I think I'm professional, but now I'm not so sure, after I told some American friends that as a male nurse, I don't catheterize women.
'That's sexist' was one of the kinder comments, while one of the more rational comments said - "We are professionals. As long as we behave in a professional way, then we should all have to do the same job."
I naturally asked 'does this mean we're nurses first, and men/women second?' and they didn't give a concise answer.
Am I the only male who thinks that it is harder for a female patient as well as for a male nurse to do such an intimate procedure?
Am I the only nurse who thinks that gender does matter? What harm does it cause if I choose not to do a procedure when there are capable people around who could do it just as well, plus make it easier for the patient. As a male nurse, I need a female chaperone if doing such a procedure on a woman anyway, so why not make it easier for everyone and simply keep the male out of it altogether?
But what does being a "Professional" mean? From what I'm hearing from others it sounds like I am a sexless machine capable of doing it all because that is what I am paid to do. Instead I think of myself as a caring carer. I have my faults and biases. I make mistakes and I sometimes let my feelings help make my decisions. But I have a big heart and I do the job because I care first. I enjoy making people laugh when they're sick. I enjoy being able to make a difference in people's lives. I also do the job recognizing my faults, and if I ever think that my views/faults may jeopardize a patient, I know to get someone else to take over that patient's care. I guess I'm not a very successful Sexless Professional. But I can live with being called sexist and unprofessional, just because I sometimes refuse to do female catheterization. I'm sure there's a lot worse things I could be.
A couple of extra points to mention:
For the record, the female staff used to ask me to catheterize the men, and they'd do the same for my female patients, and we never had a problem.
Also it's strange, but apparently I'm allowed to catheterize little old ladies, but not young women. Sounds a bit ageist to me. Do the feelings of older people not matter as much as those of young people? Naturally I'd never contemplate such a procedure on a young woman.
I have a daughter and I would not be comfortable. And neither would she.
The OP has good points to make. Not everyone thinks/feels the same way.
It seems like the fact that some people are okay with it and others aren't has been pretty well covered. The only question to me is whether it necessitates a blanket procedure of asking a woman to cath my female patients, or if I can continue my current practice of collaborating with patients on all aspects of their care and asking for help on a case by case basis.
It seems like the fact that some people are okay with it and others aren't has been pretty well covered. The only question to me is whether it necessitates a blanket procedure of asking a woman to cath my female patients, or if I can continue my current practice of collaborating with patients on all aspects of their care and asking for help on a case by case basis.
I choose collaborating with co-workers.
My personal, already admitted, bias is meth users. I have to work hard but I succeed in taking good care of all patients.
I have a daughter and I would not be comfortable. And neither would she.
The OP has good points to make. Not everyone thinks/feels the same way.
And that's your choice and usually that's known about a particle patient before they're assigned nurses. However it sounds like OP is stating he just will not go near ANY female patients because he is a proud owner of a member and that disqualifies him for caring for those patients with lady partss. That's my take on his "points".
I said that because a man is more likely To be put into a unfortunate situation based off the fact he is doing a private procedure on a female. You don't see how? Women don't think twice about caring for men bc we are not really at risk for a man misinterpreting anything, complaing, and that can be a ugly accusation or situation . I see why he or any man would want to avoid it. Now a days, men do have to be extra cautious when working closely with females. Even i general.i suspect that is why the chaperon policy is in place at many faculties. It protects everyone.
Why, 'cause women are liars and sexual predators? Because that's what you're implying. Jeez. Way to pick on an entire sex.
You can usually tell the nut jobs beforehand, and I usually grab a witness with those anyway, even though I am female. If your patient is A&O and not dealing with survivor or psych issues (which you should know about beforehand), she will let you know if she doesn't want you to cath her.
And that's your choice and usually that's known about a particle patient before they're assigned nurses. However it sounds like OP is stating he just will not go near ANY female patients because he is a proud owner of a member and that disqualifies him for caring for those patients with lady partss. That's my take on his "points".
It is so fascinating how people read things differently. I never got the "he's a proud owner of a member" vibe.
You can usually tell the nut jobs beforehand, and I usually grab a witness with those anyway, even though I am female. If your patient is A&O and not dealing with survivor or psych issues (which you should know about beforehand), she will let you know if she doesn't want you to cath her.
Yes, USUALLY you can tell beforehand. It only takes one time that you can't to ruin a career. And, no, I doubt I know every one of my patient's survivor issues. How would I?
I will always have a female co-worker in the room when I put in a foley. Not for the patient's sake, but for my own protection.
As a young woman, I THOUGHT I wanted a female gyn. She was crass and uncaring. I got a referral from my midwife and he was male, and he was the most caring gyn I ever had....and trust me, those visits include things much more invasive that a stupid cath. I cath men, it is my job and there is nothing sexual about it. I'd have have no problems with a male nurse or doctor cathing me or my 17 year old daughter...in fact, I did have a male nurse doing it after the birth of my first child...and he was the best nurse I had during that difficult hospital stay.
I worry that you consider it "sexual" and not just good patient care. What other things are you not assessing properly on your female patients? Do you do good peri-care when necessary? Do you not fully assess a foley catheter when in a female? What about saturated peri-pads? I now work on a women's only floor. We have a single male nurse on the floor and he does everything the rest of us do. We have had male nurses float to our floor too and I HOPE they aren't afraid to look and touch a female's anatomy or else we are not giving good nursing care to our patients. All nursing should be "sexless". We are caring for the human body and our sex should be checked at the door when we go to work.
Ironic...I think the men are more uncomfortable with male nurses caring doing their caths and things like cellulitis of the testicles than female nurses....which if I believe that mental misperception should be factored in (I don't), then it would be a good reason why men should not be nurses in the first place. The only place I believe it should matter is IF the patient is from a culture that doesn't allow male gynecologists or males to do ANY form of medical care for a woman.
Can I add, that most females are uncomfortable with this procedure being done REGARDLESS of the sex of their nurse. They blush and we have to build trust too before we can care for the most intimate parts of anyone's bodies. It isn't as though they just relax and open up just because we are the same sex. Maybe the OP is misinterpreting the response of his patients as being a male/female issue and not a female/cath issue.
I think we run into trouble when we assume. There is a male at my work that refuses to do female procedures. Once, I was in the room with him and a new pt, and he bluntly stated "I don't do female EKGs." The woman lightheartedly responded "It's ok, I work in healthcare, I understand." And the male nurse still refused to do it. The patient was obviously offended, I can only imagine that she assumed he would accuse her of inappropriate touching.
No matter who the person is, explain the procedure and address concerns.
Dogen
897 Posts
It seems like the fact that some people are okay with it and others aren't has been pretty well covered. The only question to me is whether it necessitates a blanket procedure of asking a woman to cath my female patients, or if I can continue my current practice of collaborating with patients on all aspects of their care and asking for help on a case by case basis.