Not wanting to take care of male resident

Trauma Columnist · Dec 5, 2013

Doubt that would be possible. Perhaps discussing your concerns with an instructor BEFORE signing up?

RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

What will you do when you're in nursing school and have to take care of male patients? What will you do when you're working as a nurse and have male patients?

RN9742 · Dec 5, 2013

In short, no you won't. At least not in the program I took, we had check offs specifically for male and female patients. As a nurse you will be required to do the same, so how do you plan on getting around that? Or do you just assume nurses do not get their hands dirty so to speak? One of the most important things I have learned in nursing school, is doing the dirty work helps you be a better nurse to your patient. Giving a patient a bath, or helping clean them up after being incontinent allows you to fully assess a patient, as well as build trust and appreciation in the nurse/patient relationship.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

One exercise to try to get over this fear is designed to make you realize there's absolutely nothing special about a member. Half the human race has penes (plural). Every man or boy you know or ever knew had or has a member. (Yep, the technique involves saying, "member," though not out loud. You will do that much later in your career.) This is also designed to make you laugh, so get ready to have a little fun with it.

This is actually a great time of year to do this exercise, because there are big crowds in the stores, malls, and sidewalks. What you do is find yourself a comfortable place to sit and watch the world go by. Briefly glance at every person that passes your station, just long enough to determine whether the person is male or female. You do not have to stare at their pants, just identify their biological sex, male or female. (If you see someone who's ambiguous, impossible to guess, no penalty-- let 'em go.)

For every male, of any age, from toddlers to ancients, say silently to yourself, "member." For every female, say, "lady parts." Now, faster. You want to see as many people in as short a period as you can, so your mind is clicking away, "member. member. lady parts. member. lady parts. lady parts. ?? lady parts. member. member. member. ?? member. lady parts. ..." Faster! Faster! You're not taking time to stare at anyone, just collecting fast data points! Faster! Don't forget the Mall Santa and Mrs. Claus. Even though they are imaginary... "member. lady parts." ....

Believe me, in a greater or lesser period of time your brain will start chuckling, and then you will start smiling to yourself, and eventually you will feel silly and want to laugh out loud, and that's when you get up and go home. And you will never worry about penes and lady partss again.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

I have take nursing assistant for my prerequisites. I wanted to take the class during spring,so can a request to only take care of female residents. By the way I am a female and freshman in college. I feel uncomfortable seeing anything(grooming,bathing,changing) below a male residents belt. Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I makeup a reason like religion(I will be any religion or sexually orientation for that class...

Oh honey, no you can't....((HUGS)) what does the spring have to do with requesting females?

member....It is a body part...like an arm, a leg, a toe, a breast. Just a body part. While some never get "comfortable" with certain body parts...you do get used to it. It is, after all, just another appendage. Even nuns who cared for the sick year ago care for the parts below the waist. Sexual preference is not a consideration for you are not looking at your patient in a sexual manner.

As a nurse you will have to take care of make patients as well...you will have to look at and insert tubes(foley caths) into the member to drain urine.

((HUGS)) it does get easier.

EaglesWings21, ASN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

Lol yes a member is an organ. While it may be *awkward* so are many other things in nursing!!! What you can do is not touch anybody down there unless you absolutely have to. If they can do it themselves, let them. Don't give them freebies :)

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

Lol yes a member is an organ. While it may be *awkward* so are many other things in nursing!!! What you can do is not touch anybody down there unless you absolutely have to. If they can do it themselves, let them. Don't give them freebies :)

That is the truth...patients can smell fear/inexperience a mile away.

had them the wash cloth and tell them to wash. tell them you will hold the urinal but they place it in the bottle themselves.

loriangel14, RN · Dec 5, 2013

I don't think that it is a realistic expectation to only care for feamle patients/residents. What are you going to do in nursing school?

chrisrn24 · Dec 5, 2013

OP prior to CNA class I had never seen a member before. A few years later I've seen several (at work only). It's no problem!

je4321 · Dec 5, 2013

During fundamentals I had to insert a catheter on a male sim man, and definitely saw a few during my first clinical. I'm sure if any of us told that to our instructors they wouldn't have cared. As a nurse you're going up have to take care of all types of patients. With a rapidly growing elderly population that need assistance with ADLs, you will need to help all patients including male patients with perineal care, interning catheters, dressing, etc. you probably won't get to pick your patients. So yes this may mean inserting a catheter and wiping the bottom because they cant ambulate to the bathroom on an elderly man with dementia who isn't alert and oriented. If you can't realize that and accept it now, maybe you're pursuing the wrong profession. It sounds harsh but it's the reality of nursing.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2013

I have take nursing assistant for my prerequisites. I wanted to take the class during spring,so can a request to only take care of female residents. By the way I am a female and freshman in college.I feel uncomfortable seeing anything(grooming,bathing,changing) below a male residents belt. Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I makeup a reason like religion(I will be any religion or sexually orientation for that class...

No, you can't.