How will our new grad Male RN work in L &D?

[ragingmomster]

Our unit has hired a male new grad RN to work in L&D, he starts later this summer. I do not have any experience with this situation because I think it is rare and I only have 2 years experience in L&D.

Some of our nurses are concerned with having this RN do checks without a chaperone and insist that having a male RN will be like a millstone around the neck of the rest of us who are already overworked.

Not one to turn up my nose at something new, I am looking for RNs with experience in working with a male RN in L&D. Better yet, any male RNs willing to share their experiences so that I can share information with my co-workers.

[FocusRN]

If your hospital does or doesn't have a policy, it still all really boils down to the personal preference of the patient. That really goes for all care. When I was in the hospital in labor with my son, I had my nurse reassigned, because I didn't like her, When my son burned his foot (2nd degree), and I took him to the ER, I didn't like the triage's nurses attitude, so I made her get another nurse to triage him. I have never and will never have a male OB, nor would I ever have a male RN in L&D as my nurse. No sexual discrimination, it is just my choice. And ultimately, the patients of the day will decide the way it is that day, period, no matter what hospital policy may be.

[Psqrd]

If your hospital does or doesn't have a policy, it still all really boils down to the personal preference of the patient. That really goes for all care. When I was in the hospital in labor with my son, I have my nurse reassigned, because I didn't like her, WHen my soon burned his foot (2nd degree), and I took him to the ER, I didn't like the triage's nurses attitude, so I made her get another nurse to triage him. I have never and will never have a male OB, nor would I ever have a male RN in L&D as my nurse. No sexual discrimination, it is just my choice. And ultimately, the patients of the day will decide they way it is that day, period, no matter what hospital policy may be.

Wow! not sexual discrimination but as you say, you eliminate them from possible care of you because of them being male...if thats not SEXUAL discrimination I don't know what is.

And yes I do take exception to your comment about this in case it is not evident in my writing, I would expect better from a peer. Yes it your choice but I question why you make this choice and how you make it.

My wife and I had a male nurse assigned to us during the delivery of our daughter and he was fantastic! In fact I had hoped to work with him during my L&D rotation but alas he had relocated to another state. I found him inspirational both as a representitive of my sex and as an outstanding nurse.

The nurse did my wifes checks with no escort but I do realize that policies will vary depending upon the institution.

How can we as a profession expect our patients to look beyond our gender and look just at our qualifications if we as a profession can't do it.

Professionalism, experitise, and espirit de corp is what we need, do we as professionals expect to be taken seriously by our health care teammates while not even treating each other with respect.

Now I know, especially after working in L&D that some patients refuse male nurses and or Physicians to be in the room with a wide variance of reasons from cultural to personal, but when I got attitude from the nurses on the floor and comments that males didn't belong on the floor is exactly what I am talking about.

God bless ALL those that take care of those that need it.

God help those that refuse the care offered.

Psqrd, RN 2 Be.

[mkcrturner]

I am F and prefer my M ob-gyn. As a matter of fact, I moved to FL and still schedule my annual exam during a trip back home to MI to see him. I had a F once and was uncomfortable with HER doing my breast exam, etc. Just my comfort level-When I am healthy and have the choice.

However, if I am sick, I do not care who treats me as long as they are doing their job well. I discriminate against attitude, not gender.

Although... my own gender is losing alot of points since I have yet, to date, run across a rude male nurse. I lost count of the number of female nurses that treated my family and myself like slabs of meat.

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

he will probably work the same as the female nurses. though, if everyone is gun-shy of working witha male, the guy might feel on the defensive, shy, and unwelcome in his new job, and then this will perpetuate the "nurses eat their young" stereotype. good for him for being brave enough to work in a field he wants to even though he'll be looked at oddly and scrutinized way more than any other new grad.

btw, our male docs always have a nurse in the room for any procedure involving the lady parts. is this necessary, or is it b/c they need assistance? who knows? female docs always have a nurse with them, too.

[Just_Me_2]

I am getting ready to start working in OB, eventually training to work L&D. When I asked about it, the director said they had had one male nurse working OB at one time, but he decided it wasn't for him. As for doing lady partsl checks, I am not sure what the policy is or why it should matter. I can understand the need to have another nurse present just to prevent accusations from crazy people, but if that is the case male obstetricians should also have a female escort.

Personally, I think it is really sad to see the world coming to this, but I would gladly give a few minutes of my time to keep a male coworker from being falsely accused of something. I think most younger women today are more open minded about having a male take care of them since there are more and more male nurses.

We are all professionals and should have the choice as to where we work. A male should be able to choose labor and delivery, and a female should be able to choose ER (another topic, I know, but the male director of nursing at the hospital where I precepted got reprimanded for *only* hiring males to work ER....)

[Jolie, BSN]

Wow! not sexual discrimination but as you say, you eliminate them from possible care of you because of them being male...if thats not SEXUAL discrimination I don't know what is.

And yes I do take exception to your comment about this in case it is not evident in my writing, I would expect better from a peer. Yes it your choice but I question why you make this choice and how you make it.

Psqrd, RN 2 Be.

No, this is not sexual discrimination. This is a patient's preference. And nurses, like everyone else have a right to choose their healthcare providers, based on a number of criteria, including gender, education, languages spoken, convenience of office location, hospital affiliation, etc. Simply being a nurse does not obligate a woman to accept a male physician, nurse, dentist, chiropractor, or veterinarian, anymore than she would be obligated to accept a provider whose office is inconvenient. And it is unfair and presumptive to assume that her preference for female care-givers makes her an unworthy peer.

[Psqrd]

No, this is not sexual discrimination. This is a patient's preference. And nurses, like everyone else have a right to choose their healthcare providers, based on a number of criteria, including gender, education, languages spoken, convenience of office location, hospital affiliation, etc. Simply being a nurse does not obligate a woman to accept a male physician, nurse, dentist, chiropractor, or veterinarian, anymore than she would be obligated to accept a provider whose office is inconvenient. And it is unfair and presumptive to assume that her preference for female care-givers makes her an unworthy peer.

She said that she does not discriminate...I'm saying that is discrimination...read what I wrote...My statement was referring more to the fact that as a peer, that I expect more from her because she is educated in the profession.

Replace the word male in her post with any ethnic/national title of your choosing and see how it reads. Yes it is her right use her personal criteria in the selection of a healthcare provider, but when she says that her criteria is based solely on the sex of the provider, it's my right to say that is wrong...I have been discriminated against because of my sex more times than I care to count and it's one thing from patients it another from peers...it raises the insult to higher level.

I would think that women having had eons of sexual discrimination directed towards them would be more sensitive to this issue.

P2

[Jolie, BSN]

If someone were to say that you were INCAPABLE of providing competent care because you are a man, I would agree that that is discriminatory.

But to simply state a PREFERENCE for a care-giver of a particular gender is not discrimination. Healthcare is not the same as most other "businesses". Due to the intimate nature of the provider-patient relationship, it is not reasonable to expect every patient to be open to having a care-giver of the opposite gender, or to criticise those who prefer a same-sex care-giver.

My elderly father needs 24 hour care. He prefers attendants who are older men. That is not discriminatory. He is not stating that female or younger male caregivers are incompetent, just that he feels uncomfortable having them provide intimate care to him. Neither is it discriminatory for a woman to prefer a woman care-giver.

[Psqrd]

If someone were to say that you were INCAPABLE of providing competent care because you are a man, I would agree that that is discriminatory.

But to simply state a PREFERENCE for a care-giver of a particular gender is not discrimination. Healthcare is not the same as most other "businesses". Due to the intimate nature of the provider-patient relationship, it is not reasonable to expect every patient to be open to having a care-giver of the opposite gender, or to criticise those who prefer a same-sex care-giver.

My elderly father needs 24 hour care. He prefers attendants who are older men. That is not discriminatory. He is not stating that female or younger male caregivers are incompetent, just that he feels uncomfortable having them provide intimate care to him. Neither is it discriminatory for a woman to prefer a woman care-giver.

Discrimination defined according to the american heritage dictionary:

Acts or attitudes based on prejudice.

Its is without consideration of capability that it becomes discrimination.

Your softening her language by inserting the term "prefer" I am sure that your father may "prefer" older men but if they were not available he would probably accept care from someone other than his preference.

There is nothing that you can say that can justify what she said...intimate relationship or not, does not give someone the "right" to do this...like I stated above if she was refusing care from someone because they were not her race what would you call that? She didn't say that but what if she did?

Well maybe she just "prefers" people of her own race. (sarcasm)

P2

I will respond no further to this issue.

[ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I really am looking for information about how to help this new RN assimilate.

brissie- Our male MDs do not provide any care unchaperoned in L&D. they won't even go into a room without an RN or ST/NA present. While I have personally placed foleys and enemas on male patients without a chaperone I am beginning to question the safety in this practice in regards to lawsuits.

cheshirecat - we have one male CNM, he is a clinical preceptor for the nursing school and does not do any pt care, so I really can't hold him up as an example

Belinda-wales - I strongly disagree with your comment that I am "looking for problems" actually I am looking for information and help.

MarySunshine - oh, if only it were so easy!

Annointed RNStudent - unfortunately our staff is not supportive of much that comes through our door as far as staff. I have only been here for 2 years and we are working toward encouraging the RN's without proper attitudes to find work elsewhere. We have lots of "we've always done it this way" and "well i had to do it when i was new" RNs that are finding it easier to move on than adjust.

Dream Nurse - you are right, we don't have a policy but I am hoping to help draft one in the next 3 months, without one we are up a creek.

I have some other concerns with this particular RN outside of the "male RN and female patient" issue but will withhold my attitude on those topics until I have worked with him more.

Thanks for all your responses and I will try to post more as the subject continues.

[VegRN]

She said that she does not discriminate...I'm saying that is discrimination...read what I wrote...My statement was referring more to the fact that as a peer, that I expect more from her because she is educated in the profession.

Replace the word male in her post with any ethnic/national title of your choosing and see how it reads. Yes it is her right use her personal criteria in the selection of a healthcare provider, but when she says that her criteria is based solely on the sex of the provider, it's my right to say that is wrong...I have been discriminated against because of my sex more times than I care to count and it's one thing from patients it another from peers...it raises the insult to higher level.

I would think that women having had eons of sexual discrimination directed towards them would be more sensitive to this issue.

P2

Psgrd....have you even considered the FACT that many women are survivors of sexual and physical abuse/assault committed by men?

Not all men abuse women by any means however the vast majority of victims of sexual abuse and assault are female and the perpetrator is more often than not, male. For the women that have experienced this, having a male do a pelvic check on them could be extremely traumatic. They shouldn't have to be forced to go through this because you say that it is "discrimination" to prefer a female provider.

This is not discrimination, it is the pts preference, just as some male pts prefer to be taken care of by male nurses.

Being sensitive to the needs of the patient in situations like this should supersede the nurses personal preferences.

It isn't about the nurse, it's about the pt.

[Ekklesia]

This is not discrimination, it is the pts preference, just as some male pts prefer to be taken care of by male nurses.

Being sensitive to the needs of the patient in situations like this should supersede the nurses personal preferences.

It isn't about the nurse, it's about the pt.

A few months ago we had an elderly gentleman refuse care from two techs (STNA'a). One was Hispanic and one was African-American. Most of the staff were beside themselves with blind rage at this "old racist."

I have had female patients refuse care from me because I am a male, yet they are not seen as "sexist."

Whatever that we decide is "right," let us be consistent. Patients can either choose (refuse, prefer, etc.) based on "personal preference" and not be seen as "bigots" or whatever, or they have to accept care from any qualified individual.

Boy, I sure do like these touchy topics!!!