Any guys in L&D

djksjdalksjf · Dec 25, 2017

Since I'm only a nursing student, I'll comment as a mother. I would have been INCREDIBLY uncomfortable with a male nurse during delivery. Maybe it could be considered sexist to think, but some of these women may have experienced severe abuse from men and to have a male nurse during such an intimate and scary experience just would not work. There are male OBs but the mother has the option to choose her doctor.

That said, I faintly remember some male (nurses or techs) taking care of my daughter right after the birth. If you're interested in the baby aspect, go for peds or NICU! :-)

Trauma Columnist · Dec 25, 2017

Moved to OB/GYN nursing

PeakRN · Dec 25, 2017

I don't work in L&D but we get precips in the ED and we go and help L&D when they are receiving a high risk transfer or have a code white. I understand why a mom may want to have a female nurse in a normal delivery but I have yet to get kicked out when something is going wrong. Just like how no mom wants a EJ until they are actively hemorrhaging and almost passing out, then they don't care.

ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2017

We have a male nurse on our unit, and despite the other comments here, he is well liked by our patients. Of course there are always some patients who will request female staff only (especially for religious reasons, and since all the other nurses are female its easy to accommodate), but for the most part he rarely gets refused. We have a few multips who come back and ask if they can have him as their nurse again! He is part of our OR team, so from 7-3 he is usually either circulating in the OR or doing PACU, but he usually works until 7p and takes labor patients when there are no sections scheduled. He also does a few evening shifts in labor. He comes from an flight nurse background and is really knowledgeable and great to have around during emergencies.

We also have a male PCA/scrub tech who is well liked by the patients.

klone, MSN, RN · Dec 27, 2017

I would not hesitate to hire a man into L&D if he had a passion for this area of nursing.

labordude, BSN, RN · Dec 29, 2017

L&D after 9 years of NICU, certified lactation counselor, applying to nurse midwifery school.

It's incredibly rare that I have to change patients. I am very sensitive to any sign that a patient may not be comfortable with me even if they don't say it. I have had patients after the fact tell me that they were initially hesitant, but after actually being cared for by me, they were thankful for the skill and compassion. Men can thrive in L&D, there needs to be more guys coming into this specialty, it is truly amazing and humbling. I have cared for women of all faiths and ethnicities across a large age range and every patient has made me a better caregiver. As a dad, I have an insight that my female co-workers don't so I am definitely able to add something in this area. When we hand off patients, the message to the patient is hey, you get ldrnicuguy, he's amazing and will take great care of you because of x, y, z. Talk up your nurses, this is especially important with minority groups (like L&Dudes

Highs:Babies are born! Families are made/enlarged. Seriously, if you haven't been present at a birth, it's beyond cool.

Lows: The sick moms and/or sick babies. There will be losses, the ones you expect and the ones you don't. They both hurt.

labordude, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2017

al3x117, I tried to respond to your PM, but it says that you have chosen not to accept any private messages (or alternately, that you just can't receive any at this time). I'm happy to answer once you can get them again.

al3x117, RN, EMT-B · Dec 30, 2017

al3x117, I tried to respond to your PM, but it says that you have chosen not to accept any private messages (or alternately, that you just can't receive any at this time). I'm happy to answer once you can get them again.

Try sending me a PM I think I figured it out. And I accepted you as a friend. I sent you back a PM and I think I forgot to check the box where it can accept PM messages from people who are not in my contacts. So I think it should work this time.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Dec 31, 2017

Women can choose their doctor for office visits, but if a male physician from the practice happens to be on call at delivery, guess who's going to be there?

I don't say that to belittle anyone's preferences, as they're yours and they're valid.

But it is a bit far-fetched to suggest that a male nurse seeing your lower half during birth is any different than a male physician. Abuse is a good reason to not want a strange man dealing with your genitalia, but women's experiences are by no means universal, and I don't think it's fair to assume that a given woman wouldn't want a man as her L&D nurse just because he's a man.

We used to have a male L&D RN on my floor, and we've had a male mother/baby RN for years now. They were/are well-liked and v good to their patients.

I've loved the male RNs I've had that took care of me after my BTL and the ones that took care of my mom after her hysterectomy, and when I was laboring my daughter there was a male nursing student in the room. It was fine. It's their job.

I was talking to one of the OB residents (who happens to be male) last weekend during a tangentially related conversation and we agreed that after doing what we do for soooooo long, lady partss are just not something we even think about once we leave the room. That's not to be crass about it, and of course we try to help all our pts feel comfortable, but I can promise no one is thinking about your stuff in their downtime.

My babyhaving days are done, but I'd work with or be taken care of by male RNs in L&D any day.