How do you handle female patients your age or younger?

pro-student · Sep 20, 2018

Always at least offer a chaperone (even if one isn't immediately available). Some women will decline which you can document. It would make it much harder to allege something untoward took place when a pt declined a chaperone. Obviously, if she takes you up on the offer, you have to find someone but it doesn't necessarily have to be a female or even a nurse. Just a witness in the room. If you ever sense anything might be amiss, are particularly nervous about a situation (breast exams are probably the most common), or are dealing with a child make sure you have someone on staff in the room. Personal chaperones are great for the patient but if an allegation is made, guess who they are likely to side with. All in all, however, I think issues are quite rare since there is generally a big difference between anything medical and anything sexual.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Sep 21, 2018

As my Polish grandmother used to say "Nie mÃ³j cyrk, nie moje maÅ‚py --Not my circus, not my monkeys". I am soooo glad that I don't have to deal with this in the NICU.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2018

I never gave patients the option. I would come in with a female nurse and say to the patient "this is Mary. She is here to assist with putting the Foley catheter in," even though Mary was really only there as a chaperone.

Matthew RN, MSN · Oct 1, 2018

I agree, have a witness with you. My first job out of highschool was in a psych area. In training they tell us that they have had issues with false accusations from females about male staff so we were never to be alone with a female patient.

I once asked my charge nurse to place a foley in a 25 year old female patient. She made fun of me but did it. Four nurses and an hour later she came back and said, "I'm really glad you didn't try to do that yourself, it ended up being very traumatic for the patient even with only female staff."

labordude, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2018

How do you handle procedures like urinary catheters, breast exams, etc. when it comes to women? I always try to have a female nurse if available or have a female stand by in the room if I absolutely must do it. Any tips on keeping it professional and avoiding accusations? Thanks.

All of my patients are female and the vast majority are younger than me. Anyone who gets an epidural or has a cesarean section gets a foley. Our hospital has a two person insertion policy that is unrelated to gender, it's to prevent infection. Does it happen every time? Heck no and if my patient needs a catheter and there isn't anyone else around, it just gets put it. It would also be very uncommon to deliver a baby and not have a cervical exam at some point. I don't have a chaperone for this, though it's uncommon for the patient to be alone anyway due to their partner and/or family being present. In other words, 99.9% of the time I do the exact same thing a nurse who is female would do. If I think I'm not a good fit, I just change patients with someone else. Happens extremely infrequently though.

I never just walk in and do anything to a patient, there is always a discussion beforehand and verbal consent from them that they both understand and will allow me to proceed. If reading body language and picking up on signs they aren't comfortable with you isn't your strong suit, learn. If you have someone you trust that can read YOUR body language and let you know if you give off a creepy/weird vibe, ask them.

LiveFit99 · Feb 10, 2019

1st, We can make the argument that female nurses typically don't do anything special for male patients, just because female nurses are the norm. Why should it be different for male nurses?

95% of the time I make no special effort to have a witness with me. Commonly I ask for help for some procedures so it's a moot point, like having a CNA to hold labia open for a straight cath since it can be tricky with obese women.

Finally, just normal communication covers most of this. It's not like I spring a surprise catheter on my patient. We do a bladder scan, it's over the limit, so I say "We need to cath you to drain your bladder, I need to grab some supplies and I'll be back in 10 minutes." If they have any objection they have plenty of time and opportunity to do so.

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Mar 26, 2019

It's way too easy to get accused of something. I get a female in there with me, its always an option so I don't see why I should take the risk. Younger females are just uncomfortable with men in general and it should be done.

GrumpyRN, NP · Mar 26, 2019

On 9/20/2018 at 2:55 AM, DanGIT1322 said:
How do you handle procedures like urinary catheters, breast exams, etc. when it comes to women? I always try to have a female nurse if available or have a female stand by in the room if I absolutely must do it. Any tips on keeping it professional and avoiding accusations? Thanks.

Easy, in 35+ years I have never done any of that. Plenty of females around to do the female stuff and I do the male stuff.

Mr. Murse · Apr 1, 2019

I almost always get a female chaperone for anything like foleys, enemas, certain exams, etc. Especially if they're confused or they seem like a problematic patient. If I have sensed any discomfort with having a male caregiver I will usually offer to find a female coworker to do certain things.

_firely · Apr 4, 2019

On 2/9/2019 at 8:27 PM, LiveFit99 said:
1st, We can make the argument that female nurses typically don't do anything special for male patients, just because female nurses are the norm. Why should it be different for male nurses?
95% of the time I make no special effort to have a witness with me. Commonly I ask for help for some procedures so it's a moot point, like having a CNA to hold labia open for a straight cath since it can be tricky with obese women.
Finally, just normal communication covers most of this. It's not like I spring a surprise catheter on my patient. We do a bladder scan, it's over the limit, so I say "We need to cath you to drain your bladder, I need to grab some supplies and I'll be back in 10 minutes." If they have any objection they have plenty of time and opportunity to do so.

The cath argument is just obvious based on physics. If you don’t cover your *** any time you’re spending time alone in a private space with a woman at work, you are a fool and you will be looked at as such by a jury when she makes any accusation.

Seeing Myself Out · Apr 9, 2019

I dont get that many. I just treat them like everyone else and if they don't feel comfortable they will ask for a female nurse before I even introduce myself