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?

I am a new grad Labor and Delivery nurse. My unit took me in with open arms.  As long as you can carry yourself as a professional and stay calm during stressful situations, you can a an L & D nurse regardless of your gender.  

Specializes in LPN.
klone said:

Do you think it's a safety standard that was born in historical truths? There was a good bit of harm before there was any bit of legal harassment on the record, IMV.

Yes there has been, but we are punishing everyone because of the few bad. And now look at the news. Abuse is becoming much more common in females and mothers.

It's discrimination; judging solely based on gender.

I love working with kids. Always have. But I am usually treated differently because I am a guy. Even some policies in volunteer organizations have these differences written into them. I just find it frustrating. 

 

"Exact figures are difficult to obtain – this is a hugely underreported and under-recorded crime.", "These gendered stereotypes are harmful and silencing".

https://napac.org.uk/women-who-abuse/

There are tons of studies and articles in many countries, they are just harder to find.

Specializes in Psych.

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

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/

Those are great points and I appreciate the legal issues you brought up. 

Think we can all agree -

It's probably good that I am not in charge of hiring!

Specializes in Nurse Attorney.

Not a job I would want either!

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

As a former L&D nurse and OB nurse manager, I would not hesitate to hire a male nurse if he had the passion and qualifications. 

Specializes in School Nursing.
kdkout said:

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. 

I find this absolute rejection of male nurses in Ob to be a sexist and discriminatory one. You won't accept a male nurse, but you will accept a male MD to deliver. Hmmmm. 

Again,  I was OK with two male OBs when I had my kids, *because* I had worked with them and personally knew them, therefore I felt safe with them. I would not feel safe with just any male OB. 

I'm not a hiring manager, don't want to be one, and it's a good thing I'm not, clearly.  

If anybody else wants to tell me I'm being sexist and discriminatory then, Fine.  Legally, that is true. It still doesn't change how I feel about it. 

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, 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 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 Oncology, ID, Hepatology, Occy Health.
1 hour ago, toomuchbaloney said:

So all or some of that would justify requiring an ob/gyn patient to accept a male nurse regardless of their preference because the nurse really wants to provide the care? 

Male OB/GYNS may not be going out of business but now they have some diverse peers to meet the needs of the community.  

If a woman objected to me giving her intimate care of course I would go out of my way to find a female colleague, but in a 36 year long career in two different countries that's happened twice. On one occasion it was the woman's husband, not her, who actually objected.

My point is that this should NOT deter the OP from taking a post in L&D, just as male doctors are not deterred from becoming obstetricians or gynaecologists, and midwifery programs in Europe accept male applicants who go on to practise their profession. While a minority of women will object, and yes, I'd respect their wishes, empirical evidence shows us the majority don't, so I would say to the OP, pursue your chosen field and I'm sure that with respect and sensitivity, you'll be fine.

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