How do you feel about male nurses in OB/GYN/NICU?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Hello,

I just finished my preceptorship and will be graduating in December. I really enjoyed my clinical rotations in OB/GYN, but there are no male nurses. My longterm goal is to be a NICU nurse. I was hoping to get some comments regarding men in this specific field of nursing.

Thank you

Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
NICU, sure.

I never understood why a male nurse would want to do l&d or mother/baby though. Male OB's - they're surgeons. But again, I don't really understand why a male would want to do ob/gyn except to be around women a lot. Just ridiculous imo. Flame me if you want, (actually I'd prefer you didn't) but that's just the way I feel. I also don't understand why a female would want to be a proctologist. I love everything l&d but that's because I've been through it myself etc. I know what if feels like to be in labor and to hold my baby for the first time. I guess being married to a very "manly man" who is an engineer and also in the Army... I don't know any feminine men. Ob is a very feminine field. And a male better have a very good reason why they need to be all up in a female patient's business...

I know I'm not the only one that feels this way, just the only one here that has the guts to say it.

Uh I've never been pregnant or in labor but I became an RN to work in L&D. I'm just waiting for my chance. According to you, I shouldn't be in L&D until after I've given birth?

I've never been in a nursing home, but I've worked in a couple. I've never been in rehab but I've worked in one. I've never been on a ventilator, but I've worked on a vent unit. Never had cancer but worked with Hospice. Etc, etc. Why should a male be an OB/GYN then? If he wants to do surgery let him operate on something else. What backwards thinking.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

Go for it if it's your passion. Nothing wrong with a male nurse in any of those fields :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I have no opinion. If they're good at their job, then great! I don't feel like men should NOT go into OB/Gyn, if that's what they want to do.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
I also don't understand why a female would want to be a proctologist.

Huh? Females don't have rectums? What about proctology makes it a "male" field?

Your views are completely illogical, as well as offensive. It's possible that it is indeed just *you*.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Cmon now:) No need to be offended! Everyone has and is entitled to their own opinions. I do Understand what Jen... is saying & I truly do get your point as well. I have had 5 children & 2 miscarriages & yes, it would be a bit strange for me to labor with a man, as I havnt done it that way before. Im also afraid I might have been inclined to get upset with them(if they maybe tried to be too bossy) because they honestly dont know what Im feeling(during a particularly emotional/unmedicated birth). I can get pretty testy! However, Ive had male Physicians that have delivered my babies( 5 0ut of the 7 actually)& it seems they, in alot of ways can sometimes even be better than women ob's.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Cmon now:) No need to be offended! Everyone has and is entitled to their own opinions. I do Understand what Jen... is saying & I truly do get your point as well. I have had 5 children & 2 miscarriages & yes, it would be a bit strange for me to labor with a man, as I havnt done it that way before. Im also afraid I might have been inclined to get upset with them(if they maybe tried to be too bossy) because they honestly dont know what Im feeling(during a particularly emotional/unmedicated birth). I can get pretty testy! However, Ive had male Physicians that have delivered my babies( 5 0ut of the 7 actually)& it seems they, in alot of ways can sometimes even be better than women ob's.

But the thing is that there are plenty of women nurses out there that haven't given birth - why does being a woman give automatic credit? A man can be just as respectful and caring if not more so than some women out there.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have worked in a LDRP setting for 11 plus years . I have worked with some male nurses that are great nurses . But I can tell you they aren't meet with alot of open arms. You will have some women that dont care but alot will . Everyone is different . Women CHOOSE their Dr male or female. As far as male RN in Ob ESP the labor part my experience is that you may meet with resistance . As far as NICU that would not matter Male or female. Good luck !

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Male obgyn nurses don't bother me a bit. Actually, when I had my son almost 7 weeks ago, my L&D nurse was male and he was wonderful. I hope he's still there when/if we have another baby. I had a very difficult labor and had to have a c-section, and I'm lucky to have had such a wonderful nurse there with me. Gender doesn't really matter at all to me when it comes to nurses, or doctors. All I care about is that they are good at their job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Well, many OBGYNs are males, why can't there be male nurses in this field? Doesn't make sense for there not to be male OBGYN nurses.

Where I live male OB/GYN's do not go in and do a lady partsl exam on a patient without a female nurse in the room with him. Male OB nurses would not work because they wouldn't be allowed to examine a woman without another nurse present, so what's the point? I think male nurses would be fine in Peds and NICU, most just seem to be drawn to ER and ICU in my experience. I may be old school, but an L&D nurse is bonding with a laboring woman in a different capacity than the MD is, I think it would be weird and inappropriate for the nurse to be male. It would be like having a male midwife. I think birth is mostly a domain where women should support other women.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
Where I live male OB/GYN's do not go in and do a lady partsl exam on a patient without a female nurse in the room with him. Male OB nurses would not work because they wouldn't be allowed to examine a woman without another nurse present, so what's the point? I think male nurses would be fine in Peds and NICU, most just seem to be drawn to ER and ICU in my experience. I may be old school, but an L&D nurse is bonding with a laboring woman in a different capacity than the MD is, I think it would be weird and inappropriate for the nurse to be male. It would be like having a male midwife. I think birth is mostly a domain where women should support other women.

There ARE male midwives. I think I read 2% of midwives are men?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

Where I live male OB/GYN's do not go in and do a lady partsl exam on a patient without a female nurse in the room with him. Male OB nurses would not work because they wouldn't be allowed to examine a woman without another nurse present, so what's the point?

This isn't so much for the pt's protection as for the male performing the exam- protection from any possible false accusations and litigation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

My FEMALE OB always had another staff member present whenever she would do invasive exams in the clinic. So it's not just male OBs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment