sexual jokes in the workplace

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm all for having a few good laughs at work, but I'd like an opinion on this. We have a new male RN and he frequently makes comments that can be taken sexually. He has been there less than a month, so we don't even know him yet, and last Saturday he commented to one of our new grads who was about 15 min. late to work (car trouble), "Well I guess your husband detained you in the bedroom this morning, huh?" she laughed it off & seemed unoffended by it, but a couple of us found it inappropriate. Our charge nurse told us that unless the person he directed his comment to found it inappropriate that we should ignore it. ???? No matter how I look at this, it seems unprofessional to me!! comments??

Specializes in acute care.

Honestly, I've made comments like that, and I have had comments like that made to me...I know who to make cmments like that to, and who not to make comments like that to... I also don't make it a point of saying things in front of an "audience"...If they tell me that they do not want me to say things that they feel are inappropriate, i will no longer say them...I am also the kind of person who will "shut you down from day ONE" if you say or do something to me that I do not like, whether you said it to me or not...If I can hear it and it offends me, I will let you know, and I want you to do the same for me...I have no problems pulling you aside and letting you know that the little comment you made has upset some of the people who heard it.

At my previous place of employment, there was a guy who would flirt with the women in the office. It did not bother me at all, but I would never flirt back or laugh at anything he said to me. My reaction would always be a blank look. He also came on to a friend of mine and she was very uncomfortable around him. I was in agreement with her when she decided to report him. One day he made the grave mistake of touching another co-worker's leg when she work a skirt...After hearing the threats she made, he never bothered her again. if you don't like it, put a stop to it ASAP.

I ask again. Does anyone really think it is OK to say, "Well I guess your husband detained you in the bedroom this morning, huh?" ?

I'm not saying report them to human resources or anyone else. I do think professionals need to learn to speak up and insist on professional behavior in the workplace.

If people want to tease about sexual behavior, show their underwear, or such do it in a social context.

RESPECT for our profession, our colleagues, our patients, and ourselves does not mean we have no sense of humor.

Tell me what is so very important or funny about the comment being discussed here?

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.

Even if I thought off-color jokes at work weren't unprofessional (which I do), and even if they weren't specifically forbidden no matter who the audience is (which they are), I like to think of myself as having better sense than to tell them anyway. All it takes is one of those people who giggle along with you today to get upset with you about something tomorrow and zowie, you're in trouble. Personally, I'm not a fan of that kind of trouble and avoid it whenever possible.

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people old enough to have survive nursing school should be old enough to have respect for other people

it is not about having a sense of humor, is sex the only thing that is funny?

it is not about being 'with it'

if it concerned the op it was probably not the first time and it was probably lewd..do you have to put up with being uncomfortable in order to make a living

Let me guess, you live in the Midwest, don't you?

Sex isn't the only thing that is funny, but it is pretty funny, so why not make jokes about it -- if it's appropriate to the specific work culture that exists. Obviously, if the work environment is professional (or uptight, deprending on your viewpoint), it would be inappropriate to make sexual jokes.

I'm a person who jokes a lot. I make jokes about the lame food in the cafeteria and the impracticality of certain sexual positions. No one ever seems to take offense -- but then I know which comments to make at church and which not to and I'm a little old lady.

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Theres a time and a place for everything but telling dirty jokes at work is not appropriate.

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First Year, it does not matter if the comment was directed at the OP or not. If something is said in an open setting and is offensive to any of the listeners, whether the comment is to one person or all of them, it is considered harassment. "I wasn't talking to you" doesn't work. I'm not saying I agree with this, but that's the way the law reads.

this is true.

you'd think that people would know this by now?!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.
let me guess, you live in the midwest, don't you?

sex isn't the only thing that is funny, but it is pretty funny, so why not make jokes about it -- if it's appropriate to the specific work culture that exists. obviously, if the work environment is professional (or uptight, deprending on your viewpoint), it would be inappropriate to make sexual jokes.

i'm a person who jokes a lot. i make jokes about the lame food in the cafeteria and the impracticality of certain sexual positions. no one ever seems to take offense -- but then i know which comments to make at church and which not to and i'm a little old lady.

i don't know about her, but i am from the midwest, not that that has to do with anything. i like to joke around too, but there are certain things that are off limits at work. you are supposed to behave professionally. and how do you know that no one has ever been offended by your jokes? what about the fact that it's just disgusting? one day someone will say something, lets hope it's to you and not to your supervisor. or someone may take your jokes wrong and try to sue you for harassment. you might be the funniest person in the world, but work is not the place to be making sex jokes.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.
if the work environment is professional (or uptight, deprending on your viewpoint),

so you are saying that behaving in a professional manner makes someone uptight? by your name i see that you are a student, well if you plan on staying for a while in nursing, you should probably learn what is appropriate behavior for work. nursing should be held to a certain standard, which is that of a professional, educated people. if i were your team leader you would be verbally reprimanded, a warning. even though why an educated person needs to be warned not to make sexual jokes in the workplace is beyond me, but i would still try to be fair and warn you that the next time it would be a write up. if you think i'm being an old prude and don't believe me, talk like that and make dirty jokes in front of the floor nurses the next time you are in clinical and see how good that goes over. the only workplace you should be making sex jokes is around the pole in a ti**y bar. take a note from us experienced nurses who have been at it for a while, if you want people to respect you and if you want to keep your job, cut out the nasty talk and act like a professional.

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.

If the work environment is professional???

Gee. Here I thought all nurses were meant to behave professionally. I didn't realize there were work environments where it is acceptable for nurses to behave unprofessionally.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.
if the work environment is professional???

gee. here i thought all nurses were meant to behave professionally. i didn't realize there were work environments where it is acceptable for nurses to behave unprofessionally.

omg mercyteapot, i didn't even catch that when i read it! :nono:

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To name just a few...I got more....

:lol2: ctfu

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Could be.... but, most of us on the night shift are young and we tend to be quite boisterous.

I cannot imagine any of my coworkers NOT speaking their mind if they were in any way offended.

Well, . . . . I have a 5 year old that I gave birth to so I'm not that old. ;)

And the times I was talking about, I was 20. In the times of "Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll". :monkeydance:

There really are people, a lot of people, who don't say anything for fear of confrontation or for fear of looking like some on this thread are painting people . . . uptight old people with no sense of humor. ;)

Also, I'm very anti-PC . . . . :nono:

steph

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Specializes in ED.

I was always told while in the Army, that if one person states something that is offensive, and the offended party is not the person that the statement was intended, it is still something that can be reported by the offended party.

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