Nurse Educator Chronicles: Male Student Nurse on the OB Floor

Oh yeah, been there, done that. Usually, though, while I occasionally have a patient that refuses a male student, I can nearly always find an accepting one. I usually have more success with the multiparas.......and if not.....there's always the nursery (most of my male students seem to love it there).

This is one attitude that new moms have that I just DON't understand!! You have male OB-GYNs, anesthesia persons, etc. This is just me though, maybe I should ask my daughter who just had a baby and see if she gives any insight. Personally for me, not a big deal to have a male student nurse if I'm a patient.

My DH had the same type of experience during LPN school. His instructor had him do the book work and demo in the lab, but had him do 2 rotations in newborn nursery! The nurses and babies loved him! He tells the story that when rocking a newborn, all of a sudden he felt a wet feeling around his tunic pocket. Baby had latched onto his Lifesavers and was happily sucking away! He never lived down that he was trying to "breastfeed" the babies!

Isn't is strange that most women have no problem with MALE doctors, but balk at a male nurse? If there was true intimate care going on, maybe a second person to 'chaperone' might be okay. But vital signs? Assessment? The student needs to get as much experience as possible, and OB/Postpartum/L&D are all part of the program.
Things haven't changed much in 35 years!!!

I am also teaching clinical on an OB floor at the moment--but I have 2 male students. In our program, the students are required to perform a competent postpartum assessment on a patient in order to pass the course. I know they are fish out of water to a certain extent, but these same male students have been quite proficient on the MS floors bathing and assessing female patients. We have an extensive rotation and are only one week in. One of my male students has successfully completed his PP assessment for competency and the other will when he reaches the PP floor, I'm sure (he was in L&D the first week). I know we cannot force the pts to accept our students, but we and they can do a lot toward making it acceptable and more comfortable. Staying professional and confident, choosing patients who are multips, sometimes it is best if family is also at the bedside--especially if that family is in medicine. These men are probably not going to choose a career in this area, but we should expect them to participate as fully as possible as always. Most of our competencies involve the newborn and this is not as tricky an issue. I agree that this is tough, Vicki, and I feel for these guys!

That's so sad!! I've heard about that happening to many male students, which scares me since I'm starting nursing school in January! I will happily engage myself in ob clinicals if I'm given the chance! I wish there wasn't such a negative conotation with males and child birth

I don't think anyone should ask if he can help- just notify the patient that "this is Catfish, a nursing student, and he's going to be following along and helping me today." So much depends on how the patient is approached.

This was the way it was done during my OB rotation, and I never had a problem with anyone saying "no".

This is how any nursing student should be introduced. It shows that there is confidence in the student and his/her abilities.
We have one male in our class, and he was able to work with all of his OB patients during this rotation, and has only had maybe one or two patient refusals throughout the whole 3 semesters of clinicals, which is Par for any of us.

I am sorry to hear about this poor man, I hope he does not develop a hate for the specialty just because of the particular experience.