Male nursing and needing chaperone

[Sirkraker]

So my hospital just released a new policy stating that all male team members (including nurses) must have a female present when your patient is female and you are going to be behind a closed door or curtain. Any violation results in termination This is crazy when it comes to taking care of my patients, medicating my patients, ect. We never have enough help, so looks like patient privacy is out the door for my patients. but of course physicians and advanced practitioners are exempt. What are my fellow male nurses think about this new policy. Is this not discrimination? Shouldn't it be vise versa for the females?

[Nurseinator]

YES. I mean if they let the docs and advance practioners go then why are they picking on the male nurses. If I were you I would sign a petition and do something quick. Cause think about it, you would have to drag other female nurses away from their pts just so they could assist a male nurse. Seems ridiculous to me and think about the time you are going to be wasting running around the floor looking for a female nurse that could observe you.

[keithjones]

If you are a scrappy fellow just violate the policy, then sue their pants off. That policy discriminates against men and will not stand legal scrutiny. There was probably some incident that spurred this policy, but it is reactionary and oversteps sound logic and basically eliminates your ability to do your job. I am just an aide and would be fired at least 20 times over on my next shift if this policy was enacted.

The only way it would remotely work would be to segregate the entire hospital along gender lines. I would be in the new MALE transitional care unit!

[neutrophil]

I am a male nurse. When I was a CNA working with registry, there was times that I was turned away from work once I got to the location because there was one patient who did not want a male taking care of her. This only happened twice. More times were isolated cases where just one patient did not want a male, so I was simply switched patients with female CNA. Had to walk a little further but that was it.

I can understand the patient because that might be part of their upbringing, culture or personal preference. I cannot, however, understand why an agency would make such a policy, being that we are all nurses, caring for all patients. I have heard of patients only wanting female doctors as well.

Maybe it's time to get a group of nurses, male and female to look into legal matters on this issue. Good luck.

[groovy jeff, RN]

if you are a scrappy fellow just violate the policy, then sue their pants off. that policy discriminates against men and will not stand legal scrutiny.

men are not a protected class under discrimination laws and you would lose that case; in fact, i would bet there isn't a civil rights attorney that would take the case. however, a labor attorney could possibly take a case like that, but the benefits to you would probably be negligible.

eventually it will come down to continuity of care issue and the additional cost of such a policy.

also sounds like the hospital would be ready to throw anyone under the bus; make sure you get some private malpractice insurance!!

[Bill E. Rubin]

I can't imagine implementing such a policy. One could argue discrimination not because you're male, but because you're a nurse, if male physicians are exempt from the policy. It totally shackles you from being able to do your job.

[psychonaut]

Ask them if the policy applies to the NICU as well...

[belgarion]

The old double standard. Does the policy apply to a FEMALE nurse caring for a MALE patient?

[williamd]

I wonder what the hospital would do if the opposite situation were presented, a male patient demanding only a man to take care of him.

[CTRNTOBE]

I would make them either put a policy in place that all women be chaperoned when going in a male patient's room or get rid of the other ridiculous policy and be saved from a big discrimination lawsuit.

Good luck!

[advo-kate2]

I cringed when I read this...for so many reasons! How can male nurses be treated as a walking liability while female nurses are beyond reproach?

Can anyone tell me the level of training a 'chaparone' needs to have? Must she be an RN....CNA....?

[deiseldawg]

I saw a few female doctors, PA, and NP when I was at my university health center and they would have another staff member present. It did not have to be a male and a female in the room.

The policy seems problematic to me because any policy should equally apply to all persons. A female can inappropriately touch someone as easily as a male.

Just write a complaint letter to the administration asking to revise the policy.