I don't know if that is the right word I'm looking for. Why is it considered "ok" and acceptable for patients to decline male nurses caring for them or even just for procedures such as putting in a Foley?
Background: I'm a senior nursing student (male) and I've had about 3-4 patients my entire nursing school career who refused to have a male nurse come in. For example, today at clinicals, I had a female patient with an order for a Foley before discharge, and she told my preceptor for me to leave the room. Another example, during my 2nd semester, I experienced 2 different occasions where the patient refused to have any care by a male whatsoever.
I feel like that is literally like a White couple coming into a restaurant and refusing service from a Black/Latino server and requesting a white server.
Why can't the hospital just say, " If you don't want a male nurses, then leave?" I think it's crazy that in the year 2019, no one bats an eye if a patient refuses care by a male nurse, and the automatic response is " Don't worry! As a male nurse you have to get used to it! ? "
As others have already stated, this is about the patient, NOT you. I've had a lot of female patients who had decline male nurses/CNAs simply because they are uncomfortable and that is perfectly understandable because no patient should ever feel that way in the healthcare setting.
I understand your concerns, but I don't really appreciate your tone. Don't insist your personal views unto others no matter how correct you think you are. Honestly speaking and I meant no offense with this, but if I were assigned as your patient, I may be inclined to decline having you as my nurse too. Not because you're male, but because you seem to be lacking empathy.
Cowboy, I have a question that I hope you honestly answer. Say you personally have a 7 year old daughter, and you need a babysitter, would you allow a teenage boy to be alone with your theoretical 7 year old daughter alone for hours? I think it's safe to say 99.999% of mothers would NOT.
I know it's not an exact comparison, but you may get the point.
Please, post your answer.
And it is better for the males to not be alone with her. Better for her, better for him.
Specializes in Addictions, psych, corrections, transfers.
As someone who was suffered many years of sexual and physical abuse by multiple males for my entire childhood, starting from age 4-12 year, it can be a very complicated issue. It took a very long time for me to trust males again. I refused to see male doctors, nurses, therapists, etc. I still have to push down emotions sometimes. Also, I used to suffer very real PTSD flashbacks when a male touched me, including when I was with my wonderful husband. Now, I'm not as bothered because I've done a lot of work to be okay, but that's just me. For others that haven't gotten there yet or may never, you have to think of trauma informed care. There's no need to add extra stress to an already stressful situation for patients. I know it's still difficult but we do have to see it from their point of view.
I don’t see this as an issue, the pt has a right to refuse. You are there for there for the pt, why would you want to make them feel uncomfortable or uneasy? just because you are a nurse doesnt give you the right to order them around like that
I know myself when I see a GP for any gynae related things I ask for a female doctor because I’m just more comfortable. I feel they understand better than a male doctor.
It goes both ways though. I was working in ED one night and a guy needed a catheter inserted straight away but refuse any female to do it. In the end we only had one male nurse in the hospital working in med/surg that we had to come in and do it for us.
I don't consider me an old fashioned woman, but I'd probably prefer a female nurse to do certain procedures on me over a man. Would I refuse care from a male nurse? No. But I am just shy by nature and would feel slightly more at ease with a woman. It has nothing to do with being sexist or feeling that you are uncapable as a male nurse.
I asked a male patient once if he would prefer me or a male patient care technician to apply some cream to his back. This was in an inpatient psych setting. He chose a male and we were both okay with it.
It goes both ways. I had an older male patient request a male to bathe him. We have available male nurses who could do so. No hard feelings. If we can help a patient out, why not? I didn't take it personally.
Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
It boils down to the Ethical Principle of Autonomy which basically means patients have a right to choose their care as long as circumstances allow it, doesn't go against medical advice, or have no malicious intent behind the request. Religious observance and personal rules of modesty are not malicious intentions. Besides, majority of nurses are females so this has not been an issue in many healthcare institutions.
I do have to say, as others have mentioned, that males also have a right to request a male nurse if that is possible. It is a misconception that males in general have no modesty issues. There is a small but vocal movement of men who are advocating for male patients to speak up when they feel that the healthcare environment does not respect their need for modesty. It is also shown in some studies that male patients tend to prefer a male provider (male to female physician ratio is not as skewed as it is in nurses, however).
Refusing care from nurses who belong to a specific race violates federal laws that ensure that hospital employees (i.e., nurses) work in an environment free of discrimination based on race or national origin. It can border on creating a hostile work environment which is also against the law. The protection from discrimination or harassment based on sex also exist in the law but the mere fact that a female patient wishes for another female healthcare professional to perform procedures they deem too intimate does not meet that criteria.
It boils down to the Ethical Principle of Autonomy which basically means patients have a right to choose their care as long as circumstances allow it, doesn't go against medical advice, or have no malicious intent behind the request. Religious observance and personal rules of modesty are not malicious intentions. Besides, majority of nurses are females so this has not been an issue in many healthcare institutions.
I do have to say, as others have mentioned, that males also have a right to request a male nurse if that is possible. It is a misconception that males in general have no modesty issues. There is a small but vocal movement of men who are advocating for male patients to speak up when they feel that the healthcare environment does not respect their need for modesty. It is also shown in some studies that male patients tend to prefer a male provider (male to female physician ratio is not as skewed as it is in nurses, however).
Refusing care from nurses who belong to a specific race violates federal laws that ensure that hospital employees (i.e., nurses) work in an environment free of discrimination based on race or national origin. It can border on creating a hostile work environment which is also against the law. The protection from discrimination or harassment based on sex also exist in the law but the mere fact that a female patient wishes for another female healthcare professional to perform procedures they deem too intimate does not meet that criteria.
Patients have the right to choose or refuse care even if it goes against medical advice.
Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
3 minutes ago, Horseshoe said:
Patients have the right to choose or refuse care even if it goes against medical advice.
Yes, but at that point, the institution have the option to end the provider-patient relationship, make the patient sign an AMA, or offer a reasonable amount of time for the patient to seek care elsewhere. The context of my statement goes back to the OP's question of why we don't tell patient to take a hike and bring their business somewhere else in situations where a female patient is requesting a female nurse. That would not be ethical if we do that.
When you work in the healthcare setting, it is a totally different arena than being out in the public. People who go to restaurants do so by choice. People who go to hospitals USUALLY do so because of circumstances beyond their control. If providing them with healthcare workers that make them feel more at ease enhances their care, then I see it as a positive thing.
"A patient is a person in a strange environment on an involuntary basis going through one of the most unpleasant experiences of his/her life with persons not of his own choosing." ?
I'm an incoming BSN student but I've been a CNA/MA for the past two years. I'm also a survivor of sexual abuse from my teenage years and I have PTSD as a result. I have made it a point to always request female staff for my own care, especially related to gynecological stuff. Pelvic exams are already unpleasant for me and I can be easily triggered even with a female practitioner. I want to spare myself, and frankly the hypothetical male staff, the horrible experience of a flashback, panic attack or other PTSD manifestation. The only time I have had a male do a pelvic was in the ER, and I only got through it because a) he was very kind and talked me through every step, b) there was a female tech as chaperone, and c) my SO was allowed to stay and hold my hand.
In my work in elder care, there were several gentlemen that would refuse pericare or other "intimate" tasks from me and other female staff and opt for male CNAs instead. I never took offense to this, because I understood that it wasn't a question of my competence, but rather of the resident's modesty and comfort. As nurses, the safety, comfort, and consent of our patients should top priorities.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
On 2/27/2019 at 3:19 PM, Cowboy96 said:
Why can't the hospital just say, " If you don't want a male nurses, then leave?" I think it's crazy that in the year 2019, no one bats an eye if a patient refuses care by a male nurse, and the automatic response is " Don't worry! As a male nurse you have to get used to it! ? "
Guess what sunshine. Its not about you, its about the patient and they are quite within their rights to say "I dont want a male nurse"
Having a catheter inserted is an invasive procedure on its own without another set of eyes involved in the process, and the patient was quite within their rights to say 'actually I dont want this extra person in the room while this is done'
When I'm doing a catheter change and trying to involve a student I will always ask the patient out of earshot of the student to ensure the patient doesnt feel pressured. If the patient declines, thats it.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
On 2/28/2019 at 7:17 AM, Cowboy96 said:
"It's ok to be racist/sexist to someone from the opposite race/sex somehow caused you any problems"
This is your logic. I can't argue with this.
As a rape and sexual abuse survivor, I know that not all men are like the men who assaulted me.
That said, having a male handle my intimate bits would absolutely set off PTSD which is why I would choose to have a female nurse do anything that personal.
Because dear lad, its not about us as nurses, its about the patient. We dont have to like their rationale or reasoning, however they have every right to make decisions around the provision of their healthcare.
littlemissBSN
8 Posts
As others have already stated, this is about the patient, NOT you. I've had a lot of female patients who had decline male nurses/CNAs simply because they are uncomfortable and that is perfectly understandable because no patient should ever feel that way in the healthcare setting.
I understand your concerns, but I don't really appreciate your tone. Don't insist your personal views unto others no matter how correct you think you are. Honestly speaking and I meant no offense with this, but if I were assigned as your patient, I may be inclined to decline having you as my nurse too. Not because you're male, but because you seem to be lacking empathy.