male nurses in OB

[newnurse33]

do you think that it is kosher for a male to work in OB?

[Works2xs]

1. "Intimate" examinations on males are on external body parts. "Intimate" exams on females are Internal exams, i.e. invasive. I think you fail to understand the ramifications of this. A nurse peering down your throat to see if you have strep throat is a lot different than someone looking at your cervix.

Wow. So, if anyone see's my private area, it's the same as if they are looking at my throat? But when someone looks at a woman's private area, it really is "private"? Exactly where does that idea eminate from? From the same blind spot ladies might have regarding men's personal privacy as the one you're intending to point out in guys, perhaps? And as far as "invasive" goes, how do you characterize a K-Y'ed finger palpating a prostate? Perhaps I'm strange, but I can't unplug mine and hand it to the Doc for examination.

A man's sensitivity regarding "private" parts of the anatomy is every bit as important and deserving of consideration as women. Nobody has the corner on this particular market. I think a small reminder might be in order here - this assumed acceptance of female nurses/docs providing care below the belt is a function of necessity more than choice. People are so used to not being able to provide this choice to men that it's not even thought about. No choice does not equate to not caring.

The really odd part about this discussion is that men are just expected to accept whoever is available. When was the last time anyone ever walked into a guys room and said, "do you mind if a female nurse provides your care?" The flip side seems almost a standard of care.

The default assumption regarding modesty should be that the nurses and doctors providing care are professional. They are to be trusted that their focus is on care. In all other cases, the standard approach is to give the patient the autonomy to state any preference or misgivings regarding who provides that care. We all agree that the patient has a right to request personal accommodations for whatever reason whether we agree with it or not. What I think is a shame is that in this one specialty area, the going-in assumption is that guys are somehow different, less professional, and therefore less preferable (capable?) for providing care than their female coworkers. And everytime a nurse walks into a room and asks special permission for a male to provide care, it sets the expectation in the public's mind that there is a difference. If I were ever seen treating my coworkers in that manner, I'd find myself on the unemployment line pretty quickly.

[chadash]

I agree completely.

Sad thing, young boys are molested at almost the same rate as young girls but I see far less attention paid to their emotional needs.

Yes, I know of a couple cases where a boy was the victum, and this was very sad. It made me feel worse than my own experience...Boys seem to be less likely to seek help. I wonder if there are more cases than we will ever hear of....

as a women, it seems more exceptable to be out with the experience, though frankly I would not probably be so open if this was not anonymous.

My point was that there seems to be a media driven stereotype of men portraying them as brutes. I have been married 34 years to a gentlemen.

[S.N. Visit, BSN, RN]

And everytime a nurse walks into a room and asks special permission for a male to provide care, it sets the expectation in the public's mind that there is a difference. If I were ever seen treating my coworkers in that manner, I'd find myself on the unemployment line pretty quickly.

I am in the public mind and I have always seen a difference. For example, I would not feel comfortable having a male nurse or male physician doing vag & breast exams on me or my adolescent daughters. (I remember how embarrassing it felt to have my first exams done by a male.) Why should we as pt's, have to comprimise our comfort for the nurses employment?

Heck, to this day I refuse to go into a male checker or bagger's line when I'm buying tampons or pads at the store. That's me. My business is my business and I choose who I am willing to share it with.

Bottom line: I think males in OB are only okay if the pt. agrees with it.

[antihippie]

Why is it acceptable to refuse to allow a nurse to perform his job because of his sex but unacceptable to refuse for any other reason? Why would it be any less acceptable to refuse care from blacks, Hispanics, gays, fat people, Muslims or any other group due to your comfort level?

[NurseLatteDNP, MSN, DNP, RN]

Why would it be any less acceptable to refuse care from blacks, Hispanics, gays, fat people, Muslims or any other group due to your comfort level?

Because it is unethical. Simple and easy. But as sad as it is, it does happen here in my hospital sometimes that someone gets refused because of their race.

[Works2xs]

Why should we as pt's, have to comprimise our comfort for the nurses employment?

As previously noted, patients are allowed to make whatever allowances they see as necessary.

What would your thoughts be if 95% of the nursing population were male? How might that change your expectations? Would you expect that men were capable of providing appropriate care to anybody while women were somehow limited by gender? Would you want to have your employment limited by comfort considerations?

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

Why is it acceptable to refuse to allow a nurse to perform his job because of his sex but unacceptable to refuse for any other reason? Why would it be any less acceptable to refuse care from blacks, Hispanics, gays, fat people, Muslims or any other group due to your comfort level?

Thanks. That's kinda what I was trying to point out - the argument that there really is a difference is simply irrational.

[Roy Fokker, BSN, RN]

The really odd part about this discussion is that men are just expected to accept whoever is available. When was the last time anyone ever walked into a guys room and said, "do you mind if a female nurse provides your care?" The flip side seems almost a standard of care.

The default assumption regarding modesty should be that the nurses and doctors providing care are professional. They are to be trusted that their focus is on care. In all other cases, the standard approach is to give the patient the autonomy to state any preference or misgivings regarding who provides that care. We all agree that the patient has a right to request personal accommodations for whatever reason whether we agree with it or not. What I think is a shame is that in this one specialty area, the going-in assumption is that guys are somehow different, less professional, and therefore less preferable (capable?) for providing care than their female coworkers. And everytime a nurse walks into a room and asks special permission for a male to provide care, it sets the expectation in the public's mind that there is a difference. If I were ever seen treating my coworkers in that manner, I'd find myself on the unemployment line pretty quickly.

[MOUSE]Good post[/MOUSE]

I'd like to repeat - the OPs original statement was is it kosher for males to work OB.

If I'd posted "Is it kosher for Jews to work OB" or "Is it kosher for blacks/hispanics to work OB", I'd be roundly criticised.

There is no rational, valid difference between the two.

[suzanne4, RN]

I have always had a male GYN, have never had a female one. The one that I started with was the one that delivered me, and I never had an issue with it. And it definitely does not bother me who is at the cash register when I am purchasing female products.

But each person has a right to choose, and to say that a checker at the market or drug store needs to be a female, and that a male RN cannot work in Labor and Delivery, just doesn't make any sense to me.

What happens if you go into the pharmacy and there is only a male pharmacist there and a male checker, do you leave? Do you think that they really care what you are purchasing?

Same thing for a guy purchasing condoms, does it make a difference who is at the cash register?

And what about men that go for their annual exams? It includes a prostate check. That is just as personal as a pelvic exam. Don't they get a choice as to who is caring for them? And remember that for years, nursing was mainly a female profession, so what about all of the men patients throughout the years? They used to always outnumber the female patients when I began my career.

-------------------

And funny story to add. Years ago a friend had a baby at the hospital that I was working at and I went to see her. Her delivery was during the time of a snow storm, and her doctor could not make it in on time. She told them just to get someone to get that kid out, and they did. The resident that was on call that night.

And after it was over, she looked up, and saw the mask down, and realized that it was someone that she had gone thru all of elementary, junior high, and high school with. And she said that she just started to laugh. A position that she never thought that she would be in, but was so happy that the baby was born healthy and without any issues. And that was the end of it.

[suzanne4, RN]

please try to stick to the original post, about men working in ob.

there is no reason to pick on each other. we are each entitled to our own beliefs and values. even if they do not match our own, please do not get argumentive over it. it is your choice as to who you have care for you, and in the same token, it is the choice of the nurse for which specialty or area that they wish to work in.

and as i stated earlier, a nurse is a nurse, the same way a physician is a physician. it should not matter what they look like, but how good that their skills are.

and to say that all men are bad, is not appropriate, and to say that all women are perfect care-givers, is not the case as well. please accept each person for what they do and try to do. do not put everyone together, for the few bad apples that are out there.

keep doing the best job that you can...............

[suzanne4, RN]

And another thing that many of you are forgetting about............

What happens if there are issues with the delivery and anesthesia needs to be called for the baby? Or you need a team there from the Special Care Nursery?

What if the only anesthesiologist in the facility is a male? What if the team from the NICU happens to be a male RN and a male RT, with a male resident? What if you are having triplets and three teams are needed?

Are you going to refuse care for your infant based on that? I hope not. But just be aware that there are many others that can be involved in the care of your infant, if the need arises. Just be happy that they are available to be there.

[leslie :-D]

Why is it acceptable to refuse to allow a nurse to perform his job because of his sex but unacceptable to refuse for any other reason? Why would it be any less acceptable to refuse care from blacks, Hispanics, gays, fat people, Muslims or any other group due to your comfort level?

i think it has been established that male nurses are just as professional & capable as their female counterparts. that's not the issue. there are many female pts who have a remarkable hx of sexual abuse. these females can rationalize all they want and try to convince themselves that there isn't any problem w/a male nurse providing care. that's their intellect talking. on an emotional level, it's difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate a primal response of terror.

and absolutely: male pts should speak up if they have the same discomfort or fear. to think there are males who haven't been sexually abused is insulting and insensitive.

i don't feel the same when it comes to blacks, hispanics, gays, obese, muslim, etc. as i've already posted, these are prejudices. the only deviation would be if someone had been raped by one of the aforementioned. it's all quite clear to me. i must be missing something.

leslie