Should Male Nurse Work In L&D?

[kdkout, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, EdieBrous said:

Don't a lot of these patients have male OB/GYNs?

Have you had a baby?  That informs this dialog.

Yes, but the moms (typically) pick their OBs, and have established relationships with them over the course of many months....so there's a relationship there.  If they felt uncomfortable with that OB, they wouldnt pick them.

It's not the same thing as showing up in labor, in pain, scared - and then a male nurse is what you are given - a guy who is going to be doing your vag exams, seeing you naked, helping you figure out how to push effectively. Plus, If you unexpectedly end up in the hospital with a traumatic situation - ie preterm labor - you want to feel as emotionally safe as possible.  I now work in the NICU where a lot of moms have birth trauma.

I'm not saying a male nurse isn't capable of the job - he is - I am saying I think it's completely fair and advisable to make mom feel emotionally safe at perhaps the most vulnerable time in her life

[JKL33]

kdkout said:

Yes, but the moms (typically) pick their OBs, and have established relationships with them over the course of many months....so there's a relationship there.  If they felt uncomfortable with that OB, they wouldnt pick them.

But in many regions they would have to go well out of their way to not only pick a female OB, but to find an OB practice with only female OBs, otherwise they would always have the chance that the less-familiar male OB would be OC to deliver them--just like they might be in labor when a male nurse is on duty.

kdkout said:

I would not feel comfortable with a male nurse, and no way would I feel comfortable with a male nurse for my dtr.

Well the first part of your statement is okay--that's your choice/feeling. But the fact that you mention what would make you comfortable for your daughter just suggests that you don't like the thought of male L&D nurses. Otherwise it would make sense to just state your preference and not worry about what kind of care your daughter might be comfortable with.

I think this is sort of an odd phenomenon and I do think there is some doctor/nurse bias involved, still. I suspect (but do not know for a fact) that there are quite a number of people who would feel free to demand an "exchange" for a male nurse but it wouldn't be a deal breaker if they had to have a male physician.

As for me, I confess I feel most emotionally safe with 1) whoever is the most competent and skilled at their profession and 2) can at least act like they weren't raised by wolves for the short time they will need to interact with me.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

These questions are honest questions. They are not intended to be argumentative. I am obviously male and have no experience as a female patient. 

Has anyone had the experience that a male patient requested a male nurse instead of a female nurse or have men just resigned to the fact that 90% of nurses are female and odds of getting male nurse is slim?

If in some alternate universe that 90% of OB nurses were male, would women accept male OB nurses since that is the norm and is to be expected?

What is the issue with a male OB nurse, excluding history of sexual/domestic abuse?

[kdkout, BSN, RN]

I have done labor and delivery at three hospitals in the past. 

I would not feel comfortable with a male nurse, and no way would I feel comfortable with a male nurse for my dtr. No way, no how.

I had a male OB once, who I had worked with and knew well and grew to trust. Nurses change all the time. What you are doing is very intimate at a time when the patient feels very vulnerable, and some patients have also had sexual abuse trauma. (Which they are not always conscious of, but it becomes fairly certain during labor). 

Now, with the recent Roe v Wade decision, especially…. Please, I beg of you, find something else. 

There are times when you prefer the support of another woman, and this is one of them. 

[kdkout, BSN, RN]

4 hours ago, EdieBrous said:

"Have you had a baby?  That informs this dialog."

Not sure what that is supposed to mean, except that it sounds like a snotty response rather than a constructive one.

It means "Do you know what is involved? - the vag checks to see how effaced or dilated you are, placing foleys, the being naked and vulnerable, the looking at someone's private parts while they may be in stirrups helping them to figure out how to effectively push."  

You are listed as a nurse attorney.  I was not being snotty; I was painting a visual of what moms go through in labor for those who have not had kids yet and/or who have not done labor and delivery.  

That is all. 

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

7 hours ago, Apotheosis said:

Wow actually sorry now I even asked, thanks for your input everyone 

Please don't feel bad for asking, it's a legitimate question. I was a SANE and worked with a male SANE nurse, and we never had a female victim turn down his care. He had a very maternal and loving way about him, I think it made people feel safe. 

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

I am so thankful that I didn't choose adult nursing. Having to deal with the whole male nurse/ female patient issue would be tiresome. I am glad my patients and parents have no issues with me being male.

[toomuchbaloney]

Edie Brous said:

The question assumes I have no idea what happens in OB. I do understand what women go through in labor and I don't need you to paint a visual. I asked if the women saying they don't want male nurses have male OBs because what women go through in labor is not the only consideration.  I AM a nurse attorney and don't only think about the clinical issues here, but also the legal ones.  Men who are told their patients won't be comfortable so they can't work in certain areas can have a legitimate discrimination claim.  It would be easier to defend against that action if the patients also had female OBs.  While an all female nursing staff might be nice clinically, legally it can be problematic if being female is not considered a bona fide occupational qualification to be an OB nurse.  Male nurses with every qualification to work in OB but are not allowed to do so because of gender, are subject to gender stereotypes that male OBs are not.  It is a balancing act of patient satisfaction and a nurse's right to be free of workplace discrimination. The hospital would need to show a non-discriminatory reason for not letting him be assigned to OB.   It's not a new issue and is a good topic for discussion.  Here is a 2004 Law Review article on it if you are interested. https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/lawfaculty/302/

The hospital who is respecting the emotional needs of the birthing patient is going to get sued for simply reassigning a male nurse?  The request of the patient is the only reason they need to show.  Is the male nurse then going to legally harass that woman (because sumthin sumthin his rights) or just contend that he's an injured party because his wants weren't elevated over the woman's?  This diminishing of women's rights and autonomy and value in our attitudes and actions is getting tedious. Yeah we are aware that our laws and their interpretation is a portion of that tedium.  IMV

Maybe you haven't noticed that as women are allowed into medical schools there are more and more women practicing OB/GYN. Perhaps you've missed that many women choose female midwives when they have limited choices among male OB/GYN monopolies in the field. Women having male doctors in [insert specialty] because there aren't other good alternatives is historical reality in this country. 

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

3 hours ago, NICU Guy said:

These questions are honest questions. They are not intended to be argumentative. I am obviously male and have no experience as a female patient. 

Has anyone had the experience that a male patient requested a male nurse instead of a female nurse or have men just resigned to the fact that 90% of nurses are female and odds of getting male nurse is slim?

If in some alternate universe that 90% of OB nurses were male, would women accept male OB nurses since that is the norm and is to be expected?

What is the issue with a male OB nurse, excluding history of sexual/domestic abuse?

Good questions.

Honestly,  in my many years of experience, I have seen male patients refuse male nurses and demand female nurses even in very intimate settings. Many say they don't want male nurses because *insert homophobic remark* or because they are sexual perverts who only want females to take care of them so they can continue to be sexually perverted. 

For me, personally, when I found I was pregnant,  I wanted a female OB with years of experience who has had children of her own. It was important for me to have someone who has gone through pregnancy and maybe even empathize with a pregnant patient's woes and worries.

When it comes to Labor and Delivery, I just don't think I will feel comfortable with a male OB nurse. The only man I want seeing or touching my lady parts is my significant other, and I feel that should be respected. It has nothing to do with a history of sexual abuse...it is just my comfort level. And if I can find a female OB nurse (which shouldn't be hard in a field that is 99 percent female), a reassignment should just happen. And while I can't speak to every female, I know plenty who feel this way for a multitude of reasons (sexual abuse hx, religion and the need for modesty, comfort level, etc).

But to be fair, I haven't given birth yet so my opinion may change once the labor pains come forth.

[kdkout, BSN, RN]

Quote

What is the issue with a male OB nurse, excluding history of sexual/domestic abuse?

Just want to go on record to say many women, myself included, do not even have to be a victim of sexual or domestic abuse to not want a male nurse. Am I am domestic abuse survivor? Yes. However, I really do think I'd feel the same way even if I hadn't been.

Unless you have had a baby, I really don't think you can understand this. ESPECIALLY with what is currently going on in our country.

Men don't breastfeed. They don't go through labor. They don't have everything change within their bodies for 9+ months.  
As people who've worked labor before have said, most women will refuse a male nurse and the reasons seem quite obvious to me  

My husband is one of the sweetest kindest people I know, but even if he showed up as my nurse (he's not one), I'd still ask for a woman.

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

I think there are some males that could make a good L&D nurse but the problem is, if you have a lot of women who refuse a male because it's uncomfortable for them, that just puts more work on the rest of the staff leading to resentment.

Also, it IS nice to be taken care of by someone who has gone through labor before because they get the things you're going through. I've had many male doctors brush off my complaints of severe cramps and bleeding, ask me if I wasn't sure it was just my period when complaining of UTI symptoms, or roll their eyes when complaining of some symptom I was concerned about. I've endured sexual abuse as a child. I've endured men being friendly to me until I turn down their requests to go out and they get downright mean and hateful. So no I don't fully trust any man until I've gotten to know them well. It's hard to establish trust with a male that quickly for a lot of women. Unfortunately most women have had to deal with being sexualized by men to the point it's always in the back of their mind "what are they really thinking". The reason it's different with a male OB Dr is they have time to establish that relationship of trust and if you don't feel comfortable you can change doctors.

All that being said, if a male nurse came in with confidence, cheerfulness, put me at ease and seemed nurturing I would probably be OK with it. If you are a friendly nurturing person (because women need extra nurturing and support when they are going through one of the scariest times of their lives) then put yourself out there and try! Just know it won't necessarily be an easy road. 

[Emergent, RN]

As a woman, I would definitely reject a male nurse for this specialty. I would also probably reject a male doctor. I did have a male doctor for one of my birth which was a home birth as all of them were. It was okay but I really don't like having male doctors look up my privates. Some people just don't like that.