Male nursing student and female patient

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i am a 22 year old male nursing student who would like some insight before my next clinical day. If i am to give a female patient a catheter or need to care for them when they are "vulnerable". Is it common for them to ask for a female nurse? i have been asked to leave by an older patient because she needed help going to the bathroom. Does this happen a lot?

Either male or female nurses or nursing students are welcome to give any imput on what you have expierenced or seen in you clinical setting or in your career of nursing, thank you.

-StudentNurseM1

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I was offered to observed an EKG during clinical and at first the patient said yes, she didn't mind students, then when she heard them use the pronoun "he" she went "oh it's a guy? oh no" - can you imagine, if you couldn't even observe an EKG what some people would think about if you were to do something more invasive of their privacy? Needless to say you will get this a lot. But there are bigger issues to worry about with that. it affects the floor dynamic. so you can't take a patient because she's female. it means another female nurse has to take that assignment and give up one of hers. now depending on what kind of patient that nurse has, it could be a "good" patient that she was unwilling to let go of, or a "bad" patient she was willing to part with. so personally i don't mind the patients requesting a same sex nurse. they are entitled to it. but it does make for awkward co-workers if you're working with people who don't like the slightest disturbance.

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It was only awkward during mother/baby rotation. Never felt so outta place in my life lol smh.

There were a couple times that the patient didn't want a man and I was ok with it. It is funny how they don't mind a male doctor but a male nurse is o_0

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Specializes in ER/ICU.

First and foremost explain exactly what you will be doing to the patient and or family members. Get permission. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have a female chaperone! There will be times that its ok and times it won't. I don't know you but I am sure you are or will be a good nurse. Just like a male physician you are trained to treat patients professionally and ethically despite their gender. To me it's all about approach. If you educate the patient and ask for permission in a confident caring reassuring way you will be able to eliminate some of the concerns the patient may have. If you ask in a wimpy I don't really want to do it anyways kind of way you are going to get a negative reaction. While you are a student now is the time to learn everything you can. The one thing I caution you with is if a female nurse is in the same situation please give her the respect she should be giving you when the roles are reversed. Often men don't think that female nurses don't have a problem cathing a male patient. We have to educate, ask and even have a chaperone. I had a female patient not want me do a cath on her because of my appearance (short hair not super feminine lol). This was uncomfortable and embarrassing for me but I had to set that aside and do the right thing for the patient. In the end I was grateful that she spoke up vs being uncomfortable and or accusing me of something later on. You will run into situations like this throughout your career. Educate youself and always ask question.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I work with male nurses. They just do their job like anyone else. They certainly aren't required to have a chaperone to do a procedure. that would be silly and we aren't staffed for that. I couldn't imagine any of them having to run and get a woman before they could do anything.

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Specializes in ER/ICU.
I work with male nurses. They just do their job like anyone else. They certainly aren't required to have a chaperone to do a procedure. that would be silly and we aren't staffed for that. I couldn't imagine any of them having to run and get a woman before they could do anything.

For a catheter you most certainly do just like a male physician needs a chaperone for pelvic etc. I hope you aren't teaching new male nurses to think this way. If so you are setting them up to lose their careers and much more!

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For a catheter you most certainly do just like a male physician needs a chaperone for pelvic etc. I hope you aren't teaching new male nurses to think this way. If so you are setting them up to lose their careers and much more!

Exactly! Her post is extremely reckless.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Ok I'm in Canada. Maybe that's the difference. Our male nurses don't need chaperones for procedures with female patients unless the patient wants it. Our docs don't need chaperones either

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Ok I'm in Canada. Maybe that's the difference. Our male nurses don't need chaperones for procedures with female patients unless the patient wants it. Our docs don't need chaperones either

Lol yea American society isn't like Canada's.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.
Lol yea American society isn't like Canada's.

Lol yeah I remember reading about someone complaining about their doc not having a nurse present during an exam. That's when I realized it's different up here.

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Specializes in ER/ICU.

It shouldn't be an issue because we are all professionals but it is. It's a sad fact of life here in the U.S.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

That is sad. I can't imagine the mindset. I mean I work with some fine male nurses and I have never even heard of them being accused of anything inappropriate but I guess it happens. I couldn't imagine what a pain in the butt that would be to have to have a woman present before a catheter. Then you are tying up two people. What other occassions require a chaperone in the US?

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