During my current rotation (I'm a student) in OB, something kind of struck me as odd about how my postion was being represented to the patients. Let me explain a bit...
During my initial med-surg rotation last semester, I was on an ortho floor and was providing care to men and women, both young and old. When my mentor would go into a room, we'd both go in and she'd introduce me simply as "a student" and we'd proceed to provide the requisite care. None of the patients voiced any concerns during this time regarding having a guy in the room during "personal care" or when assessing wound sites below the waist.
Skip to the present...
Upon hitting the OB floor, this all changed. Now, I can't even enter a room before it's announced that a guy is in tow and is it ok if I come in and assist.
Yes, it seems to make sense. Yes, it seems appropriate to do in terms of just being polite. Yet, it still nagged at me a bit. Why?
Well, when observing my classmates going into rooms to perform skills such as D/C of a foley on a male patient, there was never any notification that a female student would be involved. No option given to opt out. No bow to modesty. Similarly, when patients are sent to other depts, such as x-ray (ultrasound), there isn't any notification that the tech's performing the work were of the opposite sex. Similarly, when the doc's were making the rounds with their entourage of students, no special steps were taken regarding modesty issues. And when it came to the OB cases, no mention was ever made that the RNFA's assisting the doc's on the C/S were men, or the anesthesiologists, etc. etc. Does it strike anyone else as a bit odd that the only people in the hospital that seem to be identified according to their sex are the male (student) nurses?
I realize that there are going to be exceptions noted by the readers of this forum. I understand that patients can refuse treatment from anyone they choose for whatever reason they find - no problem. I'm wondering, are the nurses that make this differentiation for the male part of the student body unconsciously setting an expectation that needn't be there? Regardless of who we're treating, or who's providing the treatment, isn't the "secret" to setting people at ease regarding modesty the act of performing your duties with a high degree of professionalism? If we're doing that, shouldn't the issue of our gender be a secondary consideration instead of the default one? If not, then shouldn't we be extending the same considerations to the male patient population? Does announcing a provider's gender just move the modesty issue to the fore, making it a self-fulfilling prophesy?
PS - I don't think that this was ever an act of discrimination on the part of my clinical mentors. Just an act of politeness.
Having just completed my L&D rotation I think its really sad that I was basically told this isn't where the men go. It was implied to me that men know their place in nursing. I really enjoyed OB/L&D but not some of the attitudes.
I think I some men could provide excellent care in this area, its just sad really.
Honestly, I would not want a male doing personal care, like a bed bath on me. Lots of people have pointed out that I'm attractive and young, and frankly, I don't want some guy to get turned on by caring for me. I'm serious. It might not be intentional, and despite how professional he is, I think it's hard for a man to not react to a young, attractive naked woman (depending on circumstances). I remember when I was 14 and went to a male gynecologist, and by the look on his face he looked excited when he was told he was going to give me a pelvic examination. How sick is that. But even w/o that experience, I still wouldn't want a male doing certain kinds of care for me.
I'm sorry, I'll get flamed, and I know it, Please please forgive me. I just came off of a 14 hour shift at 0700. But why does every single post from this poster involve some comment about how good-looking she is and guys being attracted to her. I would find it insulting to be the original poster and think that this CuteCnA is implying that he gets all hot when watching childbirth. Speaking from having had three kids-that was the LAST thing on my mind; and it is the VERY LAST thing on the mind of all men that I have ever worked with (15 years in L&D).
The peri-natal period is difficult for all women; some women react differently; you never know. I think the thing that I have noticed is that some women still have childbirth as a "woman-only" time (which is odd, because many of them have male physicians). The big thing that I have gotten with the women who have had an issue with a male student is one of two things-1) they aren't comfortable with a male providing nursing care (sometimes it never occurred to them that this could happen and is kind of a shock when it does)[cultural or not] and 2) sometimes the thought of a male student "just watching" or observing" is a little too weird-because they aren't providing care. I think the big thing is that they just aren't prepared. Some women, even pretty liberal ones, find it a shocker to discover a male OB nurse-as I said before, it just never occurred to them. I hvaen't seen a big issue at our hospital with this, and when it is, it is generally cultural, a primipara, or SO objects.
To the OP: I am sorry to hear that you were treated this way, but there is still quite a bit of sexism in nursing-ie that it is a woman's job, and especially in the peri-natal dept. It is also prudent to be cautious in our litgious society, you never know what people will claim (I could tell a very sad and funny story, but it's OT), so facilities are likely being careful not to offend or upset. I have a male nurse friend-completely awesome nurse-hired at a LTC for nuns; his job lasted one day. The 90 year old nuns freaked at the thought of a male bathing them. I can guarantee that he wasn't lustfully leering at them; it was just a violation of their comfort zone. I've had elderly men ask if a male nurse can provide their bathing care; I just swap with a male nurse or aide, and document for the next time. On our unit, it is also not unusual to have family members to request a nurse of the same culture as pt (we comply if able).
Oh and my sons suggest that you should post your pic so we can know what a hottie you are!
Ya know, you can't assume that just because your caregiver is the same sex as you that (s)he will not be having any sexual feelings...
A good professional of either sex has to learn to "detach". That being said, a certain level of trust is required of the patient-a "leap of faith" if you will.
I just wish you nurses could understand-it's not like your a mechanic working on our car or in any other profession where men and women did not have the same opportunity as in the past, but now do and everyone is in a brand new ordered world. It is our bodies, our sensitivities, our modesty. It is us getting naked in front of other clothed people we barely know or do not know at all. OMG, do you really really believe you can just become androgynous and we will just believe you can leave your gender at the door and we will just believe you view us like our car, antiseptically? I think not. You may wish we had no inhibitions, but that is something that comes with the human condition I might add, so you get over it and give us, the client, what all of us should have, our dignity and quit complaining about it like a bunch of spoiled children.
I understand completely. My boyfriend had the same problem while doing his OB rotation. He understands and knows women are shy about letting a male take care of them. He even stated he probably would not want a male nurse caring for him if he was a woman. I think part of the problems is, as a previous writer wrote, they didn't want a male to "get turned on" while caring for them. Well, this is not the case with him, he told me that there was absolutely nothing sexual about taking care of an OB patient. He approached it in a matter of fact way. So anyone who thinks there is something sexual about caring for an OB patient or any women in the hospital just doesn't understand. And quite honestly, if a male nurse sees something sexual about it or get's turned on when caring for a female patient, then perhaps he should seek other fields.
I as a male nurse, I feel discriminated, and then I wonder what type of gender a male G.O Doctor is, maybe he has no gender at all. hehehehhe. I think being a male nurse it is the worse thing happened to me. I only wish to turn back the clock and trust me I would choose a different career
Does it strike anyone else as a bit odd that the only people in the hospital that seem to be identified according to their sex are the male (student) nurses?
I realize that there are going to be exceptions noted by the readers of this forum. I understand that patients can refuse treatment from anyone they choose for whatever reason they find - no problem. I'm wondering, are the nurses that make this differentiation for the male part of the student body unconsciously setting an expectation that needn't be there? Regardless of who we're treating, or who's providing the treatment, isn't the "secret" to setting people at ease regarding modesty the act of performing your duties with a high degree of professionalism? If we're doing that, shouldn't the issue of our gender be a secondary consideration instead of the default one? If not, then shouldn't we be extending the same considerations to the male patient population? Does announcing a provider's gender just move the modesty issue to the fore, making it a self-fulfilling prophesy?
PS - I don't think that this was ever an act of discrimination on the part of my clinical mentors. Just an act of politeness.
I had the same experiences as a student doing the L&D rotation . . . sometimes, it would take two or three tries for me to get a patient for the day. Your comments about professionalism are correct but,
the reason that male patients seldom say anything about female nurses is that for the majority of the populous, nurse and female are synonymous. It is the majority expectation . . . just as doctor and male are synonymous . . . now obviously, this is changing.
And as other posters have mentioned, some female patients may have experienced abuse from men in their lives, be they boyfriend, husband, or health professional . . . so having a male nurse is a big concern. The opposite situation, with male patients, is just not as common.
So, until the time comes that 95% of nurses are male, you will continue to be a male nurse
I respectfully disagree,you presume that men do not make privacy requests because the majority of the staff are female-I can assure you that is not the case-were just totally ignored and even chastised on our juvenile childish obsession with our modesty. Yep, women just don't think we have any modesty or should have any modesty, and if we show it-were rebuked for it. I had to have a physical at the Va last week and it was a battle keeping the darn female nurses out-it was unbelievable!!! Personally I do not associate nurse and female.
I think that males are also learning to be more proactive ,including voicing concerns that in the old days we just kept to ourselves, the end result being we just quit going to Doctors and the Female staff started assuming we didn't care about our modesty.. I can recall many vivid ,embarrassing situations growing up which didn't help matters. Females being present during physical exams, etc. Even at 5 years of age I would really put up a stink getting undressed for a nurse or female doctor but my mother insisted anyways. I never forgave her for that!! I do think you should move away from OB though, I think females deserve their privacy as well and it is indefensible for you to assume it is ok just because you are a nurse. Give the lades their privacy man.
I do think that the female nurses are getting the threatened feeling-after all-they may have to change their posture on what we have been complaining about! Heaven forbid. It should not be a one sex environment when the pt loand is both male and female.It only makes sense.
I want to repeat that I have the most profound respect for Nurses. Their tireless , unfathomable work load, the unmitigated responsibility they shoulder, the long thankless hours and their commitment is unchallenged. No one I know works harder or has more responsibility. Its breathless in scope everything they do. Just a little more consideration on our modesty requests please ladies.
agent
777 Posts
Having just completed my L&D rotation I think its really sad that I was basically told this isn't where the men go. It was implied to me that men know their place in nursing. I really enjoyed OB/L&D but not some of the attitudes.
I think I some men could provide excellent care in this area, its just sad really.