Please don't attack me for misunderstanding the nursing profession - I don't mean to condemn anybody on here for what they do, in fact everyone deserves a significant amount of praise for the important work they do in every aspect of their job.
If there are religious reasons why a person would not want to be exposed to genetalia of the opposite sex, is there a way to make it through the nursing training and practice while respecting this? (i.e. keeping the anatomy education to simply text-books and lectures rather than direct exposure and contact).
My wife loves the idea of taking on such a helpful and meaningful career, but doesn't want to put herself in a situation that compromises some of those religious priorities. She thought pediatrics, for example, could be a solution - but didn't know if she would have to go through rotations involving it to get there. Please let me know your thoughts without challenging the religious priorities I'm mentioning.
Do I have to whip out my "Work member vs. Recreational member" line?
Because I have it, right here, ready to go.
Hahahaha, love it!
OP, I have to agree with the other posters. And while I do not know what religion your wife practices, I was under the impression that as a general rule, ministering to the sick is not a violation of any modesty tenants.
And a word of caution-pediatric patients frequently have memberes. At what age does it become disallowed? After the first sign of pubic hair? Age 18? What about a young child with precocious puberty?What if it is a MTF transgender patient who has not undergone genital surgery? Or a FTM who has? Are intersex patients okay?
The male member has three functions: urination, reproduction, and pleasure. Most nurses will deal with the first function, maybe the second depending on the specialty. But the third? That meets Far's definition of recreational member.
I don't think one can eliminate the member from textbooks and learning. Urination is integral to nursing. We care a lot about pee.
Sorry not buying this at all. If she has any inclination that HER religious standards may find the male anatomy offensive, she is in the wrong profession. If it is NOT her issue and it is yours, then she is in the wrong marriage.
Student here. She will NOT be able to avoid the male sex during clinicals. Every program is different but the core components are the same. Fundamentals is a section of those core components. While learning the Fundamentals of nursing, the student nurse is expected to provide basic nursing care, which includes bathing and dressing.
Most of my Fundamentals class was spent learning how to properly bathe a patient and assess their more private areas during this time. You have to know what's going on with your patient ,even the private parts. A lot of those patients include men.
I have given a whole lot of bed baths and showers during my time in clinicals. It's a major aspect of nursing care.
We were also taught in Fundamentals to leave our personal beliefs and judgements at the door. That's another one of those core components of nursing care. Yes, you can be whatever religion you want to be. However, you cannot allow that religion to affect the care that you are obligated to provide to an ill patient. Your wife really can't even use her religion as an excuse to avoid certain aspects of patient care. It just doesn't work that way.
I'm just a lowly student. I still have much to learn. I'm just giving you the view from someone currently in nursing school. I've seen more naked people since I've started school than I ever have in my life.
Also, you posting this makes it seem that YOU are the one with the problem with it, not her. I hope this isn't a controlling husband situation :/ If your wife truly has religious beliefs against dealing with male genitalia then nursing is not the profession for her. Maybe hospital cook, hospital cleaner, ward clerk in a hospital, etc. if she desires to be somehow involved in health?
Like Fiona and others, I too am curious about what religion this might be. I work with many, many highly conservative individuals from a variety of religious backgrounds including Mennonite, fundamentalist Christian (many different sects), Muslim, LDS, and more. My organization is a veritable melting pot. In my area, we even have an order of Catholic Nuns who are licensed nurses and serve the impoverished in our community, many of whom are homeless men. Universally, these nurses see their work as an extension of their ministry and service to others.
I think the poster who mentioned consulting your religious leadership had the best advice (unless of course the issue is yours, not your religion's). Getting guidance on what is actually permitted is really the only option, because getting through nursing school without giving a bed bath, having a confused patient behave inappropriately, having to insert a suppository, or having to insert a Foley catheter in a male is impossible. Believe me when I tell you, there is absolutely nothing sexual about any of those tasks. (I didn't even mention manual disimpaction!)
And, on the list of most desired specialties for new grads, L and D, NICU, and Peds top the list. In an already saturated market, it is likely that a new nurse will have to do some time in other specialties before walking in to one of those.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Define "glory"
Do I have to whip out my "Work member vs. Recreational member" line?
Because I have it, right here, ready to go.
Yes, yes you do. If you hadn't brought it up, I would have.
OP, it's all about compartmentalizing. There's work, and there's non-work. There is nothing unethical, wrong, immoral, or sexual about providing care to the opposite sex in personal areas. It's just part of the job.
cayenne06, MSN, CNM
1,394 Posts
Hahahaha, love it!
OP, I have to agree with the other posters. And while I do not know what religion your wife practices, I was under the impression that as a general rule, ministering to the sick is not a violation of any modesty tenants.
And a word of caution-pediatric patients frequently have memberes. At what age does it become disallowed? After the first sign of pubic hair? Age 18? What about a young child with precocious puberty?What if it is a MTF transgender patient who has not undergone genital surgery? Or a FTM who has? Are intersex patients okay?