Should male nurses put the toilet seat down?

[Emergent]

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!

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

Hospital bathrooms on many floors especially med-surg are totally inadequate for males and nurses in general, there needs to be more bathrooms for nurses instead when more men started getting into the field they went cheap and converted the female restrooms to unisex just to be nice. I voted no, but I actually always do only because its mainly unisex bathrooms available. If it's a strickly mens room I do not put it down.

[TheGooch]

Kind of an age old question-to put the seat down or not. Personally, as a woman I do appreciate it when a man puts the seat back down after use.

[Nola009]

YES. Because it's the right thing to do. Would you really want your colleagues to fall in the toilet?!

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

Would you really want your colleagues to fall in the toilet?!

That is a loaded question I really refuse to answer right now ...

Sent from my iPad using allnurses

[BlueDevil, DNP]

There wasn't an option for "who cares?" I'm a man.

Seriously girls get a grip. Literally. As in, grip a piece of paper towel, grip the edge of the toilet sit with said paper towel and put it down. Or use your foot. When you are finished, put it back up where it belongs. (ok, just kidding there).

Honestly, this is a petty issue. I'd be embarrassed to bring up this nonsense with my coworkers.

[parascribe]

There wasn't an option for "who cares?" I'm a man.

Seriously girls get a grip. Literally. As in, grip a piece of paper towel, grip the edge of the toilet sit with said paper towel and put it down. Or use your foot. When you are finished, put it back up where it belongs. (ok, just kidding there).

Honestly, this is a petty issue. I'd be embarrassed to bring up this nonsense with my coworkers.

I feel the same. However, it has been an issue at my work, hence my feeling that any woman that complains about the position of a toilet seat forfeits any issues of gender equality. Anyone who needs someone else to position the toilet seat is clearly not equal to those who can handle it themselves.

[duskyjewel]

YES. Because it's the right thing to do. Would you really want your colleagues to fall in the toilet?!

Are said colleagues not responsible for looking before sitting? Should they be considered incapable of same?

[wooh, BSN, RN]

I feel the same. However, it has been an issue at my work, hence my feeling that any woman that complains about the position of a toilet seat forfeits any issues of gender equality. Anyone who needs someone else to position the toilet seat is clearly not equal to those who can handle it themselves.

So do I forfeit gender equality if I complain that my coworker didn't throw away their trash from their lunch break? Apparently I'm not equal to those who can throw trash away themselves. Sure, I can clean up after you. Doesn't mean you shouldn't have the decency to clean up after yourself.

[parascribe]

So do I forfeit gender equality if I complain that my coworker didn't throw away their trash from their lunch break? Apparently I'm not equal to those who can throw trash away themselves. Sure, I can clean up after you. Doesn't mean you shouldn't have the decency to clean up after yourself.

Do you single out the men who don't throw away their garbage? Do you expect the men in your department to manage your trash for you?

[OCNRN63, RN]

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

​I think if you're a nurse, you're capable of remembering to put the seat down after you pee.

[OCNRN63, RN]

We had an issue with this at one of my previous duty stations. One of the younger guys had...let's just say really bad aim. Pretty much detonated the bathroom every time he used it and it made all of us ladies extremely angry. I don't care if you're male or female; that's just gross. Even his male coworkers complained.

Nothing like **** on the toilet, **** on the floor, **** on the handle, **** on the door...

​Where, oh where, is Lorena Bobbit when you really need her?

[RedInScrubs, ASN, RN]

I vote that men just pee sitting down and save everyone some grief.