Male nurse in L&D

[tony2353]

Hi, I am a male nurse married 3 kids. I have applied to a position on my facility on the Labor and delivery unit. And they pretty much told me they don't want to hire a male nurse. I don;t think they can do that I think is discrimination. what do you think? do you think ladies would stop coming to our hospital because they don't want a male ob nurse?

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

i don't care if you're a snuffalupagus

I'm all for equal opportunity, but we have to draw the line somewhere. How is Snuffy going to check my cervix? With his trunk or his big ol' feet?

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

My husband and I are both RNs. Neither one of us works in L&D (and don't predict that will change anytime soon. But using some of the other criterion mentioned earlier;

1. He has much more experience with pregnancy as I have never been pregnant or lived with a pregnant person, he supported his 1st wife through her 2 pregnancies and deliveries.

2. His hands are quite a bit smaller than mine, his wedding ring is 2 sizes smaller than mine.

I wouldn't take us a fight with a nurse manager that wasn't receptive to hiring me, but I have read many posts through the last few years from men who really enjoyed participating in the birthing process. I have spoken to a rare mom here and there that had male L&D nurses and they found it all very novel and not a negative experience.

[sharkdiver]

I assume you meant 'hires only females'? ............

I haven't seen anyone here post that patients uncomfortable with a male provider should be forced or even encouraged to change their minds, and agree that this would be unconscionable. Given the clear scarcity of men in the role, replacing his care with that of a woman, in the vent a patient objected, should not be difficult.

I do hope, sharkdiver, that you mean the OP should move on from that patient, rather than that he should move hospitals or specialties based on one refusal.

Correct - I meant to write "hires only females"

And yes, I was referring to moving on from that patient.....

[MomRN0913]

Hhhhmmmmm, sounds like discrimination. However....

A male nurse wouldn't bother me. My OB/GYN is male and the best EVER.

When I went into labor, my exH said "you better not have a male nurse" I said why not? He said "I don't want no guy looking down there" I said, um, Dr, S is a male. he said "that's different" He is a D-bag.

Anyways, when a female choses an OB/GYN, she has the right to chose a male or a female. A lot of woman aren't comfortable with a male.

We usually don't get a choice in our nurse.

A male L&D nurse would have to do internal exams and for woman not comfortable with that, a husband not comfortable with that or religious reasons, it may present a problem.

It's a sticky situation

[ITSSOSIMPLE]

The type of care in australia,the gender breakdown and preferences are of no concern

to me.As I said,there are no male mammographers here in the US, and no male L&D

nurses from what I've seen.

It is most likely that way for a reason, and if a female patient makes a concern about

the staffing,would the male nurse at that point give her his 2 cents worth, before finding

her a female nurse. Reverse the roles, how would the female nurse respond if a male

patient requested a male nurse for an intimate procedure. Would it be appropriate for

the male patient to be badgered about a staffing change.

[luvazsun, RN]

Male doctors or residents are ok? But if it's a male RN - what's the difference?

[SeeTheMoon]

Just my two cents...

When I had my son, I had a male nurse and he was the *best* nurse I had during my whole stay.

Don't see how its right they could deny you.

[NickB]

The funniest part about the majority of the females on here that say they would refuse a male labor nurse is they would probably be the first to go back to the nurses station and b**ch if a male asked them to get a male nurse.

[ITSSOSIMPLE]

The funniest part about the majority of the females on here that say they would refuse a male labor nurse is they would probably be the first to go back to the nurses station and b**ch if a male asked them to get a male nurse.

Exactly

This problem goes beyond double-standards,ethical standards and is rightly discrimination.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

actually, no, i wouldn't. let's not forget this is all about the patient, not you.

[NickB]

actually, no, i wouldn't. let's not forget this is all about the patient, not you.

pretty sure i've never made this about me. maybe you should go back and read my posts.

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Re: mammography techs- at my last mammo the radiologist as well as the tech were present. One was male, the other female. What difference does it make which one was which?

Ditto the physician/nurse in a delivery room.

OP - I say go for it. If the patients don't like it, they can cross their legs and go to the next hospital, lol.