Male student enters OB room. What do you think?

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I was doing my OB clinicals and entered a patient's room to deliver a food tray. Stupid move on my part, but it got me a complaint from the patient and kicked out of my OB class. I'm allowed to repeat next year.

Specializes in hospice.
I have four children and after the experience I had with student nurses, I requested no students be present for my third and fourth. I have tiny veins and a nursing student tried to start my IV. She blew every one in arm and I ended up with an IV in my wrist. Talk about some pain. I cut her some slack because even her instructor couldn't hit the vein. It took calling in the nurse manager to get it right. After that, I made it clear that there were to be no nursing students. Thankfully, my labors are only about two hours so it is never been that big of a deal.

Sad thing is you most likely had no need for an IV in the first place.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

My OB rotation, the clinical instructor made a habit of specifically asking patients if it was "OK" for a nursing student to participate in care. That is a total contrast to all other rotations where it was a matter of course that a student nurse simply was assigned and part of the care team.

As a result the male nursing student in the group was always denied (because patients have no problem with male OB docs but have some hangup with all other males in OB care). That male student was relegated to NICU and passing out trays on the Mom Baby unit. At one point a nurse told the student to take a tray to room X. He knocked, went in, and a chorus of six women yelling "NO MEN NO MEN NO MEN NO MEN!" could be heard on the unit. They chased him out (all had hijabs, explaining their preference for no men).

He did NOT get in trouble.

Why they didn't put a sign on the door is beyond me.

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I'm sorry this has happened to you. From the way you write and from your level headed responses, you appear to be intelligent and thoughtful. The point you made about why would they, if you are such a creeper, allow you to repeat the course is a good one.

I agree w/ a previous poster that it sounds like they already had a few of your transgressions stacked up and this one was the one that toppled the pile.

I hope everything works out for you whatever you decide to do. Try not to give up on nursing just yet :-)

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Specializes in CVICU.
My OB rotation, the clinical instructor made a habit of specifically asking patients if it was "OK" for a nursing student to participate in care. That is a total contrast to all other rotations where it was a matter of course that a student nurse simply was assigned and part of the care team.

I graduate in two weeks and every single clinical rotation I have had, regardless of the unit, I have had to make sure it was okay with the patient that I (as a student) would be involved in their care / accessing their chart.

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Specializes in CVICU.

IF it is as simple as you say, this is absolutely gender discrimination. Don't buy into being the problem, you are the victim.

I hate when there is a double standard related to care. As a male nurse I am just doing my job when I take care of a female pt., If a female patient request to have a female nurse due to her culture upbringing then I completely understand and respect that. But it has to be requested before hand, not after the fact. I often due ask if they are comfortable, if I feel any hesitation though.

I personally would pursue this further…..unless there is more to the story you have provided. Seems you are blaming yourself a lot….more than you should IF it is as simple as you say.

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Oh God, I'm a male nursing student and we start our OB and Pediatric clinicals next semester. Your post is scaring the hell out of me!

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

I want to second the poster who commended the OP for his level headed and thoughtful responses. Unless you are leaving out some crucial details, the situation as described sounds like you were discriminated against for being a male student in an OB unit. Not cool. I would appeal.

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Specializes in ICU.

I have a male student in my class and although we haven't been in OB, he has taken care of women. There is way, way, way more to this story than being accused of "staring" at a laboring patient for 20 seconds. Come on!! When I was in labor the absolute last thing I would notice is a nursing student staring at me. You're pretty preoccupied. And believe me, after nine months of people poking and prodding down there by the time you give birth, you have very little modesty left. So, I absolutely do not believe this story. Nor has any hospital I have been in deliver trays to an actively laboring patient. You are in so much pain food is the last thing on your mind or if you are going to surgery for a csection you can't have food. Once my epidural was in, I was only allowed a little amount of ice chips for 18 hours. I did sneak a couple of sips of coke. But we had no idea I was going to have to have a csection until I was 18 hours in and still hadn't dilated.

Sorry, I'm calling B.S. on your story.

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Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.
I graduate in two weeks and every single clinical rotation I have had, regardless of the unit, I have had to make sure it was okay with the patient that I (as a student) would be involved in their care / accessing their chart.

Introducing and explaining roles and purposes is good. Asking permission... sorry but students have to be there or the healthcare system fails. Patients can actively opt out. They don't need to be opted in.

Xray/CT/MRI techs don't ask permission for radiology students. MDs don't ask permission for medical students to be a part of care. Etc etc etc.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I think there are pieces missing to the story. I mean I understand certain cultures not wanting men in the rooms but to kick you out of school for that, I just can't wrap my head around it.

When I was in labor & actively pushing I didn't care who was in the room! I wanted the baby out & healthy. There were so many people in the room for me & my son that if a student nurse came in I don't think I would've even noticed.

I'm sorry everything that happened to you but I have to say, I believe there is more to the story. Why would they just kick you out for delivering a food tray?

When I was in nursing school we had a male student & he never had any issues.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.

as a male I participated in L&D while in nursing school

The female nurses caring for the patients did not offer much to me during my clinicals likely fearing that my maleness would offend the patients. The OB doc, however, took me under his wing and helped me to understand how to assess a cervix and effacement, how to feel the presentation with my fingers and measure it against the pelvis to report "station".

I was immensely grateful.

If you were failed simply for being male in a labor room I think you may have a case against the school.

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Specializes in Heme Onc.
Introducing and explaining roles and purposes is good. Asking permission... sorry but students have to be there or the healthcare system fails. Patients can actively opt out. They don't need to be opted in.

Xray/CT/MRI techs don't ask permission for radiology students. MDs don't ask permission for medical students to be a part of care. Etc etc etc.

I second this... if anything its the INSTRUCTORS responsibility to survey patients appropriateness and willingness for a student, NOT the students.

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