanding.

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

Originally Posted by SkySoldier

I am a nursing student about to graduate in 3 months and I keep running into nurses who are scarying the crap out of me about being a male nurse. I am getting the feeling that women patients seem to feel more comfortable with male docs but not male nurses for some reason. I have had another run in with an ICU nurse today while visiting a family member who told me this horror story about an EKG tech she had worked with for over ten years being accused and fired over a supposed fondling while placing an electrode. She told me to be extremely careful and plan on a second career because she wouldn't be supprised if at some point some patient successfully sues me for assault. I am tired of hearing this kind of stuff. Is this really that big of a concern for male nurses? And if so what what do I need to do to avoid it?
I have already start performing my assessments differently such as not placing a stethoscope in a gown to listen to lungs/heart sounds. I bought a high end scope so I could try and listen through gowns, but I feel that at some point it will affect the care I give because I am so paranoid I am going to run into someone who misinterprets something I do or is just out to get paid. While in the Army, I had to have a chaparone while working with female patients but I doubt that is not an option in an ED or ICU where I want to work. Any advice?

Always bring a female CNA or PCT/PCA with you before you start any procedures! Especially, those female patients that are A/O x 3 and they are very "funny!" I have been an RN since 2004 and I have never received any c/o!
Also, sometimes you have to ask another female nurse to do it for you esp. straight cath/urinary catheter or breast exam! Of course, you have to be friendly to all the female nurses in order for them to "sacrifice" their time for you!

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

I try to size up the patient, and be professional. I always have a female colleague present if inserting a foley in a female pt (I also could use the extra pair of hands to do it anyway). It helps to have the trust of my colleagues. I once had a confused, delirious lol accuse me of putting in her foley (that she had self-discontinued... ouch!) and of other inappropriateness. The female colleague she was reporting this to knew this wasn't true (particularly since the foley was there before my shift started). As it turns out, when the pt was in her right mind, she requested me to come to her room so she could apologize to me.

But there aren't any PCA/CNA's on my unit and a female nurse isn't always available for every thing such as doing ECGs. If a female pt is A&Ox3, she will let me know if she is uncomfortable with me doing something. Otherwise, I just have to use my judgment and be gentle and professional about every intervention.

The ECG on admission can be challenging since it's one of the first things I do with a patient. Most other "intimate" interventions occur after I've already built a rapport and trust with a patient.

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

This is a very touchy subject, and sometimes I wonder if we are safe at all. When I was working as a tech in a nursing home, I was accused by a patient of having sex with her. I was in nursing school and saw my entire future go away before my eyes. I was horrified. I had to go before Adult Services and Family Services. Luckily my employer was behind me 100%. The patient was interviewd several times, and it came out that she was jealous of care I was giving to another patient, so she made up this story to get my attention. I was proven innocent (obviously, or I wouldnt be writing this) but the scars remain, and I am now leary of all female patients. Now, I ALWAYS make sure a female co worker is with me when I do care for a female patient.
Now that I am an RN, for the most part, I do not provide the personal care that a tech or CNA would but situations do come up where I have to, and they always will. You just have to always look out for yourself. Not all patients are like this, and its nearly impossible to not feel emotion with some of them. Just protect yourself.
Unless you are actually put into this situation it is very difficult to understand what someone goes through. I literally thought my entire future was ruined, and no one would believe me. I had to tell the Dean of Nursing at my school because I was called by Family Services while I was doing clinical and had to leave...talk about embarassing! But in the end it all worked out. Like I said, just be careful but dont let your fear prevent you from giving great patient care. Its a fine line we have to walk sometimes...but it's still worth it.

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

While your instructor's encouragement to be more assertive might be valid for most situations, you are right to be concerned. I am certain there are many men who have bad experiences to relate where they were accused of wrongdoing when such was not the case. Better to be proactive about protecting yourself and your license than to try to be pushy in making a female accept care when she is obviously indicating that she is uncomfortable.

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

I vote for having a female standby. On our psych unit we assign female nurses to female patients....

One of the reasons I wanted the VA was to minimize the possibility of this ery issue.

Re: What do the male nurses do to prevent sexual assault accusations?

I had a situation where a 16 year old had an order for a Foley if she did not void by morning. I told the charge nurse that I wouldn't do it. She argued with me about it, saying that if it is ordered I have to do it. I told her that I was not comfortable putting a foley in a teenage girl and she certainly wouldn't be comfortable with it. One of my friends did it for me. Sometimes you have to use common sense, even if the charge nurse doesn't have any.

I have never had any problems. As has been previously posted, always take another female with you. Never close the door if in a room alone with a female patient. I am a diabetes educator now, and there are some patients that I will not close the door with, just because I get a vibe, or they are mentally unstable.