Nursing Admissions/Admitting Nurse In Gay Marriage States

[DoGoodThenGo]

As gay marriage will now be legal as of this Sunday in NYS my mind wondered about something.

In states where such things are already legal do hospitals has admitting personnel/paper work switched to the more general query regarding "spouse" rather than the old fashioned "husband" or "wife"?

[pedicurn, LPN, RN]

Next thing will be getting rid of gender based pronouns ........

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

Most forms I've seen that ask for such things already use "spouse" instead of husband/wife, and I don't live in a state where gay marriage is legal. I work in peds and have patients come in with two mothers and it's never a big deal doing the documentation to reflect that.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Wouldn't be surprised. Common sense and the ability to think on one's own- or not take everything so personally to the point of absurdity- won't get better.

It's everywhere. I saw an article about Betty Ford having a 'bipartisan service'..... REALLY??? We have to declare political preference in order to die correctly??? It was ridiculous that it was even mentioned in terms of 'partisan' anything- she did a lot of good, and my guess is that she didn't require people at the Betty Ford Center to only admit GOP patients.... I'm surprised they let Mrs. Carter say anything at a 'red' persons' funeral- how horrifying- LOL...

It's all gotten so out of hand- and it seems that few see it at all.

[heartflutter, ADN, BSN]

"Spouse" seems to be the most common on forms in my experience and I don't see why terms like "partner" or "significant other" would need to be used just because gay marriage is now legal in a certain state. If "spouse" has worked for married opposite-sex couples, why can't it work for married same-sex couples? There's no need to be "PC" and "spouse" is about as neutral as you can get.

All I'm seeing is discomfort to use the term "spouse" for individuals who have just been granted the right to marry when it should apply just as easily as it does to everyone else. I call my spouse my "wife" and other things I won't mention here (all nice ), but the only thing that matters in a medical environment is the LEGALITY of the relationship.

As for states without gay marriage or something similar, that's an entire other debacle to be dealt with. Thank God my state has everything but the word "marriage" on the books (Washington State). At least I've got something.