Male RN-assist with pelvic exams?

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I'm a male RN, who left ED nursing ten years ago, and just returned. When I left, male nurses had nothing to do with "intimate" procedures on female patients. At my new ER, I have been told that I am to insert foleys and assist male MDs with pelvic exams on female patients.

If anything, I think that all the sexual abuse news should make it even more imperative that I avoid doing these things. Some of the male MDs agree with me. Your opinions?

It's nice to know there are those out there that can't seprarte their personal lives from their professional ones (refering to those that say pelvic exams dampen their libido. Which sounds like a PERSONAL PROBLEM). :rolleyes:

Exactly my sentiments.

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I think, as someone else mentioned, this has to do with preventing allegations of impropriety (what a good way to put it). Historically, women are victims of sexual abuse far more often than men, and this is just a safeguard. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I think that comparing this to racism is absurd. Preventing sexual impropriety and refusing to be cared for by someone because of the color of their skin? Just not comparable to me.

I've had very close friends both male and female who were sexually abused as children, who did not care if their doctors/nurses were male or female.

Actually, I think this whole problem (of females not wanting male nurses) is way overblown.

I'm a male RN practicing in med-surg and the ED, and in 2 years I've had about 2 women refuse care. That's not a very high percentage.

Since comeing to the ED I've also put foleys in women, by myself, and I havn't had a problem, although it makes me uncomfortable.

It makes me uncomfortable not because I have a problem with female genitals, or I'm "afraid it will ruin my sex life", but because I quite legitimately fear a false accusation.

All of the false accusations I've ever heard of have been women accusing men of abuse. I've never even heard of a female nurse being falsely accused of sexual misconduct, not to say it's never happened, but it's rare indeed. And the fact remains that most perpetrators of sexual abuse ARE male. I can quote statistics for that. So as a male, societly is much more likley to see you as a sexual abuser, because males more often ARE sexual abusers.

As a male who is not a sexual abuser, you have a very legitimate fear of false accusation. And for anyone who thinks males should "just deal with it" is ignoring that one false allegation can mean losing your license, you family, your financial stability, or worse, your life. It can and does happen. I, for one, have no intention of spending the rest of my days in prison being gang-raped by other inmates until the day they decide to stab me to death because I didn't want to inconvience my female co-workers by having them present when I inserted a foley.

And any male who would performs a pelvic exam without a female present is out of his mind. Any male who would choose another male to accompany him on a pelvic exam is equally out of his mind.

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those whose libido is ruined by their partients, be f/m ,then the libido wasn't much to begin with

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Specializes in Emergency.
It makes me uncomfortable not because I have a problem with female genitals, or I'm "afraid it will ruin my sex life", but because I quite legitimately fear a false accusation.

I'd have to agree. It's hard to think of sex or libido when you are dealing with someone sick, in pain or in need of care. However, it's not so hard to wonder if the individual for whom you are caring may tarnish your career with an unfounded accusation.

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Specializes in OR.

I work the 3-11 shift in an OR and am the only female. We sometimes get GYN cases and I got sick of automatically going in there because I'm a woman(I hate GYN). The way I look at it is, the male nurses I work with are professional and extremely competent. I spend plenty of time in the cysto room and see plenty of memberes. The male patients I take care of receive curteous, professional care and they don't get an option to pick and choose who does a foley or preps them. I told my concerns to my supervisor(namely, that I didn't feel like I should have to do all the GYN cases)and he agreed with me. There are only 4 of us on this shift anyway so our patients aren't spoiled as far as picking and choosing who takes care of them

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Specializes in ER, PED'S, NICU, CLINICAL M., ONCO..

Shall I whish a happy new year to every one?

I just love you co-friends wherever you work, LA or Pekin.

I work in a private maternity and for my surprise after asking for job in our main Public National Maternity (Sarda Hospital of Buenos Aires) I new that at the delivery room work only male nurses.

Why? Is it necessary to answer? As my boss said. “Ladies create so much trouble. I prefer male nurses”. (Said my male boss, but fore my surprise the nurse coordinator or the Sarda Hospital is an old Lady that thinks exactly the same…)

Maleness? ….. as I posted before, one has to be very sick to let his libido express after treating a pregnant pt or whatever sick woman!

I wonder why this thread is lasting so much?

Of course there exist a male-sexual-abuse. Wherever in this piece of S……..F……. world. But, I don’t have statistics about that in our profession. Do you?

Please, this world is bleeding… and we are meant to stop it, or at least to help it. Male or female.

Vemiliob from Bs. As.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
As my boss said. “Ladies create so much trouble. I prefer male nurses”.

Your boss has a poor attitude.

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Just a question--why would it matter if you had a male nurse doing your rape kit? Unless the male nurse in question was your rapist, why would it suddenly be uncomfortable?

I've heard this idea before but I've never quite understood it.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Just a question--why would it matter if you had a male nurse doing your rape kit? Unless the male nurse in question was your rapist, why would it suddenly be uncomfortable?

I've heard this idea before but I've never quite understood it.

Because some people aren't too wild about a male touching them, considering it was probably another male that hurt them to get them in this position. You think it shouldn't matter, but trust me, it does.

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I still don't understand it, but I will always respect the patients' fears and concerns.

Thank you, Marie.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
the patients' fears and concerns.

That''s what it comes down to, because while getting the rape kit is no the time to try and rationalize why gender doesn't matter. That's what i'm trying to say.

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i was working once with a male nurse who thought it was a one=way street when it came to taking care of pts....he would always ask for a female nurse to insert foley or do peri care on a female but he thought that his female co-workers should be "professional" encough to go in and care for a male pt...one time someone got fed with him and refused to lend a hand [ie read that as doing his work] he called the headnurse at 2am to complain...she was not a happy camper....transfered to another floor shortly after...this was a long time ago [maybe 15 yrs] i wonder if he is still in health care field

I surely can understand why you got fed up with him. That's not right to do to your co-workers. I'm curious, did you ever try the line, "Why can't you be a professional enough to go place a foley on a female?"

I'm sure that the manager was upset to hear from her floor about something like this at 2AM. Hopefully he's gotten out of the field.

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