Should male nurses put the toilet seat down?

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  1. Should male nurses put toilet seat down after use?

    • 80
      Yes (I am a woman)
    • 9
      No (I am a woman)
    • 21
      Yes (I am a man)
    • 18
      No (I am a man)

128 members have participated

Specializes in ER.

I will post this as a poll. I will be voting yes, they should. Not only do I think it's common courtesy and a gentlemanly thing to do, but I think I have solid infection control rationale.

Think of it it. If a woman has to put down the seat before doing her business, she will be contaminating her hands, and then she has to wipe herself 'down there'. Maybe she is menstruating and has to perform an invasive procedure with a tampon.

On the other hand, men only have to aim and fire, maybe briefly touching the external part of their organ of urination. There is no chance of the men folk performing an invasive procedure.

I bring this up because it has become an issue in our workplace. Someone keeps leaving the seat up!

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I vote "yes" based on your rationales (which are mine also).

Maybe someone needs to post a "reminder" sign in the restroom where the "offender" can't help but see it. Kind of like the "don't forget to wash your hands" reminder signs seen in many public places. I think it's pretty gross that these signs are even necessary in the first place.

Side note....I always flush public toilets with my foot! The thought of putting my hand where countless people have touched immediately after wiping/shaking or whatever gives me the shudders :yuck:

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Interesting topic. I guess, yes, because it is common courtesy. However, any "toilet touching" for me is done with my foot...so, it doesn't really matter either way...to me at least.

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Specializes in CVICU.

"If a woman has to put down the seat before doing her business, she will be contaminating her hands, and then she has to wipe herself 'down there'."

That could be solved by lowering the seat with the left hand and wiping with the right, or vice versa. No need to contaminate both hands on the toilet seat.

Most guys will never admit this but it is more true than not, but if you go in the bathroom after a guy and the seat is down, chances are it never went up. Knowing this I hope you find comfort now if you find the seat perpendicular to the commode.

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Specializes in CVICU.
However, any "toilet touching" for me is done with my foot...

^^ This too ^^

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That could be solved by lowering the seat with the left hand and wiping with the right, or vice versa. No need to contaminate both hands on the toilet seat.

Personally, I prefer not to contaminate either of my hands.

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Would you rather me just leave it down and try to aim well? :p

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Most guys will never admit this but it is more true than not, but if you go in the bathroom after a guy and the seat is down, chances are it never went up. Knowing this I hope you find comfort now if you find the seat perpendicular to the commode.

And this is why if those handy seat covers aren't available I fashion one out of toilet paper.....works just as good if you make a couple layers. Wasteful I admit, but this is one area where I'm okay to waste in the name of keeping other people's body waste/germs from touching any part of my body.

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Personally, I prefer not to contaminate either of my hands.

I agree, and, in order to prevent such "contamination" in addition to using my foot... I also make it a habit to wash my hands before and after. Can't be too safe!

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Speaking of hygiene habits in the bathroom....one day upon picking my prechooler up from her class, the teacher said that she had never seen a child that young use their paper towel to shut the faucet off. I did a silent "YES"!!!!!!! She does actually listen to me and do what I teach her, even when I'm not around! :yeah:

And if you're ever in a public restroom and hear a woman in the next stall yell "WAIT!!!", it may just be me as I try to beat my little girl at unzipping while I'm hurriedly preparing a makeshift toilet seat cover:roflmao:

As we all know, when little ones gotta go, they gotta go NOW!

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

Speaking of preschoolers' health habits, I love it when I see a little one cough or sneeze into his/her elbow. :yes:

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On the other hand, women could:

-look before they sit down

-use a few squares of toiletpaper to put the seat down

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