Young female patients

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I work with a pediatric sedation team in the hospital as a care partner (it's like an ANA) and today I had a 15 year old female. I had to place ECGs on her, but I just kind of handed to a female nurse to do it. If the female nurse wasn't there to do it, should I have done it, or what should I have done? I want to be sensitive to the pt and realizing that I'm a 21 year old man, it might be embarrassing and awkward for the 15 year old woman.

In this age of litigation and false accusation, I would definitely have a female nurse present at the bedside to chaperone you, just as any male MD would do if he were performing a breast or pelvic exam. But with the female present you should be able to run the EKG, or insert a foley. You have been trained to do these things.

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When I had to have a breast u/s the hospital had a chaperone in the room to protect me and the Dr. I don't know what the official policy is everywhere, but in this instance that is what my experience was. I wouldn't have cared either way, but a teen girl probably would. You handled the situation with tact and I'm sure she appreciated it.

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(Lurking female here!) I had an 18yo male pt once who I had to straight cath, I could tell he was VERY nervous and embarrassed, which only made him more tense (ouch!). While his mom was still in the room, I asked if he wanted a male nurse to preform the procedure he said he was fine with me but asked if his mom could step out. I think when we deal with pts of the opposite sex, especially those who are adolescents, we need to be increasingly aware of their comfort level and needs. Its different at that age, we just have to keep in mind all the developmental stages we learned in psych... OP, I think you did the right thing.

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Race is just like sex, you are born with it and you can not choose. There is no diferance between a pt saying I don't want a male nurse or I don't want a black nurse. That is discrimination.

Both are discrimination and should be denied.

Equating race & sex is rather naive. Like, I have friends of all races. If I chose friends of only one race I would be bigoted. But being straight, I have had sex only with my opposite gender. I hardly think that can be called bigoted or discrimination:)!

And therein lies the crux of the matter. Even in a professional healthcare setting, human being don't forego their sense of bodily privacy where gender differences but not race/ethnic differences matter in a fundamental way. Maybe in a theoretical world there should not be a difference, but we live in a real world.

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If a female nurse is present, and the patient request for her, then i think you did the right thing. But as a PROFESSIONAL, done in a professional manner, you should not hessitate to do your job.

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"Last time I checked we are INNOCENT until proven guilty in this country, I don't know what country you live in. It is not the other way around."

unfortunately, wether it be right or wrong, if you are charged with a sexual offense and there is no evidence to clear you, you are usually convicted. TECHNICALLY you are innocent till proven guilty, however the court does not act in that manner.

you know what i think that if you were not comfortable with the situation, then how could you expect the pt to be. in reality this is your job as a nurse and with the proper bedside manner, so to speak, it would be fine. you made the right decision

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Equating race & sex is rather naive. Like, I have friends of all races. If I chose friends of only one race I would be bigoted. But being straight, I have had sex only with my opposite gender. I hardly think that can be called bigoted or discrimination:)!

And therein lies the crux of the matter. Even in a professional healthcare setting, human being don't forego their sense of bodily privacy where gender differences but not race/ethnic differences matter in a fundamental way. Maybe in a theoretical world there should not be a difference, but we live in a real world.

If you think that you are calling the very laws we have naive as well. They protect both because they are not something you can chose.

The Law, the people that wrote the law, my insturctors who all have there doctorates, and I disagree with you. I'll take my side rather than yours, the minority opinion!

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"Last time I checked we are INNOCENT until proven guilty in this country, I don't know what country you live in. It is not the other way around."

unfortunately, wether it be right or wrong, if you are charged with a sexual offense and there is no evidence to clear you, you are usually convicted. TECHNICALLY you are innocent till proven guilty, however the court does not act in that manner.

you know what i think that if you were not comfortable with the situation, then how could you expect the pt to be. in reality this is your job as a nurse and with the proper bedside manner, so to speak, it would be fine. you made the right decision

Kobi Bryant came off clean I believe.

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Kobi Bryant came off clean I believe.

I'm sorry, you need some better examples... The fact that Kobe is a celebrity had a HUGE impact on the fact that he "came off clean". However, in the nursing world, same as in anything dealing with minors (such as teaching, youth counselor, etc) once a complaint has been filed against you, even if you are proved innocent, it can ALWAYS haunt you and may forever tarnish your reputation...

The Law, the people that wrote the law, my insturctors who all have there doctorates, and I disagree with you. I'll take my side rather than yours, the minority opinion!

Writing laws and having doctorates do not make you right... I'm not really sure what you were getting at in this post, but this particular portion just rubbed me the wrong way... I believe what AmaurosisFugax was getting at was that in a perfect society race/sex/age wouldn't matter and yes, they are protected by law. Unfortunately, people are judged by these characteristics every day regardless of whether the law protects them. It sucks, but it happens...

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I'm sorry I have to disagree with you and agree with the majority. It is not about being sexist, it's about being safe and securing his job. Don't forget that some sedations make pt forget once they fully come to. What if when she come to, she forget that she gave him permission and beging to feel violated or embarressed. Let's not forget that she is a minor.

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I'm sorry I have to disagree with you and agree with the majority. It is not about being sexist, it's about being safe and securing his job. Don't forget that some sedations make pt forget once they fully come to. What if when she come to, she forget that she gave him permission and beging to feel violated or embarressed. Let's not forget that she is a minor.

I'm not sure who you disagree with, but let me make myself clear. I do NOT think the OP was being sexist. I believe he acted appropriately protecting his license and the safety/comfort of the patient... Just wanted to clarify!

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It is sad, but true, men are at greater risk for having a finger pointed at them. My husband is in nursing school & the first thing I bought him was insurance.

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