Poll: Male Nurses in the OB? Ok or No Way???

Published

  1. Male Nurses in the OB

    • 203
      OK, all the way
    • 34
      No...explain
    • 40
      Neutral

277 members have participated

Hey All,

I have to write a scientific methods paper for pysch. Please tell me what you think about male nurses in OB, specifically the delivery room. I am not looking to start a huge debate just taking a survey.

Thanks Everyone!!!

Kris

I don't see a problem with male nurses in OB. I would imagine that most patients would not have a problem with it either.

93 I was in Alabama in Nursing school. Even one of the married male nurses didn't believe Male nurses belonged in OB. !!! Okay for MD's! NOT for Nurses!!!

Wouldn't want his wife examined by a male Nurse!! :eek: :eek:

Need I say more!!!

--leslie

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Need I say more!!!

Yes, you should. For what reason?

I didn't see anything in your post as to why things should be this way.

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I don't see the problem with male nurses in OB. And as a nurse, I can honestly say that I'd rather work with male nurses, no matter the speciality!

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Specializes in Nursing Assistant/ Army Medic, LVN.
(i.e. my hospital will not hire men into the "Mother, Baby" unit.)

Isn't this ILLEGAL??

I'm quite sure that it IS.:angryfire

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

I absolutely think males can/should work in L&D! I would not mind having one BUT there are some women who do, in actuality its their decision but I dont think that should stop men from working on that unit.

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i dont like the idea of any men being in the delivery room with my wife !!

father of four

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My favorite debate.

Yes I know many of the nurses here were once patients delivering their children. Honestly though do we as nurses feel differently about the sexual stigmatism than non medically trained individuals do? I think we do. Knowing that this is a nursing forum I am not one bit surprised by the overwhelming "OK" response. This question would be better asked in a public forum of non-medical trained individuals to get a real feel for how women of childbearing age feel about this.

I personally am a male nurse and my favorite rotation where I did the best in school and enjoyed the experience the most was L&D. Unfortunately I probably will never work there do to the stigmatism that the patients feel as well as the patients FAMILY. I am the last person that would want my patient to feel uncomfortable.

I am a 30 year old fit good looking male. (not cocky just trying to make my point) 15-30 year old fathers in with their wives, gf's or whatever have problems with me, not necessarily the female giving birth. Hell I almost got hit assisting a male doc when he checked the cervix when the boyfriend walked in.

I have never before in my life experienced sexual discrimination and it sucks. I feel for women who have experienced it because it is hurtful and it affects the way you handle yourself and the situations you find yourself in.

When my patients say the want a new nurse because I am a male it bothers me and I am sure it bothers others as well.

I do think though that society created this problem and it will soon (10-20years) be a problem no longer.

Many moons ago ALL MD's were male and ALL Nurses were female. There are still individuals alive today who remember this era. Mater of fact, most of the hospital clientele fit this category actually. Things are changing. Soon there will be as many male nurses on a floor as there are female. Just as there will be as many female docs as there are male, the later of course happening faster. This is because women are fighting sexual discrimination and are winning their battle. As men we will have to do the same in certain circumstances. (i.e. my hospital will not hire men into the "Mother, Baby" unit.) But in the end it is what the patient wants that really maters.

We are there to serve them, they are our customers let us not forget.

i am afather of four, and i have had a real problem with males doing intimate procedures on my wife. i dont like it, i never will like it. i think it is moraaly wrong and against Gods will.

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I did not get to vote in the poll cause it was closed, but I would not want a male rn delivering me. For the same reason I will not go to a male ob/gyn. It makes me uncomfortable to be examined by them. My husband would also have a VERY big problem with it. I'm not saying that they would not do a good job or that they are not as caring it would just make me uncomfortable.

I work on a floor that has no males. I think men are better co-workers, but on my floor we deal with urology/gynecology and the gynecology aspect drives a lot of men away. Men needing to be cathed sometimes ask for a guy to do it and we have no guys to do it. It does not make us uncomfortable but it does for some of our pts and that is what we should be sensitive to.

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Why Are None Of The "no"s Explaining????

I think male nurses can be just as competent as female nurses, but there is also the cultural perspective to consider. I am in the eastcoast US, where we have many different cultures/races coming to the hospital, and several cultures (esp. Middle Eastern or South American) do not feel comfortable with a male nurse. They may feel fine with a male doctor, but that is justifiable in their mind, since they 'see' doctors as a different level as nurses. It doesn't mean they think nurses are less competent, but they just have a different type of idealization of doctors and their roles, or maybe more respect, and that is mostly from yrs of socialization in their culture, etc.

Yet, I have seen some Middle East. patients even reject male doctors, and prefer females, since only their husband is supposed to be the only man to see them naked.

As for myself, I wouldn't mind a male nurse, but i have to be honest that I have always preferred a female OB..not because I think they are more competent..BUT because they are female like me, and are able to understand better where I'm coming from in terms of my description of pain of cramps, or 'strange' discharge i may have sometimes (something that I may feel embarrassed to talk with a man even thou he's a doctor). Plus I do feel kind of vulnerable with my legs spread out and have a male doctor looking. I know he's a professional, but I can't help feeling strangely vulnerable and hard to look in his eyes afterward.

Besides, I had a male friend in med school and he tells me about some male residents in OB/GYN still think like 'males' and have honestly sometimes feel uncomfortable themselves when they have to examine an attractive young woman with a great body.

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I did not get to vote in the poll cause it was closed, but I would not want a male rn delivering me. For the same reason I will not go to a male ob/gyn. It makes me uncomfortable to be examined by them. My husband would also have a VERY big problem with it. I'm not saying that they would not do a good job or that they are not as caring it would just make me uncomfortable.

I work on a floor that has no males. I think men are better co-workers, but on my floor we deal with urology/gynecology and the gynecology aspect drives a lot of men away. Men needing to be cathed sometimes ask for a guy to do it and we have no guys to do it. It does not make us uncomfortable but it does for some of our pts and that is what we should be sensitive to.

that has to be one of the most sensible replies to this question i have see. who in the world wants to add additional stress to the patient by introducing even more males into the pregnancy, not to mention as myself a father of four i can tell you that i personally hate male doctors or male anything looking at my wife. i am supposed to be there to support her and if i am stressed out too over to many dudes in the room how can i help her?

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

You can help her by realizing that males in health care are PROFESSIONALS who are there to take care of her and treat her, not lustful ogres just itching to get their filthy paws on her.

Please understand, the reality is that male doctors and male nurses examine female patients every day (and vice versa). It's a part of life, everyone goes through it, and your wife is NOT going to be helped by having you get uptight whenever a man in scrubs goes near her.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

I have a male doctor so it makes no difference to me. Now my husband may not like it but I dont care .

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