I am a male nurse on an inpatient unit in a hospital who began a couple months ago. Recently I used the bathroom in the staff lounge, and after I left to sit down at the nurses station, an older female nurse came up to me grinning and whispering,
"Hi, I followed you after you used the bathroom, and used it next. I want you to know, the ladies here will be annoyed with you if you leave the toilet seat up after you use the toilet. We had a previous male nurse who the ladies became angry at because he didn't put the seat back down. I would put the seat back down if I were you."
I interpreted this to mean that really, she, rather than anyone else, wanted me to put the seat back down.
Is it really this person's job to be a toilet police? At least I actually put the damn seat up I can't count how many times I've found urine sprayed all over a toilet seat in the down position after a woman used it because she "hovered." I have to say, I found the comment sexist and condescending and am thinking of reporting it. What do you think?
I see how it rubbed you wrong, in more ways than one. I myself wouldn't go around/above her and report it; there's no need to die over every molehill. Rather, assert yourself, and either in the next meeting or in a unit email, request that disinfectant wipes be placed in the bathroom so that when a person goes into to use the restroom and toilet seat isn't in their position of choice or it's covered with "hover spray", the wipes are there to clean it if need be and to position the seat.
I think this nurse's behavior would have rubbed me the wrong way, too. However, like previous posters stated: not worth the fight. Hang in there and just put that seat down.
Specializes in Internal Medicine, Geriatric Medicine.
Or, as I said earlier in the thread: "If you need it up, put it up. If you need it down put it down." My husband leaves the seat up at home, I leave it down. Takes two seconds to move it to the necessary position....Not exactly a hardship.
If you work on a floor with mostly women employees you should be putting the seat down each and every time. Your lack of respect over such a simple courtesy could easily spill out on to the floor politics. Your lack if courtesy will make it very hard to find nurses who will give you a hand when you need it. Not to mention leaving the toilet seat up is a total dick move!
Been there,done that, ASN, RN
7,241 Posts
The toilet seat Holocaust?