I have worked in the healthcare field and been a patient way to many times....
At the hospital; I have worked with amazing nurses male and female. And a few not so nice ones (they are rare)
As a tech, I have had patients request/demand a female tech, and I respected it, never once had I been offended of the request. I always thank them for letting our department know of the request, so other techs would know before going to the patient's room. If a female was not available, we would reschedule it when a female tech was available, unless it was life/death situation.
As a patient I have had a bad time with female nurses, rude comments, saying, it is no big deal for them to see me undressed, swearing, etc. (These nurses I did not worked with) I got to the point that I had a family member go with me to any medical appointments... and even then I had a nurse cussing at me , when I politely corrected her... (My big mistake) and she refused to leave the room while the doctor was trying to do an exam. She demanded that it was her "Right" to:madface: be present in the room regardless if she was needed or not. (A male nurse doing this would have been fired and his license revoked) Since then I have refused female healthcare providers completely...
I am a modest patient, (I have had some similar issues that a female patient would only have a female healthcare provider) I had allowed female providers as long as I was covered appropriately... I only go to male doctors because of the modesty issue, and that it is hard for a female doctor to fully treat me with all clothes on at all times... So rather it becoming an issue when a doctor would need me fully undressed, I will only have a male doctor.
I had to go to a specialist that was outside the provider lists, I and my Health Insurance company, (surprisingly they agreed with my request for a male provider since it was a male issue) located a male specialist, the doctor/office agreed to the Male only healthcare, so I go to this doctor numerous times, and had a female nurse while I was covered. Once the specialist couldn't find a cause, he tried to get me to go to his female Physician Assistants, I refused... (The modesty issue, and the fact that the cost to see a Physician Assistant was the same as seeing the specialist)
The office manager (female) screamed at me, how I was "Intimidated" by women:no:, that I wasn't a real man for discriminating competent females... I told her that as long as I was fully covered at all times, it would be fine, (it couldn't happen due to the male issue) the manager said she would not put her female Physician Assistants through it, I asked for the door to be open at all times, she said no again... I asked for a male nurse to be present, which they did have... she said no again, as that male nurse had better things to do.... I asked for the normal procedures for a male doctor female patient, yet they refused to accommodate a male patient in the same manner they accommodated a female patient...
Question is....
If it is no big deal to see it, why is it a big deal NOT to see it? (genitalia)
Is it really offensive for a female nurse to go get a male nurse?
Do they really think that by asking for a male nurse, that it immediately means a male patient is intimidated by females?
Should a female nurse be allowed to stay in the exam room after being told to leave?
Is it her "right" to be in the room when she was not needed?
It is extremely difficult to accommodate this kind of request in an in-patient setting, I will say. If there is only one male tech or nurse on the unit, we simply can not promise you an all male staff. That being said, we would always let the patient know that although we will try, we can't promise.
I don't know if it will bring you any comfort to tell you that from our perspective (CNAs/Nurses/Doctors), there is no difference between an elbow and a bum. I know that it is uncomfortable for you, but in case you ever come across the situation again, please know that we are NOT looking at you, NOT judging you, and truly once we leave the room it is forgotten and mixed in with the rest of our day. Doesn't matter to me If I am assisting with an IV or a foley catheter. It's my job, and it's human anatomy, nothing more.
I can't take my own advice, and even though I KNOW a male OB, for example, truly doesn't see my anatomy as anything more than that, I still cant see one.
But, just in case it's at all comforting, I thought I would throw that out there. We only want to make you better, we're not going to gawk or gasp or be anything but professional and discreet.
It is reasonable to honor the sensitivities of any patient with regard to gender issues, when they can be accommodated. When they cannot, it should be explained.
When they cannot be accommodated, the patient still needs care and will have to deal with it.
That said, being a jerk about it, on either side of the question is unhelpful.
Personally If I was in the situation where there are only female staff, I would go to another practice/hospital. It isnt about the patient (me) or the healthcare staff being a "Jerk about it" what is important is to honor the request, and if you cant just say so. Then I can get ready to go to another facility, very easy and no one gets their feeling hurt. When I was working, not one patient hurt my feelings, from a gender request to being yelled at, because the patient was sleeping when a test was scheduled. When people are sick, they get cranky, and I understand that, as I get cranky with the chronic pain.
Thank you ! We need nurses like you here... Many in my experiences take the "Im offended" stance. For me, I am comfortable with female providers as long as I am covered 100%, once it goes to genitalia, thats where I get uncomfortable. I would go to female doctors female nurses etc, and everything is fine, until I refuse to allow them into that area.... Thats where the world ends, due to me not letting them do anything. It got so annoying, I just stopped going to any female providers. It is the gender only, I know/ worked with some amazing female nurses, many are way more intellegent than male nurses...
Oh yes, please, let's go back in time and progress 60 years......
How is finally being able to accommodate the males going back in time? Men have had to, for years, just "deal with it" as the females made up, and still make up, the majority of nursing roles. Now that more men than ever are entering the vocation, wouldn't it only make sense to adapt? Please explain.
Legal action for what? What shall his attorney put as the cause of action?
Just guessing, but if the roles were reversed I see a "no brainier" sexual harassment case. Did I misinterpret something here? The female RN saying that "she has the right to be in the room." I would think if there was no necessity the she was there to see his genitalia, or at least the implication would have to be disproven, and a reason for remaining present based on professional necessity would need to be proven...? Yes? No?...
Just guessing, but if the roles were reversed I see a "no brainier" sexual harassment case. Did I misinterpret something here? The female RN saying that "she has the right to be in the room." I would think if there was no necessity the she was there to see his genitalia, or at least the implication would have to be disproven, and a reason for remaining present based on professional necessity would need to be proven...? Yes? No?...
Two staff in the room is for the protection of the provider. If the patient doesn't want that, as a provider, I'm going to be telling the patient to deal with it or go elsewhere. Whatever my gender or the patient's gender. Not to mention, sexual harassment, unless you have some weird state laws where you're at, not something you can sue your healthcare provider for.
Two staff in the room is for the protection of the provider. If the patient doesn't want that, as a provider, I'm going to be telling the patient to deal with it or go elsewhere. Whatever my gender or the patient's gender. Not to mention, sexual harassment, unless you have some weird state laws where you're at, not something you can sue your healthcare provider for.
Sorry, i understand and agree with the provider and witness being in the room. Why didnt the nurse simply state that it was for legal purposes? Not "I have the right to be in here!" That is obnoxious!!
Sorry, i understand and agree with the provider and witness being in the room. Why didnt the nurse simply state that it was for legal purposes? Not "I have the right to be in here!" That is obnoxious!!
Whose to say what she said? Communication is 30% interpreted through delivery, less so when one is anxious or upset.
We weren't there; maybe the delivery may have been off, but the nurse does have the "right" to be in the room for the pts PROTECTION.
OP, I think your going to have a challenge at times requesting a male nurse; however you do have a right to make a request; it's unfortunate that you have had a negative encounters when asking for it; it is usually not this way, at least in my experience, and when the accommodations couldn't been made, respect and modesty was upheld.
Hoping for you to have a better experience in your healthcare encounters.
when I politely corrected her... (My big mistake) and she refused to leave the room while the doctor was trying to do an exam. She demanded that it was her "Right" to:madface: be present in the room regardless if she was needed or not. (A male nurse doing this would have been fired and his license revoked) Since then I have refused female healthcare providers completely... 
Glycerine82, LPN
1 Article; 2,188 Posts
It is extremely difficult to accommodate this kind of request in an in-patient setting, I will say. If there is only one male tech or nurse on the unit, we simply can not promise you an all male staff. That being said, we would always let the patient know that although we will try, we can't promise.
I don't know if it will bring you any comfort to tell you that from our perspective (CNAs/Nurses/Doctors), there is no difference between an elbow and a bum. I know that it is uncomfortable for you, but in case you ever come across the situation again, please know that we are NOT looking at you, NOT judging you, and truly once we leave the room it is forgotten and mixed in with the rest of our day. Doesn't matter to me If I am assisting with an IV or a foley catheter. It's my job, and it's human anatomy, nothing more.
I can't take my own advice, and even though I KNOW a male OB, for example, truly doesn't see my anatomy as anything more than that, I still cant see one.
But, just in case it's at all comforting, I thought I would throw that out there. We only want to make you better, we're not going to gawk or gasp or be anything but professional and discreet.