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.
A younger me would have taken you up on this, but I feel like I made my point, and I think if you read eroc's last post you pretty much get the gist of it anyway.
A younger me would have taken you up on this, but I feel like I made my point, and I think if you read eroc's last post you pretty much get the gist of it anyway.
We missed the boat with wild, reckless newly hatched pistachio Dogen.
I am not trying to be funny, but when I initially read this I thought it was a nurse who was celibate and desiring a relationship. Lord, I must be dense today!!!
Wow, I'm wondering if this lack of consideration to gender has to do with being 'professional' or because healthcare is now a business. I also wonder if this is an Americanism. In my time in the UK and New Zealand, there simply wasn't an issue. The guys did the guys, and the women, the women. It worked, it didn't create more work, and no on gave it any thought.
As for the other intimate stuff, we did generally get on with it.
It is ok for a nurse not to be comfortable doing something.
It is ok for a nurse to choose not to do something.
This does not make them less of a nurse.
Perhaps if nurses showed a bit of compassion to each other, the way we're supposed to be towards our patients, then there wouldn't be a problem.
I know you're going to hate me for this, but the attitude I get from the answers here does seem a bit cold. Maybe it's a cultural thing.
I don't have time to read 400+ comments, so I am taking the risk of repeating what someone else may have already said. If I do repeat, I apologize.
Sometimes people make thing too cut and dry, too black and white. Here is what I was thinking when I read your original post, OP:
You mention "American friends", I deduce that you are not American, and probably don't work in the US. From that, my immediate response is culture. In the culture that you work in, men do not typically perform certain procedures on women and vice versa. This is due to your culture's views on sex, gender and what is appropriate and what is not. There is nothing wrong with this where you work because most people likely feel as you do.
HOwever, in American culture, there is no stigma placed on the sex or gender of the nurse/ doctor versus the sex/gender of the patient generally. Therefore, it would not be ok for you to come to a facility here and ask someone else to perform procedures for you,because this is not typical practice here. That being said, if a patient, on their own accord were to voice discomfort than they should absolutely be accommodated (within reason). In all my years in healthcare I think I have been asked twice by a male if it was possible to have a male do something instead of me. I was in no way offended and was happy to accommodate the request. I have taken care of a female patient for a male coworker a few times as well. I agree that sensitivity with our patients is a must. However, it really isn't fair for either culture to judge the other. Neither is better than the other.
Makes you wonder what search terms people are using to get it in the results.
I saw that it made the top 5 in "hot topics" so I clicked to the end to see how far it had gotten. I dropped out waaaaay too early. Although, I guess I didn't miss much, come to think of it.
AlphaM
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