Did this patient overreact?!

This is all wrong.

She was uncomfortable, there's no denying that. She well within her right to complain. Saying she overreacting is appalling.

He shouldn't of turned the camera off. He had no reason to expose her private area. And if there was a actual reason there should of been another female nurse there with him.

That fact that she's had kids makes no difference. Giving birth is a legitimate reason to be exposed, doesn't mean that now she can be expose whenever with no reason.

The only concern i had wasshe said he would not allow her to cover her lady parts and intimate areas when she wanted to with her gown. But then he denies that outright.

Her claim is that he forced her gown off of her lady parts twice. Doesn't seem like him. He has a clean record here. No complaints.

Ok. This does sound odd. Of course as a nurse you surely know that she wasn't covering her lady parts( internal) but her labia and pubic mound.

It's a pet peeve of mine to hear professions calling the outer girlie bits by inner girlie bits name.

I told her she should have had on underwear and that she should be used to having it all hang out since she's had a few kids here. But we provided underwear since she left her extras at home.

You need to stop.

I've had a baby. I'm not use to it all hanging out.

Also stop blaming her for not wearing underwear. If she's uncomfortable stop making it seem like it was her fault.

Fine yes...

There is no way to prove either side at this point because the camera was turned away. She said he kept removing the gown from her pubic mound then. But I can't prove either side. He is married and has never had a complaint of this nature although I can't for 100 per cent claim he is spotless.

I dont think that the patient was over reacting, some people are more private than others. I am a little confused by this whole situation, why was the husband talking to you if he wanted to speak to the head nurse. I understand that it can sometimes be an inconvenience to bring an escort but you seem more bothered about this than usual. Are you a nurse, is this your regular unit. I guess that, yes, your Male colleague better be more careful in the future. Although none of us really knows what went on in there, he (and everyone) still needs to be careful against allegations, and maybe more sensitive to patients feelings regarding personal space/privacy.

Fine yes...

There is no way to prove either side at this point because the camera was turned away. She said he kept removing the gown from her pubic mound then. But I can't prove either side. He is married and has never had a complaint of this nature although I can't for 100 per cent claim he is spotless.

It's not your job to prove anything.

For now give her support, only use female staff if at all possible or provide female witness if males are necessary.

I dont think that the patient was over reacting, some people are more private than others. I am a little confused by this whole situation, why was the husband talking to you if he wanted to speak to the head nurse. I understand that it can sometimes be an inconvenience to bring an escort but you seem more bothered about this than usual. Are you a nurse, is this your regular unit. I guess that, yes, your Male colleague better be more careful in the future. Although none of us really knows what went on in there, he (and everyone) still needs to be careful against allegations, and maybe more sensitive to patients feelings regarding personal space/privacy.

Agreed

It's not your job to prove anything.

For now give her support, only use female staff if at all possible or provide female witness if males are necessary.

Thats the plan our head nurse came up with.

I would fully expect the camera to be turned away from the patient when exposing them in that manner. I would be furious if someone had a camera on my private parts! Females do not accompany our male nurses or male nursing assistants when they examine a female patient. The only time a female is required to be present is when a doctor does an invasive lady partsl or rectal exam.

Your repeated statements about how the fact that this woman has had children means she is overreacting are ludicrous and offensive. I can't imagine how any professional could write or believe such a thing.

No one here knows whether the patient was overreacting or was assaulted or whether there was poor communication and general misunderstanding. There is nothing more to this discussion.

I suggest you educate yourself on ideas such as bodily privacy and integrity and the like.

This is all wrong.

She was uncomfortable, there's no denying that. She well within her right to complain. Saying she overreacting is appalling.

He shouldn't of turned the camera off. He had no reason to expose her private area. And if there was a actual reason there should of been another female nurse there with him.

That fact that she's had kids makes no difference. Giving birth is a legitimate reason to be exposed, doesn't mean that now she can be expose whenever with no reason.

Our male nurses place urinary catheters, clean patients, etc., without a female present, as do our male nursing assistants. If a female patient requests a female nurse, we try to accomodate, but this is a hospital, we do what we can with what we have. Sometimes all of our staff is male.

I told her she should have had on underwear and that she should be used to having it all hang out since she's had a few kids here. But we provided underwear since she left her extras at home.

I really hope you didn't say that! Used to having it all hang out?! Are you kidding me?

Do you think prostitutes can't be raped, either? That someone dressed provocatively is asking for it?

You had no right to tell her she "should've" had underwear on. You may as well have told her she deserved to feel ashamed because she was naked under her gown.

Seriously, I'm just sitting here, utterly shocked that you were so callous to her being upset by this.

Your reaction about her emotional response to this is what is inappropriate. You have no idea what her background is as it relates to sexual assault or abuse. For all you know, it was difficult for her to have her lady partsl area exposed for childbirth, too. Or that she had female caregivers at her births because of this problem.

For her to be weepy, and have no appetite is proof of the psychological trauma the encounter caused for her. As a patient, she is naturally going to feel vulnerable, and apparently she was.

Emotional pain is what the patient says it is, too.

You really are way, way off the mark here. You may think you know your co-worker... but at the very least, he showed flawed judgement in how he handled the encounter.... and at the worst, he did do something inappropriate. For sure, he failed to pay attention to the patient's demeanor and reaction to what he was doing, and continued in the face of her discomfort.

There are many ways he could've examined her without deflecting the camera and without leaving her perineal area exposed: Moving the gown up to the groin but keeping it over the vulva; putting a washcloth, hand towel or even a pillowcase over her vulva; or upon noticing her discomfort, asking her if she'd like to put on underwear before he continued.

Btw, I don't typically wear panties when in in the hospital (except after childbirth to hold the pads), because it tends to keep riding up on me when I'm in bed, plus I always have to pee with more urgency when I'm hospitalized (idk why, it's weird) but panties get in the way when you are literally peeing as you sit. My point is I don't think it's that unusual to not wear panties.... I've never had a nurse say, "hey, why are you going commando? You should be wearing undies..."