Male L&D nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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something i noticed while going through the nursing program was every male nursing students fear and dread of the obstetrics floor. in fact, one man in my class was not even able to participate much in clinical because each laboring woman denied having a male nursing student. this made me think, why would it matter? there was a male doctor in the room. do you think male l&d nurses are appropriate?

How unfortunately myopic! Most women would never even give a second thought to lying spreadeagled in the lithotomy position while a male physician probes with a light and an examination device. Male doctors pull babies out of women's bodies all the time, so what's the big deal about male nurses assisting in the process?

As for "feminine mystique" to the birthing process. Hogwash! There's nothing exclusively feminine about birth. Birth is naturally made possible as a result of sexual intercourse, and there's definitely a 'male' factor involved in that whole process.

Please! There's nothing any more litigious about a male nurse assisting women with birth as there is with a female nurse putting a urinary catheter on a man. I've often wondered how women who are so frigid about the female body manage to have intimate relationships with men.

I think some things should be left alone and I reckon midwifery should be lft to women. I know that there are male midwives around but for the life of me I can't understand why a man would want to work in such a position!

I have assisted in emergency births but would hate to have to deal with that kind of stuff on a regular basis!

I like to try and retain images of "feminine mystique" and birthing and its associated processes totally destoys that! I feel sorry for any bloke that wants to do midwifery but is restricted by clients only wishing to deal with a female, but i can see where they are coming from. As a male you would be putting yourself in potentially litigious situations on a regular basis due to the intimacy of scope of practice. i reckon it I would look a bit silly trying to teach a woman how to breastfeed too!

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Much ado about nothing!

I think what alarms me most about this thread is the focus on the needs of the nurse. Where is this coming from? This is not a surgical or medical patient. She (unless there are other issues) is in a state of homeostasis. To potentially interfere with this because of ones own ego is disturbing to me.

We know that childbirth is a completely subjective experience and that it progresses due to subtle shifts in neurotransmitters and hormones. Why in the world would one find it reasonable to create a situation that increases the laboring mothers stress responses and in doing so place both mother and neonate at greater risk? We all know the cascade of interventions r/t a "stalled" labor; frequent cervical checks, rupture of membranes, pit, epidural, antibiotics for extended rupture of membranes, increased risk of c-section.

If an animal - and yes we are animals - finds herself in what she perceives to be a hostile environment her labor will stall. I am sure many L&D nurses have witnessed this phenomena in their units....hmmmmmmmmmm.....she was doing so nicely before she arrived, then - nada. Sometimes around 3-6 cms a little narcs or an epidural come into play. Why does this work so well so often? I would hazard to guess that in some cases we have successfully overridden the innate protective mechanisms that this woman possesses regarding her perception of safety whilst laboring. I would truly be interested in seeing any research that has been done on women in labor with a male L&D nurse present against her best wishes.

To classify this patient in the same category as one coming in for the sole purpose of a medical intervention is preposterous. This classifies birth with disease processes. When has a normal birth with a healthy mom and baby become recognized as a medical intervention?

I need to say too that I think putting the issue of color in this thread as a platform for argument is inflammatory at best.

I also take issue with the argument that there are male OBs and female urologists. These pts have for the most part chosen these health care providers so the argument is moot. They don't know who are they are getting when they check into L&D. Based on their level of comfort with a provider of the opposite sex should have the right to request another nurse.

I have a feeling I'll be back.

That's my story and I'm sticken' to it.

Kate

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Tony -I have to say that your one-dimensional perception of women either makes you seem very young or of limited experience. I also find your description of women during exams repulsive. :stone:

When you gain some respect for the diverse nature of women as a culture perhaps we can explore this further. In the interim - I wish you opprtunites for greater insight into the complexities of feminist culture. This is kind of a mojo - part of that "women's mystique" crap of which you spoke.

Kate

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oh forget all this PC crap.. :stone ..I so wholeheartedly disagree with this statement. If I don't want to have a man with me - aside from my dear husband while delivering my baby it is my right to say so. what a load of malarkey. :rolleyes:

I would love to post an even longer rebuttal but alas my 3 kids are calling.

Sorry I couldn't post a longer statement - I was busy doing C-Sections.

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Tony -

Just saw this:

"I wasn't going to confess this, but what the heck. I'm only halfway through nursing school and I love it, especially the patient teaching part. I really love working with people and helping them to get better. I seriously believe I'm on the perfect career path for me, and its not just because of "helper's high". "

hard to reconcile this with the same person who posted above.

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C'mon,

My wife is reading your posts and she finds your views of feminism to be very amusing but not very modern. Surely you realize that this discussion is not about the rights of female patients at all, but about the narrowminded political views of some female nurses who refuse to accept the idea of men in L&D.

The ship has sailed, and the men are here to stay. In years to come there will probably be a lot more of us in L&D, too.

Tony -I have to say that your one-dimensional

perception of women either makes you seem very young or of limited expeirence. I also find your description of women during exams repulsive. :stone:

When you gain some respect for the diverse nature of women as a culture perhaps we can explore this further. In the interim - I wish you opprtunites for greater insight into the complexities of feminist culture.

Kate

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Sorry I couldn't post a longer statement - I was busy doing C-Sections.

Oh my :rolleyes: I did not realize that I was in the presence of someone of such importance. :rolleyes: carry on then...

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Nurseunderwater, The fact that you're digging up old posts to try to rationalize your views tells me one thing about you: You're more concerned about being right than you are about hearing other people's views.

Please don't get me wrong. I wish you well, and I respect your right to your opinions. But, please also bear in mind that you owe the rest of us the same courtesy. The world is a much bigger place than any one of us, and in the long run our opinions really don't matter. Life is much too short, my friend. Don't take stuff like this so seriously.

Take care.

Tony -

Just saw this:

"I wasn't going to confess this, but what the heck. I'm only halfway through nursing school and I love it, especially the patient teaching part. I really love working with people and helping them to get better. I seriously believe I'm on the perfect career path for me, and its not just because of "helper's high". "

hard to reconcile this with the same person who posted above.

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C'mon,

My wife is reading your posts and she finds your views of feminism to be very amusing but not very modern. Surely you realize that this discussion is not about the rights of female patients at all, but about the narrowminded political views of some female nurses who refuse to accept the idea of men in L&D.

The ship has sailed, and the men are here to stay. In years to come there will probably be a lot more of us in L&D, too.

I am not surprised that she finds it amusing. :rolleyes:

Regarding the two seperate issues of nurses needs vs. mothers comfort level -

I as a nurse wouldn't mind men in L&D

As a woman in labor my personal preference would be not to be attended by a male nurse.

enough said. it's pretty simple.

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Oh my :rolleyes: I did not realize that I was in the presence of someone of such importance. :rolleyes: carry on then...

My point flew right over your head (male, in L&D, taking care of women, etc.)

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Nurseunderwater, The fact that you're digging up old posts to try to rationalize your views tells me one thing about you: You're more concerned about being right than you are about hearing other people's views.

Please don't get me wrong. I wish you well, and I respect your right to your opinions. But, please also bear in mind that you owe the rest of us the same courtesy. The world is a much bigger place than any one of us, and in the long run our opinions really don't matter. Life is much too short, my friend. Don't take stuff like this so seriously.

Take care.

I was curious Tony about the type of person that would choose to use the expression - spreadeagled. I don't think my this is odd. I have not engaged in any type of debate with you before. I tend to be the kind of person who avoids such heated topics. This is not one I felt I could in all integrity ignore. Birth and birth culture happen to be important topics to me personally. Again, I do not take issue with men in the L&D unit. On this we agree. I also don't see male nurses as some sort of looming threat. I do see the arguments in this thread that seek to invalidate a womans choice surrounding the gender of her nurse as dangerous. They shame women who are of a different birth culture and this is where my irritation lies.

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My point flew right over your head (male, in L&D, taking care of women, etc.)

ditto :chuckle

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