can a nurse refuse to give vaginal cream to a patient?

[Ms.RN]

I have a patient whose been complaining of itching and burning in lady parts area. So doctor prescribed a lady partsl cream for her but the problem is a nurse that has her is refusing to administer it to her. She says "This patient is competent to be able to insert lady partsl cream by herself" Yes, this patient is able to do it herself but she asked a nurse to do it for her, but this nurse is still refusing. Can a nurse refuse to do it or is she being very unprofessional?

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

If the patient is able bodied and still refusing, that would send up some red flags. We've had pts in my hospital in the past that have later claimed abuse from healthcare workers performing intimate care. These accusations were found to be a bunch of hooey(pt was nuttier than squirrel poop) but how horrible that must have been for the nurse it happened to.

The nurse in the OP could go in to do it, but if so, I wouldn't go alone. She/he should bring a coworker with them..This protects the nurse and may have the added benefit of persuading the patient that she can do it herself.I know it would work for me!

[bagladyrn, RN]

I really don't get why this is such a problem. Most of our patients are equally capable of administering their own eye drops or ear drops, yet we think nothing of doing it for them. Why the big deal just because it is a different orifice? Just administer the cream, be very matter of fact and go on about your work. Of course, I'm an OB nurse, so I got over hangups about genitals years ago.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

I too believe that "to stupid to live" should be one of the ICD 9 codes.

[Scrubby]

If I was in a situation like this I would firstly try and educate the patient to apply the cream themselves. If they refused I'd try and find out why the patient has an issue with it. If I suspected they wanted it for sexual gratification or claim sexual harassment from me I would get another RN to witness it and I would document in the notes that the patient is not being compliant with self administration.

[Scrubby]

second, why is the op policing the nurse's practice? if you're supervising the nurse then you must have some nursing experience and you'd know whether it's professional to refuse to administer lady partsl cream to an able bodied patient in your area of practice. if you're not supervising the nurse, then why do you care?

posted by ghillbert:

[why are you involved? surely it's up to the nurse looking after the patient to provide the treatment (or not) and document as such. if you have the patient, you do whatever you choose to do as a professional. unless you're in charge of the nurse in question, i'm not sure why you feel the need to police a colleague.]

why are you both assuming that the op is policing this nurses practice? maybe they thought to ask us at allnurses for some advice in case a similar issue happens in their practice, rather than being accused of doing the wrong thing.

[rkitty198, BSN, RN]

Posted by Ghillbert:

[Why are you involved? Surely it's up to the nurse looking after the patient to provide the treatment (or not) and document as such. If you have the patient, you do whatever you choose to do as a professional. Unless you're in charge of the nurse in question, I'm not sure why you feel the need to police a colleague.]

Why are you both assuming that the OP is policing this nurses practice? Maybe they thought to ask us at allnurses for some advice in case a similar issue happens in their practice, rather than being accused of doing the wrong thing.

I totally agree with this too.

I also will have to say that even if I am inserting a Foley in a patient female or male I always have another nurse or tech go in with me, it helps my comfort and that of the patient.