Should Male Nurse Work In L&D?

I've been a nurse about a year and work on a psychiatric unit. I thought this specialty was for me but now I don't think so. In school I really enjoyed L&D and women's health, I even did my preceptorship in school in L&D. I feel I would enjoy working in one of those areas but as a male I would feel out of place. Should I switch units ? Would patients be uncomfortable with a male nurse in these settings?

Specializes in Dialysis.

In the military, all of my nurses during the births of both of my sons were male, except the CNMs. Aftercare were males, even the lactation specialists who told me that it was my fault that I had no milk production beyond the initial feed for both. Sadly, I didn't get a choice...

Specializes in School Nursing.
On 7/1/2022 at 11:37 AM, toomuchbaloney said:

 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 themale 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. 

This is where the hospital needs to walk a tightrope. They need to make sure that they don't violate the nurse's rights, and also ensure that they meet the patients needs. Personally, I do not associate this with women's rights, and as the male nurse is a professional, I simply can't see him going to harass the patient. That actually sounds childish, and totally unprofessional to me. That kind of behavior should and would lead to discipline. 

Yes, women are matriculating into medical schools. I do not like the term allowed that sounds ingratiating, and demeaning to me. As women, we don't have to beg for anything. We can perform just as well as men in any career choice, so no doors should be closed. 

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
beachynurse said:

This is where the hospital needs to walk a tightrope. They need to make sure that they don't violate the nurse's rights, and also ensure that they meet the patients needs. Personally, I do not associate this with women's rights, and as the male nurse is a professional, I simply can't see him going to harass the patient. That actually sounds childish, and totally unprofessional to me. That kind of behavior should and would lead to discipline. 

Yes, women are matriculating into medical schools. I do not like the term allowed that sounds ingratiating, and demeaning to me. As women, we don't have to beg for anything. We can perform just as well as men in any career choice, so no doors should be closed. 

Does the nurse have a right to a specific assignment, regardless of the patient's preference? That seems to be his contention. The nurse has been harmed in no way. 

Specializes in School Nursing.
10 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Does the nurse have a right to a specific assignment, regardless of the patient's preference? That seems to be his contention. The nurse has been harmed in no way. 

 

Not necessarily, but if the requests continue and the unit continues to change his assignments and he is qualified to do the job, he may be able to claim harm to his professional reputation, ability to gain experience, possibly being ridiculed by co-workers. But, I didn't get the vibe that the male nurse was trying to cause any contention, he was just asking for our opinion and advice.

 

Specializes in Med Surg, Geriatrics, Surgical, Peds, Ortho.
On 6/29/2022 at 10:18 AM, EdieBrous said:

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

I had the same thought...having given birth, I honestly wouldn't have minded a male L&D. As a Nurse, having only worked in NB Nursery & Peds, I can't really give imput per experience. I think, perhaps, as someone pointed out there may be some issue for some pts. Good Luck! NICU Nurses are Angels!! To that I can speak to with experience! My twin grandsons born premature. Wilmington hospital NC..NICU staff were amazing! Aiden died at 5 days after being flown to Duke with necrotizing bowel.. Logan died at 5 weeks, succumbing to NB, as well. It wasn't the best outcome but doesn't change how amazing NICU profs are!

Specializes in PACU.

Reading these comments I am floored by the comments I am a mother and I would not have minded at all if my nurse was a male. I had a male doctor who I had never met as my female doctor was not on call. Would the opinion be different if my female nurse was transgender? Probably. Or lesbian? How would I know if she were? I think he should try it. Would it be discrimination if they would not hire him??

Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
On 7/2/2022 at 1:10 PM, hppygr8ful said:

Interesting answers here. Polite discussion of topics with a potential to trigger is always appreciated.  I have been hospitalized or in the ER more times than I like. I have had both male and female nurses provide intimate care and all of them were professional. However women can says some really vicious things. I like commenting on how dirty a female's perineum was or signs of a male's testicles or member. So the opinion the female nurse are more empathic than males is not always the case, 

When I gave birth to the man cub it was  by emergency  C-section and the entire team was male. I was so worried about ow the MC was doing I could've care less about who put in my foley.

If the op really wants to do L&D I suggest that he look into critically underserved areas or Bureau of Indian Affairs. 

If we are truly moving toward a world that recognizes all ganders and affords equality both inside and outside the work places then we nurses who are recognized as the most trust worthy profession then we must help carry the banner. 

Hppy

PS I know the person who said this was probably using this to prove a point but I find the opinion that many male nurses are gay demeaning and insulting to the many cis gender nurse I have known.

No one actually said that many male nurses are gay. What I did say was that I find that the male nurses who typically do this best in predominantly female areas oftentimes are gay. Big difference. 

Specializes in Critical Care.

To the OP:

One of the best aspect of nursing is the flexibility we enjoy among specializations. Personally, I've done everything from organ donation coordinator to management (and everything in between).  If working in L&D is something you always wanted try; go for it!! However, be realistic and develop a thick skin for rejection. If in the end, it is not your cup of tea, do something else. Other than experience, you have nothing to lose. 

Good luck to you. 

Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
On 6/29/2022 at 4:18 PM, EdieBrous said:

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

Exactly and in Europe we have male midwives.

Do you then start saying no lesbians in obs & gynae? Do we bow to the homophobes who don't want gay nurses, or the racists who don't want nurses of other races?

No females on urology? No males on breast surgery? 

Where do the non-binary and intersex fit into all this?

I've had females look after me during urology and proctology procedures. They were good professional nurses. I didn't care about their gender.

A professional is a professional. Our work is NOT sexual if we're doing it properly.

Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
kdkout said:

Have you had a baby?  That informs this dialog.

No I've never had a baby.

I've also never had cancer but I'm a damn good oncology nurse.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
1 hour ago, DavidFR said:

Exactly and in Europe we have male midwives.

Do you then start saying no lesbians in obs & gynae? Do we bow to the homophobes who don't want gay nurses, or the racists who don't want nurses of other races?

No females on urology? No males on breast surgery? 

Where do the non-binary and intersex fit into all this?

I've had females look after me during urology and proctology procedures. They were good professional nurses. I didn't care about their gender.

A professional is a professional. Our work is NOT sexual if we're doing it properly.

Sure. As male nurses we can absolutely demand that our work be disconnected from the wishes, beliefs, feelings, history or interests of the patient. Do we still get to call that patient centered care?

Specializes in Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
2 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Sure. As male nurses we can absolutely demand that our work be disconnected from the wishes, beliefs, feelings, history or interests of the patient. Do we still get to call that patient centered care?

Patient centred care has its limits. Last week I had a very difficult patient who basically wanted my presence the whole night long, however I had my other  patients to see to aswell, so she couldn't have her wish. We try to satisfy our patients' every wish but sometimes it's just not possible practically. 

This Sunday I was on night duty with another male nurse and a male care assitant. No female patient objected. As male patients we often face an all female nursing workforce and we just have to deal with that.

The rare nurses who would abuse their position of power for sexual gratification need to be reported and dealt with by the law, but they are a tiny minority and that applies equally to doctors, police, lawyers etc. etc. etc. As a gay man I might feel more comfortable with gay nurses, doctors, police, lawyers, taxi drivers, whatever, but I'm not going to refuse straight professionals who do their job well. I'm not going to choose their race and I'm not going to choose their gender. I think that's just being reasonable.

I once looked after a male Congolese refugee who had been gang raped by other men. He was fine with a male nurse.

I have had elderly women, nuns and veiled muslims expose their bits for me because it's OK if it's medical. As somebody pointed out, male obstetricians and gynaecologists don't seem to be going out of business.

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