Patient gender preference

[Cul2]

Not a lot of info seems to be available about the specific contexts

of patient preferences for nurse gender. How many men and women

don't want opposite gender care for anything? How many men and

women prefer same gender care for specific reasons only and what

are those reasons? Is one patient gender more likely to speak up

about gender preferences? How often is accommodation available?

Is one nurse gender more likely to ask patients about gender preferences?

Generally speaking, to what extent is this an issue in everyday kinds

of bedside care? If you don't consider it a significant issue, to what

extent might it be if patients were asked preferences for certain kinds

of care?

[iNurseUK, RN]

I know that observant Muslim women will not accept personal care from a male nurse and will not undergo some examinations performed by a male doctor without a female chaperone present.

The reverse does not appear to be the case. Muslim men in my experience have no problems with female nurses.

I have come across many women of all faiths who do not like personal care carried out by male nursing staff. This has rarely been a problem as female nurses everywhere I have ever worked, apart from ITU where the patient was intubated and sedated, have been in the majority.

As for a NURSE gender preference....I much prefer nursing male patients. Always have.

[mentalhealthRN]

As a nurse thats' a toss up. Depends on the setting. For example when I worked in corrections and was given the option to be in a mens or womens prison-- are you kidding me? lol men all the way. In that setting women can be aweful and nasty to other women. But in general it depends on the patient more then the gender.

As a patient-- well I have been in the two times I had my kids.....and well other then docs there were no male nurses. So that is hard to say.

When I was in for 5 days for medical--a GI bleed. I had both male and female nurses. Honestly one of the best nurses I had was a male LPN in the ER. I loved his personality. He smiled and was friendly, fun and on the ball. He knew his stuff and took awesome care of me. I was not uncomfortable at all with his being male and me female. I had mostly female nurses on the floor after I was admitted and well..... some were nicer then others, but he was still my favorite. I think it was more his personality and skill more then gender. So as a patient I don't think gender is as important as the person. I still remember him wearing a Hawaiian Scrub top! lol

[Belle Epoque]

I suppose one can't argue a religious requirement but an individual preference? I do consider that discriminatory. It shouldn't matter the gender of the nurse in order to deliver competent ethical nursing care. A nurse is a nurse irregardless. Now if you have the option of choosing say a male ob/gyn or female ob/gyn to preform your annual gyne needs then okay, you can choose whomever you wish but to refuse care in a hospital setting because you want a female nurse instead of a male nurse? Isn't that the same as refusing care from a black nurse because you want a white nurse? That just doesn't fly in most circles.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

If a patient prefers to have a female nurse, I have no problem with this, especially if the patient has gender specific care needs, dressing to upper chest following breast augmentation/ tumor removal or postop proximal rectal surgery. Even if its just a preference with no context of the reason why. No big deal, move on, do one's work. It really has nothing to do with me personally and I am flexible. Even mid shift I've had this request, no big deal, move on!

[RR910]

i don’t think it is at all like a black or white nurse(well maybe for some it is). but i have requested a female nurse because of what i was there for, i get some people are just ridiculous and if they wanted a female over male or the other way around for something simple like a suture, is not right especially if the male or female nurse is very professional, some male that i work with id much rather have over some of the women nurses, but in some cases i can totally see why, sorry but i just wouldn’t feel comfortable even with the most professional male nurse treating me for something like ovarian cysts!

[PetiteOpRN]

Statistically, in the US 25% of the female population has been the victim of some form of sexual assault before age 18. Males are also the victims of sexual assault.

With that in mind, there might be some valid reasons why some patients are hesitant to have someone of a specific gender perform personal care. It is about the patient, not the nurse. Hospitalization is often a stressful time for people. They are already vulnerable. There is no need for them to relive some past trauma or feel re-victimized.

This may not be the case with every gender preference, but please realize that sexual assault is much more common than most of us recognize.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

Statistically, in the US 25% of the female population has been the victim of some form of sexual assault before age 18. Males are also the victims of sexual assault.

With that in mind, there might be some valid reasons why some patients are hesitant to have someone of a specific gender perform personal care. It is about the patient, not the nurse. Hospitalization is often a stressful time for people. They are already vulnerable. There is no need for them to relive some past trauma or feel re-victimized.

This may not be the case with every gender preference, but please realize that sexual assault is much more common than most of us recognize.

Speaking as one of those 25%, I always prefer female nurses. I become very anxious when I've been in the hospital and I have a lot of trouble sleeping if there is a male nurse checking in on me at night. So far, I haven't had any problem getting female nurses.

As a nurse, I also prefer female patients. In my early career I worked med/surg and ER. I can't tell you how many times I was felt up, flashed, and sexually harrassed by patients and male staff(this was back in the days when nurses had to just suck it up and deal--it would never fly today.) In fact, the big reason I went into OB & Peds is I don't have to deal with male patients. Sorry guys.

[mcknis]

I have had several patients who have requested a female nurse for certain skills or due to previous history of sexual abuse or related. I have no problem with that at all unless a life is clearly on the line,but for the most part I can accommodate their desires.

[middleager]

Don't you think the overwhelming majority of the preference is centered around opposite gender care for intimate procedures or procedures requiring the patient to expose what is normally conisider "private". Belle makes the case for ob/gyn's being acceptable in choosing gender, would this not have many of the same issues for someone say getting an enema, transrectal, foley, etc. Isn't the issue is more centered around WHAT is being done than WHO? And while victims of sexual assult have suffered an extreme trauma and I am in no way trying to downplay that, we all carry our life experiences into these situations. If as a child your parents drummed modesty in you without addressing situational differences, if you were humliated someway by violation of modesty, do not these events have some similarity with assult and religion. The degree or severity in how they effect us may be different, the the psychology is more alike than different.

I think as pointed out there are two different scenerios. In my opinion someone prefering a gender for an embarressing or intimate procedure is much different than one who feels one gender or the other is just unacceptable or less capable under any circumstances. The later is just sexist, but thats just my opinion.

[simboka]

I still remember him wearing a Hawaiian Scrub top! lol

I need to get me one!

As for asking about gender preference, I don't let it be an issue. If there's going to be something done to an area covered by a bathing suit, I won't ask preference, but I'll usually make an opportunity for them to speak up. Just last week, gave an enema to a 30's y/o woman. I knew it was coming but not sure if she did. So at the beginning of shift, during my assessment I said something like, "And the doctors have written for an enema, it'll take me a little bit to get supplies together, so I'll be back in about 30-45min, ok?" Of course she said, "no", but that was more of an issue with not wanting the enema, not me So, while not specifically asking, 'are you ok with a dude giving you an enema?' I do give notice prior to that I'll be the one.

Now the time before that, a different woman did say, "You?" with a little hesitancy. I replied, "Yeah." She said, "uh...well-" "You'd prefer a woman?" "Yes" "I'll see what I can do"

Think she wouldn't still preferred a woman if she knew that, in the supply room immediately prior, I was explaining to the new nurse how to do it?