Male L&D nurses

indigo · May 20, 2004

Right on. For me, I think midwifery is for women and about women and it makes sense for women to attend to women birthing. But for others, it really doesn't matter and a male l/d nurse would be fine. Let the mother decide.

Alnamvet · May 20, 2004

Right on. For me, I think midwifery is for women and about women and it makes sense for women to attend to women birthing. But for others, it really doesn't matter and a male l/d nurse would be fine. Let the mother decide.

Right on. For me, police, fire, rescue, combat pilots, ship commands, Spec Ops, submariners, big game fishing, auto mechanics, factory jobs, mining, construction workers, ship builders, astronauts, black bag ops, politics, et al are for men only, and about men and it makes sense for men to attend to male dominated world events. But for others, it really doesn't matter and a female in a male dominated profession would be fine. Let the voters decide. :rolleyes:

Energizer Bunny · May 20, 2004

Sexist and insulting....both ways....I can't believe this is still an issue with people in this country.

jwk · May 29, 2004

Having experience in L&D, i think that having a male nurse would be very "uncomfortable" for not only the laboring woman but her partner as well. There are many more tasks involved in assisting in the LABOR of a patient, not just the birth of a baby. Many things are very personal and the process lasts usually for many hours and one must consider all aspects of the experience, not just the birth itself. There are processes like enemas and catherizations and back rubs and perineum stretching involved. As a woman, I do not feel i would be comfortable with a man, whom is a stranger to me, performing these tasks.

I TRULY don't get this argument in this day and time, and am 100% opposed to those of you that say males SHOULDN'T be in L&D. Males have been involved in L&D for ages - it's just that for most of this time they were the OB docs, not the nurses. There are a small but growing number of male CNM's and L&D nurses. More power to them. There have always been other males involved as well - surgical techs, anesthesia providers, etc.

I'm sure when the FHT's hit the floor that the patient will be glad ANY nurse is there to help them.

I think the ONLY time that a request for having no males present would be reasonable would be for religious reasons. As long as a nurse of the opposite gender in ANY specialty conducts themselves in a professional manner there shouldn't be a problem. Simply being "uncomfortable" is not a good enough reason.

Discrimination is discrimination. The comparison to black vs. white or other types of discrimination is NOT a nonsensical comparison. Patients can't come into the hospital and say, "I don't want black nurses taking care of me", or "I don't want that Jewish anesthetist". All of you female nurses seem to have no problem putting a foley in a male patient, but flip it around the other way and it's somehow wrong? Give me a break!

We've got female urologists at my hospital, doing vasectomies, digital rectal exams, and (gasp) penile prostheses. And we have male plastic surgeons doing breast augmentations and nipple reconstructions. Surely there should be a constitutional amendment against this inter-gender medical contact.

I've worked with lots of male L&D nurses, OB techs, scrub techs, and surgical assistants over the years. In my 30 years of healthcare experience, above all else, patients want caring, competent, and knowledgeable professionals caring for them, period.

You can't demand not to have discrimination EXCEPT.....

You can't demand equality EXCEPT.....

nurseunderwater · May 29, 2004

Right on. For me, police, fire, rescue, combat pilots, ship commands, Spec Ops, submariners, big game fishing, auto mechanics, factory jobs, mining, construction workers, ship builders, astronauts, black bag ops, politics, et al are for men only, and about men and it makes sense for men to attend to male dominated world events. But for others, it really doesn't matter and a female in a male dominated profession would be fine. Let the voters decide.

um...just how exactly do any of these positions r/t assisting a woman during childbirth? not really getting the point :rolleyes:

BRANDY LPN · May 30, 2004

I think the ONLY time that a request for having no males present would be reasonable would be for religious reasons. As long as a nurse of the opposite gender in ANY specialty conducts themselves in a professional manner there shouldn't be a problem. Simply being "uncomfortable" is not a good enough reason.

Quote edited for space.

I agree with everything you said except that victims of sexual abuse/ rape also have a valid reason for a request for no males present.

nurseunderwater · May 30, 2004

Simply being "uncomfortable" is not a good enough reason.
...

oh forget all this PC crap.. :stone ..I so wholeheartedly disagree with this statement. If I don't want to have a man with me - aside from my dear husband while delivering my baby it is my right to say so. what a load of malarkey. :rolleyes:

I would love to post an even longer rebuttal but alas my 3 kids are calling.

camay1221_RN · May 30, 2004

Nurseunderwater,

I'm with you on this one!

If it is not comfortable to have a man present, and there is one present against her will, the facility is setting themselves up for legal action.

Personally, I am not opposed to male RN's in any aspect of nursing, including L&D. My OB is a man, I had male med students in two of the three of my deliveries, and I was comfortable with all of it. However, peoples preferences should be respected as long as they are within reason.

oh forget all this PC crap.. :stone ..I so wholeheartedly disagree with this statement. If I don't want to have a man with me - aside from my dear husband while delivering my baby it is my right to say so. what a load of malarkey.
I would love to post an even longer rebuttal but alas my 3 kids are calling.

ayndim · May 30, 2004

oh forget all this PC crap.. :stone ..I so wholeheartedly disagree with this statement. If I don't want to have a man with me - aside from my dear husband while delivering my baby it is my right to say so. what a load of malarkey.
I would love to post an even longer rebuttal but alas my 3 kids are calling.

I completely agree with you. Being uncomfortable is a good enough reason.

nurseunderwater · May 30, 2004

I think what alarms me most about this thread is the focus on the needs of the nurse. Where is this coming from? This is not a surgical or medical patient. She (unless there are other issues) is in a state of homeostasis. To potentially interfere with this because of ones own ego is disturbing to me.

We know that childbirth is a completely subjective experience and that it progresses due to subtle shifts in neurotransmitters and hormones. Why in the world would one find it reasonable to create a situation that increases the laboring mothers stress responses and in doing so place both mother and neonate at greater risk? We all know the cascade of interventions r/t a "stalled" labor; frequent cervical checks, rupture of membranes, pit, epidural, antibiotics for extended rupture of membranes, increased risk of c-section.

If an animal - and yes we are animals - finds herself in what she perceives to be a hostile environment her labor will stall. I am sure many L&D nurses have witnessed this phenomena in their units....hmmmmmmmmmm.....she was doing so nicely before she arrived, then - nada. Sometimes around 3-6 cms a little narcs or an epidural come into play. Why does this work so well so often? I would hazard to guess that in some cases we have successfully overridden the innate protective mechanisms that this woman possesses regarding her perception of safety whilst laboring. I would truly be interested in seeing any research that has been done on women in labor with a male L&D nurse present against her best wishes.

To classify this patient in the same category as one coming in for the sole purpose of a medical intervention is preposterous. This classifies birth with disease processes. When has a normal birth with a healthy mom and baby become recognized as a medical intervention?

I need to say too that I think putting the issue of color in this thread as a platform for argument is inflammatory at best.

I also take issue with the argument that there are male OBs and female urologists. These pts have for the most part chosen these health care providers so the argument is moot. They don't know who are they are getting when they check into L&D. Based on their level of comfort with a provider of the opposite sex should have the right to request another nurse.

I have a feeling I'll be back.

That's my story and I'm sticken' to it.

Kate

lisamc1RN, LPN · May 30, 2004

Am I to understand that there are some in this thread that would insist that a laboring woman who is requesting a female nurses must keep the male nurse? :stone This isn't about the nurse, it is about a laboring woman! If I don't want a male nurse at my bedside, by golly you had better get me another nurse! Otherwise, expect me to find a more accomodating facility with my next birth. You can also expect me to file a complaint! Women who are completely healthy and come to the hospital to have their babies have the right to choose who will be in that room with them. Why is it ok to say "ok, you can have the epidural to make you more comfortable. Heck, if you'd rather have a c-section, we will support you, but we draw the line at getting you a female nurse."?

As for male OB's being present, that is also a woman's choice. Obviously, if a woman is allowing one man in the room and not another, this isn't about discrimination, but about what feels right to the woman and what will help her to birth her baby with as little stress added as possible. Take these choices away from birthing mothers, and you will lose patients to places that are more willing to support them during such an important time in their lives.

lisamc1RN, LPN · May 30, 2004

Quote edited for space.
I agree with everything you said except that victims of sexual abuse/ rape also have a valid reason for a request for no males present.

So a woman comes to the hospital in labor and requests a female nurse. You are going to ask her if she was ever raped or sexually abused to see if she qualifies?