transgender nurse (transvestite)

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2004

Now I will be the first to admit I dont understand them. Maybe Im just a simple old country boy, some people ask which country.

But if there is an X and a Y chromosome then its a male no matter how its surgically altered. Like I said, Im simple.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by teeituptom
Now I will be the first to admit I dont understand them. Maybe Im just a simple old country boy, some people ask which country.
But if there is an X and a Y chromosome then its a male no matter how its surgically altered. Like I said, Im simple.

I don't understand them either Tom.

But there's a lot I don't understand. I don't understand Muslims, I don't understand football players, I don't understand Republicans. But there's room for us all in this world whether we undertand them or not.

So what's your answer to OP's question? A persons chromosomes are a given.

OC_An Khe · Jan 10, 2004

To the original question

IMO if the person meets all the qualifications of entering the school, then the fact that the person is transgender is not relevant.

kmchugh · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by nursecathy
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?

When I read the initial post, my thought was that this person was uncomfortable as they had been born, and were working towards correcting what they see as an error. However, as I read on, the first sentence above gave me serious pause.

As I understand it, a true transgender dresses as if they already were the gender to which they wanted to change. Someone who changes their gender appearance back and forth, as I understand it, is a whole new ball game.

In this case, the issue isn't whether I or anyone else feels comfortable with this person providing peri-care. The issue is one of mental and emotional stability. From what you describe, this person has some serious issues that need to be resolved before becoming a nurse. I would not care whether my nurse was transgender or not. I would seriously care if my nurse was emotionally unbalanced.

The stakes are too high, the risk is too great. I would want this person to be examined by a mental health professional before beginning nursing school, and I would want assurance from said professional that this person was stable enough to be entrusted with the care of a sick, vulnerable population. I certainly would not want this person anywhere near my enfeebled 84 year old mother. Would you?

Kevin McHugh (with flame suit on)

kmchugh · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by ocankhe
To the original question
IMO if the person meets all the qualifications of entering the school, then the fact that the person is transgender is not relevant.

To make my point, I absolutely agree. However, mental instability, I would think, might be a disqualifier.

KM

fab4fan · Jan 10, 2004

No flame suit needed IMO, Kevin. You said what I was thinking.

dragonfly954 · Jan 10, 2004

Some people are born being technically both sexes and live their life like that without any surgeries or interventions.would we deny someone that had a congenital condition like that the opportunity to become a nurse......probably not.why should this be different?I'm not sure if you have any clue what a decision like this for her to be transgender has brought to her life,but i'm sure it has been quite a journey.we have quite a few here in my city that have transitioned or almost that i have had the opportunity to know.One is a nurse administrator that runs our local hospital.it has never been a problem.

Sheri257 · Jan 10, 2004

Originally posted by kmchugh
The issue is one of mental and emotional stability.

You may be right, but I don't think it's that simple. I guess because I have known a few transgendered people, I don't necessarily think they're more unstable than anyone else. It's just that their issue is more "out of the closet," so to speak, while other people's issues may not be.

There are a lot of people who cross dress and do all kinds of crazy things in private, but don't do so in public because of the social consequences. By this measure, they too could be unstable, but we'll never know.

So should we have them mentally examined too? It's definitely a complicated and difficult situation, but I wouldn't assume that transgendered people are more unstable than anyone else, just because their condition is more public.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jan 10, 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?

Are you for real??? Do you feel the same about male nursing students as well? They will also be "providing care to...private areas" as well, so that point is mute.

And who are you to be calling these people "deviants"??? Is this the best nursing education has to offer? Sorry, but I've known a few transgendered people in my day (1 is a nurse, and a heck of a good one), and have yet to see any of them change their genders from one day to the next. Those that I know had to go through a 1 year psychological process before they could even begin on hormone Tx or have the surgery.

I'm thinking that if you really were a nurse educator, you would have already known that.

Dave ARNP · Jan 10, 2004

This person is human, and is expressing their sexuality.

Would you have someone barred for having brown eyes or black hair?

Get real!

:rolleyes:

Dave, who ain't a gonna be nice on this.

AIS52 · Jan 10, 2004

At the last hospital I worked we had a Cardiothoracic Surgeon who underwent a sex change. She had to send out a letter to all her patients informing them and while a few left, most stayed. In fact many said they felt more comfortable seeing her now because SHE was more comfortable.

The majority of the staff who knew this surgeon as a man and as a woman say it was a great move. She is much more pleasant and friendly to the staff than as a man.

The staff treats her like a professional and she treats the staff likewise. As far as I knew it was never a problem.

KaroSnowQueen, RN · Jan 10, 2004

This student does need to have his ducks in a row so to speak. If he looks feminine, I see no problem with him dressing as his preferred gender. However, if his facial features are startling "male", such as facial hair or obvious five o'clock shadow, it might cause patients some discomfort to have a "lady" who looks quite like a man caring for them. (And yes I have seen men with full mustaches in skirts, hose and pumps and it's QUITE disconcerting.)

I think he needs to make a pledge that he will go to clinicals as one gender all the time, whichever seems appropriate to him.

Other than that, as long he can do his nursing duties and not be disruptive by having obvious issues with his gender search, let him be. The personal feelings that the staff may have about him and his situation really shouldn't be brought out, as long as he is competent and shows no sign of emotional instability.