transgender nurse (transvestite)

button2cute · Jan 16, 2004

That is down right ignorant of those nurses and they deserve to be place on probation. In addition, to attend sensitvity classes, diversity classes, therapy, work in an clinic or hopsital that treat HIV patients for free pay and lastly, they should apologize to the family and other significant people in the patient's life.

I am so appauld of their behavior. I was being nice by saying the above. Because they should be brought up on charges and the hopsital too. They allow those nurses to demonstrate those negative behaviors and it is not right.

Nurses are not in this profession to discriminate against those who are ill for one reason or another. We are in the field to help those who are in need of medical attention - emotionally and physically.

I get so pissed at the image we are giving to the public and to our profession.

I am so angry right now that I have to go for a walk.

Prof Reed · Jan 16, 2004

I am also a Practical Nurse Educator. Persons should be admitted to programs based on accepted admissions practice (ie: scores, etc) NOT on who or what they are or are perceived to be. Granted, having a person who presents one day as male and the next day as female could be disrupting to classes and clinicals. Ground rules would have to be established with this person as to whom they wish to be portrayed as, male or female and then stick to that. As long as this person has a sincere wish to be a nurse and is qualified, then who am I to say that this person is not worthy to be in the nursing program, just because I am uncomfortable with who or what they are or are becoming. As to having a transgendered person taking care of me...I could care less. When I have been in the hospital, I don't inquire about the nurses family, sex or any other personal matter. It does not affect my care. Now, I may ask them where they went to school, how long have they been a nurse, because this information MAY affect my care. I want a nurse who is attentive, caring, knowledgeable and most of all, SAFE. What they do in there personal life is their business.

Educators have the job of teaching and setting professional examples NOT passing judgement on someone's personal life. Too many times, educators try to push on to the students, their own beliefs and standards, rather than accepting the students as they are. People should be allowed to be whomever they wish to be, without interference UNLESS their behavior in some way interferes with your freedom to be yourself. If more people in the world practiced this, we would have a much better place to live in.

SnowymtnRN · Jan 16, 2004

Originally posted by kc ccurn
One of my most memorable and heart wrenching patients was a woman transfered from the medical floor to critical care for dehydration. She was in the early stages of her sex change. When I first got report I was nervous... do I address he as she, or she as he, so I asked the patient's preferance. She wanted to be addressed as she. Admitted to the hospital with AIDS, she was transferred down to critical care because the nurses upstairs had ignored and neglected her. Her IV had been buff capped but nobody gave her po fluids, thus the dehydration.

I treated her like I would want a family member treated. Don't we all deserve to be treated nicely? When she transferred out of the unit, she held my hand and started crying. She told me "thank you for taking care of me like I was a person, nobody else has. You were an angel."

I still get a lump in my throat thinking about her. I know that she died within 6 months. Although I didn't agree with her transgender decision, it was important to see her as a person, worthy of love and attention. I was thankful that I was able to help her, and embarassed at the lack of compassion displayed by my peers.

We are called as a profession to care, unbiasedly. That is sometimes a personal struggle that is very hard to do!!! If we all cared for each other a little more...

Thank GOD for nurses like you! You should feel so good about yourself! :kiss You made a huge impact on her as well i'm sure!!!!!!

hawaiit · Jan 16, 2004

I am a graduating transgendered nurse so I can supply the defense for my sexual phenotype. Let me tell you life as a male was far more of a struggle vocationally, socially, and spirititually than as a five year post-op female.

I consider myself a typical transgendered person. The neurophysiology of "us" isn't well understood but certainly doesn't match our genotype. The main barrier to our normal function in society is the usual fear from ignorance.of others.

I expect to function as a nurse in the community as I do in the rest of society, conducting myself appropriately for my now observeable appearance. in manner and dress. My voice tends to give me away, but my healthy femine figure, no beard shadow, cosmetically corrected facial features and gentle nature more than overcomes that question in peoples mind. At fifty nine and asexually oriented, as is typical, that is not a potential issue, as it shouldn't be between patient, coworkers and nurse anyhow.

I am using myself as an example not really to tell you "my story" but so some of that ignorance can be corrected.

I thank and applaud those who have so favorably commented on the issue for their humane, caring attitudes as I understand is the primary attribute of the nursing profession. For those who have not your opion is your right, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of "us". Thats the law in America. If you choose to violate the law, or make your own law, you will become the problem, not the transgeneded nurse. For the most part you you may never know you are working side by side with a transsexual. Nontransexual people whose phenotype, male or female, butch or feminist male, or not legally discriminated againist as nurses even though you won't know their actual status as trans or nontrans. Most of us will wear pants at work as a standard uniform, to moslems that may be culturally offensive more than the assumed problem of being a transexual nurse. There will always be individual problems to be dealt with individually, not as a class.

Will we discrimnate against transgenered patients? Will we discriminate against female to male transexual nurses which are out there among you maybe in larger numbers in the nursing professions. I know this to be the case in the Seattle area.

I personally have a concern that the majority of nurses are so pathetically unhealthy in appearance for their sake, and to the concern of their patients, straining their confidence the nurses have the concern for health to care for their patients health. And yet the nurses function competently, and professionally in spite of this "deception" of health. Should we ban nurses who smoke?

Spiritually I am a fundamental christian as are manyTSs. I am what I am by the Grace of God. He did not match my genotype with my phenotype, in fact I was a runt and hardly considered a man by women. Yet he revealed his gospel of salvation to me a sinner and gave me eternal life making me a son of god as much as any other saint. As His Holy Spirit entered me at salvation it did not change my phenotype but it did begin the process of moderating the extremes of sins in my life as He completes His work in me so that I may serve Him and my neighbor as He does all the other varieties of sinners who come to know Him.

I am honored to enter a profession where the workers apparently have caring hearts to serve their fellow man as expressed by most of the commentors in this thread side by side with those of whom God has chosen to create different in ways irrelevant to their capacity also to serve. The needs of the many,public, are more important than the needs,preferences, of the few.

nursecathy · Jan 16, 2004

hawaiit, thank you for this most enlightening post and it helps me so much to understand. God made us each and everyone and did not make mistakes. God bless you! You have an intelligence and maturity that is very appealing.

athomas91 · Jan 16, 2004

nursecathy,

i must tell you that i think you have demonstrated the utmost respect, concern and reality-based care for your student and your program... you have also handled some of the more aggressive and viscious posts w/ grace... KUDOS TO YOU.

Suziebee · Jan 16, 2004

I have worked with a transgender nursing student. She was no different from you or I. The patients were aware of who and what she was as she informed them, there were no problems, the patients accepted her for who she was. Transgender does not effect your ability to be a nurse.

kc ccurn · Jan 16, 2004

hawaiit, Thank you for your post! I admire your courage to reply and bring a perspective to this issue that needed to be brought up. Best of luck in your career!

BarbPick · Jan 16, 2004

I heard this one before. They way it was handled was until the sex was legally changed, they were to dress as the dress code of the institution for the legal sex, until changed legally. There are unisex scrubs.

Gldngrl · Jan 17, 2004

Originally posted by Prof Reed
I am also a Practical Nurse Educator. Persons should be admitted to programs based on accepted admissions practice (ie: scores, etc) NOT on who or what they are or are perceived to be. Granted, having a person who presents one day as male and the next day as female could be disrupting to classes and clinicals. Ground rules would have to be established with this person as to whom they wish to be portrayed as, male or female and then stick to that. As long as this person has a sincere wish to be a nurse and is qualified, then who am I to say that this person is not worthy to be in the nursing program, just because I am uncomfortable with who or what they are or are becoming. As to having a transgendered person taking care of me...I could care less. When I have been in the hospital, I don't inquire about the nurses family, sex or any other personal matter. It does not affect my care. Now, I may ask them where they went to school, how long have they been a nurse, because this information MAY affect my care. I want a nurse who is attentive, caring, knowledgeable and most of all, SAFE. What they do in there personal life is their business.

Educators have the job of teaching and setting professional examples NOT passing judgement on someone's personal life. Too many times, educators try to push on to the students, their own beliefs and standards, rather than accepting the students as they are. People should be allowed to be whomever they wish to be, without interference UNLESS their behavior in some way interferes with your freedom to be yourself. If more people in the world practiced this, we would have a much better place to live in.

Agreed, Professor Reed. Pt rights are not synonymous with patient PREFERENCES and my facility's patient rights bill does not list that they have the right to choose their nurse based upon preferential characteristics. Hospital corporations are heading down a slippery slope by accomodating these "requests" and if I ever found out that I was refused as a nurse because of age or hair colour,etc., I would immediately file a complaint. Patients should be concerned with the nurse's ability to care for them safely and competently and being informed.

Big Bab's · Jan 17, 2004

Originally posted by nursecathy
I am savvy regarding cultural diversity and do not consider this a "cultural issue". I am concerned about this persons welfare and feel that he will be treated less than well at this hospital by both staff and patients. I am also a patient advocate and I know that last year this person would be male one day and female the next. Would you feel comfortable with this person providing care to your private areas? Be honest. It is easy to say, "He has rights" and other statements that sound like the familiar soapbox jargon but can you really be totally honest about what kind of nurse you want for your most personal needs. I have a vision of my preference. I feel that he/she should complete the change process before entering nursing. Why should all society change to protect the rights of a few deviants? What about my rights?

I think the main thing here should be, is this person competent??....Can/does this person do the job well??....is he'she a competant and caring nurse??.....If the answers are yes then, what's the problem???...and what does the gender a person presents to the patients have to do with this person being a "good nurse"??......This truly should not be an issue. :confused:

Big Bab's · Jan 17, 2004

Originally posted by MishlB
Don't jump to conclusions. Treat this person the same as others, and base your judgements on performance. Why would you treat them any different than another student? Unfortunately, I think this student is being set up to fail, based on your comments. Too bad. We need nurses, regardless of parts.

Repeat after me, "Nurses eat their young"!!...this instructor has proven this statement.....and that's really sad!!!