Nurse in room for hemorrhoid checks?

Specialties NP

Published

Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

So in my area there is a story about a healthcare provider who was accused of inappropriate things recently. The tapes weren't reviewed before he was taken into custody but that's beside the point. It got me thinking...

For checking patients for hemorrhoids do you have a nurse in the room like for paps and pelvics? You are getting a bit up close and personal so I was just curious. I'm new and checked a couple of people already but didn't think anything of it until today and thinking about this story.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma/ER, Pysch, Pedi, Free Standing ER, L&D, ICU.

All male & female doctors/PA/NP I've worked with ask for female chaperones. I always chart if I'm the chaperone. It's not just for billing purposes; it's also for legal & ethics I was told. I hope that helps.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.
All male & female doctors/PA/NP I've worked with ask for female chaperones. I always chart if I'm the chaperone. It's not just for billing purposes; it's also for legal & ethics I was told. I hope that helps.

I just hadn't really thought about it honestly. I never asked for a chaperone to insert a suppository as an RN so I guess I equated it as pretty equal. Nice to know!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As an RN in urgent care if the provider (md/pa/np/do) is the opposite sex of the patient and is doing a genital or rectal exam, a chaperone will be utilized in the room and documented that they were also there.

During one of my Np rotations, my preceptor was a male physician and he never had a chaperone for any of his female pelvics.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.

Well if those stories interest you look around for a story about a dentist in Arkansas right now!

I did home health before I graduated and became NP so I'm used to doing things with nobody down the hall for backup. And there are no male nurses in the clinics I work in but another female is better than nothing for male patients. Thankfully the nurses know these patients really well and give me a heads up if they're....odd.

In home health we did plenty of male catheters and there may not even be a caregiver there when we changed them but it wasn't much of an option in those circumstances.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

always have a witness.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.
So in my area there is a story about a healthcare provider who was accused of inappropriate things recently. The tapes weren't reviewed before he was taken into custody but that's beside the point.

As this seems to involve intimate personal care, or at least examination of an intimate area ... I'm curious what "tapes" exist??

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pedi.

Not an NP and I only work in pediatrics so I've never had this situation but I've been around the block a few times as a patient and have never had a female provider request a chaperone when doing a pelvic, breast exam, breast ultrasound or anything. I have had a chaperone in the room when a male radiologist was doing a breast ultrasound but that's it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ambulatory Care-Family Medicine.

I'm not a NP (LVN in family practice for 3 years). For any genital or rectal exam or breast exam on females most of our providers have a chaperone. We do have one male NP who rarely utilizes a chaperone but does ask his patients if they would like one of the nurses to come in and chaperone. We also have signs in every exam room that say it's ok to ask for a chaperone at any point during your visit.

Coming from a female patient perspective I wouldn't care if the provider was another female but if it is a male provider I would want another female in the room. Just personal preference.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Well if those stories interest you look around for a story about a dentist in Arkansas right now!

Word of advice. If your dentist does pelvic exams, you need a new dentist.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych.

I'm an ER nurse and I insist on my male physicians, nps, pas, never being alone in a room with a female pt ever! I do this to look out for my coworkers. I always document I am in the room, especially during any type of invasive or intimate exam. In one of my ERs we actually had a patient attempt to have a physician arrested for "inappropriately" touching her while removing a c collar. She came up with this a few weeks after she had been treated and released. Luckily, I not only documented I was in the room, but that I was the one who took off her c collar at the physician's direction. I've seen outstanding physician's careers ruined by just accusations like this. Be very careful. Have a chaperone if you are a male provider, nurses included. I've also seen male nurses suspended pending investigation for things like this that have been later found to have not merit.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac, Home Health, Primary Care.
Word of advice. If your dentist does pelvic exams, you need a new dentist.

No pelvics by the dentist though the GYN's might get more business if they have laughing gas.

The dentist in question was accused of touching a young female patient inappropriately. He got arrested and media got all over it before a proper investigation was performed because, apparently, there are cameras in the rooms that haven't been reviewed. Interesting stuff.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment