How do the male nurses feel about perineal care?

Nurses General Nursing

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Do male nurses actually wash the male and female genitalia? I'm sure this question has been around for ages, but I can't find an answer anywhere... I just find it hard to believe that a male patient would want or even allow a male nurse to do those things.

Please don't respond with rude comments.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

This topic has been recently discussed. Search under LTC: little old ladies refusing care.

Dave

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Easy answer...yes, all the time.

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Actually the easy answer would be: CNA's duh.. :D

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Specializes in Float.

I don't think any nurse or tech actually wakes up everyday and says the great part about my job is wiping a**. I know I don't. However, when I'm doing perineal care I usually become OCD-ish and nothing bothers me more than to walk ut the room and think dang I think I missed a spot. Ugh . Iva had more women that did not want perineal care than men. Either the men are old and sick and realize it's my duty and allow me to care for them, or their sick and still maintain some form of independence and do it themselves. Women on the other hand are different. They may be old and traditional and let me clean other parts of their bodies and I hand them the wash cloth to clean down there, or they are sick and just need the care totally, or their husband is there and out of respect I allow him to clean the perineal and genitalia. Different people desire different ways of treatment.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Capacity/Bed Management.

Yes male nurses wash male and female genitalia why wouldn't they? Female nurses bath and change their patients routinely, we should expect to do the same. Also most patients don't care who is cleaning them as long as someone is doing it, I'm sure you wouldn't want to sit in a pool of your own urine or stool because a female nurse was not available.

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

Also remember, the person is sick..really, really sick. If they are in the hospital for something fairly minor, hand them the washcloth & let them do it themselves.

Like someone else said, I don't "enjoy" this of either male or female...but it is just one of them jobs that needs done. You just do it & move on.

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I'm a male RN and yep, all the time, and its not a tech job!! You will find that people treat ya better if you help them out!! A good tech is worth their weight in gold!!

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First of all you have asked two different questions. How do male nurses "feel" and then you asked IF we actually do it. The answer to the second is yes we do clean the perineum...as far as how we "feel"..... we usually "feel" with our hands, wow what a creepy question ....if you were referring to actual emotional feelings...everyone knows male nurses have none.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

Kind of insulted you would even ask. How do female nurses feel about perineal care? How do female patients feel about getting care from a female? I guess it's just nurses taking care of patients.

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Kind of insulted you would even ask. How do female nurses feel about perineal care? How do female patients feel about getting care from a female? I guess it's just nurses taking care of patients.

Some people sure do take pride in feeling affronted.I'm jus' saying:uhoh3:.

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Pretty much if someone's not able to clean their own perineum, there are two of us in the room for repositioning, so it ends up being chaperoned, which is all to the good.

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