Lesbian L and D nurse

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Hi all, ,

I am interested in becoming an L and D nurse. Have patients or hospitals had a problem with lesbians working in this specialty?

Thanks in advance

From the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, "It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her sex in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Title VII also prohibits employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about abilities, traits, or the performance of individuals on the basis of sex. Title VII prohibits both intentional discrimination and neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude individuals on the basis of sex and that are not job related".

Employers CANNOT ask/judge any of the above in a interview. Frankly, its none of their business anyways.

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Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.
It makes no difference at all, except our educator has a bias against them-which is totally illegal. QUOTE]

I think we probably all have biases of one sort or another, if we're honest...but acting upon that bias is what's illegal.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

There should not be any problems. Unless, the lesbian nurse is flirting or being inappropriate with the pt's. But, that goes for all healthcare workers. So, like previously posted, sexual orientation has nothing to do with nursing. But, i'm curious. Why do you ask?

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Specializes in Psych, ER, Resp/Med, LTC, Education.
From the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, "It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her sex in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Title VII also prohibits employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about abilities, traits, or the performance of individuals on the basis of sex. Title VII prohibits both intentional discrimination and neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude individuals on the basis of sex and that are not job related".

Employers CANNOT ask/judge any of the above in a interview. Frankly, its none of their business anyways.

This is in regard to a person's sex as in gender, not sexual orientaion....not the same thing.......as far as it being illegal to descriminate based on sexual orientation...this varies per state. Some states do not support this and allow an employer to fire a person based on his orientation......It is actually something that is found on the hiring companies policies/creed/etc. Ususally I see it on a company's application. Descrimination based on gender is illegal in every state....based on sexual orientation.....we are still fighting for that to be true in every state. Though Obama may bypass that by making it a federal law. ------Just a little clarification.......

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.
Why would it? THe only way this could be a problem is if you make it a problem. I'm old school, your personal life (sexual preference, money issues, etc.) shouldn't come into your work life.

Just my 2 cents

exactly. I don't talk about personal stuff at work with the patients. In L&D you probably do get some patients asking if you have kids (to ask about your experience with labor...) you don't have to share your lifestyle with them. Its a yes or no question. You treat it like any other question a patient may ask about you.

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Hi all, ,

I am interested in becoming an L and D nurse. Have patients or hospitals had a problem with lesbians working in this specialty?

Thanks in advance

Well, where I used to work we did sit around and talk about our sex lives. And yes there were a few narrow-minded individuals that would have been unhappy to have a lesbian nurse. If my patients notice my ring then they know I am married. If they ask I say I have kids. But I never bring it up and only rarely did a patient ask me anything more personal than if I had kids.

But I have never understood why we allow being homosexual to define someone. We don't introduce people as "This is Jim, he likes it when his wife spanks him." Or "This is Mary, she always wants to be on top." Why are we as society obsessed with what people do in the privacy of their own home/bedroom/kitchen table? Being homosexual is something about a person, maybe they also like sushi and reading. I understand that society is not able to overlook it, but I sure wish they could.

So, please become an L & D nurse if that's what you want to do. And it might unfortunately be in your best interest to keep your private life private at least until you get to know your co-workers. Nurses can be a mean, catty bunch. But I hope your sexual orientation (which, seriously, in case you didn't get it, is none of anyone's business) doesn't hold you back from doing what you want to do.

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Specializes in labor & delivery.

Hi

I just finished a rotation in L&D and there were 3 lesbian RN's and 1 surgical tech in that department. No one cared. If that's what you want to do, go for it!!! Best wishes!!

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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

who you tell about your sexual orientation is your business. it's not an issue in the workplace unless you make it one.

i've worked with quite a few GLBT nurses, no issues from patients or coworkers whatsoever...

good luck with your career :)

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How is that any different that male OB's? It isn't!

I would not have cared one bit if a nurse was a lesbian when I was giving birth....all I cared about was being taken care of during my labor and delivery!

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Specializes in L&D, PP, Nursery.

We have two lesbian nurses on our unit and no one could care less. One is way more obvious that the other and if patient's are thinking it, they don't care. (What I mean by obvious is hairstyle, dress, etc.). She's never, ever been unprofessional in any way. No one on our unit ever feels uncomfortable around her. The patient's love her! I feel that it should not make any differance whatsoever. Your nursing skills and passion is what counts! Go for it!

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I once worked with a guy who was one of the worst nurses I have ever met. He was very effeminate but that wasn't even a problem with me. I used to write him up every dadgummed day for his blatant mistakes. Med errors patient neglect, etc. He tried to make it about him being a gay man . He told the administration he would sue because he was gay and the hospital would regret it. He had them so scared it wasn't funny. In the end he did get fired for 2 reasons #1 he would go into graphic detail about his sex life(sexual harrassment) and #2 he refused to take ACLS. I think that not taking ACLS is what got him out the door.

I have been a nurse for 35 yrs and I had never had any problems anywhere for any reason with anybody.

Anyway what I mean is 99% of the folks you will work with don't care about your sexual orientation. They could really care less unless you try to force feed it to them. And I get the feeling you would never do that.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I totally would not care, as a nurse, or as a patient. A male secretary on our unit is openly gay, and we don't care. We love him and the patients do too. He does a great job. That's all that matters, really.

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