Young female patients

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 10, 2008

I can tell you how it is different to have a male physician vs male nurse. A doctor is chosen by the pt. The nurse is assigned to the pt. Big difference. There is usually some sort of established relationship going on before intimate procedures are performed by the doctor. The pt seeks out a doctor she can trust and feels comfortable with. On the other hand, the nurse is a complete stranger that she did not ask for.
I might come off as an "Ass" in your eyes, but I prefer a female health care provider caring for me or my young daughter's intimate procedures, just as my husband seeks out male health care providers for his intimate exams. Nothing wrong with us, we are just modest people. Period!

Let me first start off by saying that I'm a guy and I wouldn't ever want to perform any sort of therapeutic intervention on a patient if they are not comfortable with having me perform it. I think its important for a patient to be comfortable with their provider whether its a physician or a nurse. I agree that a patient usually has an established relationship with their primary care provider (not just "doctors") and so they are usually more comfortable with that person performing intimate procedures. The only thing I really have an issue with is when you said "the nurse is a complete stranger that she did not feel comfortable with". In a hospital setting, yes the nurse is assigned to a patient but physicians are also assigned to a patient in the hospital setting and I wonder how often a patient will refuse treatment from a physician based upon their gender versus how often a patient will refuse treatment from a nurse based upon their gender. While I believe that it's the responsibility of the provider to establish a rapport with a patient, I realize there are some circumstances with a patient that no amount of comforting measures can overcome (such as childhood trauma.) It is in those instances that I think it's best to have a provider that a patient feels more comfortable with even if we don't understand why a patient may feel about a certain provider (or group of providers.)

!Chris :specs:

sharkdiver · Oct 10, 2008

If you care that your Registered Nurse is a male and don't want him caring for you or feel uncomfortable around him, and he has not done anything to warrant this feeling and has not performed care differently as compared to a female peer in the same situation would do -- you are an ass. Period. Just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I want to do you. I have standards too. I'm doing a job, I'm focused on the task at hand. I didn't get into nursing to sexually harass my patients.

That's a pretty judgmental statement. Suppose they have cultural or religious reasons, or have been a victim of abuse, molestation or rape? Some people (male and female) simply have a strong sense of modesty, and are extremely uncomfortable being intimately exposed to members of the opposite gender. There's nothing wrong with that, it's simply part of who they are as a person. What is wrong is expecting a person to surrender their personal value system when they walk through the door of a medical facility.

Leave your prejudices at the door before you come into the hospital.

More importantly, I think health care workers need to leave their egos at the door. It's not about them.

christine_chapel · Oct 10, 2008

More importantly, I think health care workers need to leave their egos at the door. It's not about them.

:yeahthat:

it's a therapeutic relationship, not a typical social relationship, and so some things go one way only.

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2008

". In a hospital setting, yes the nurse is assigned to a patient but physicians are also assigned to a patient in the hospital setting and I wonder how often a patient will refuse treatment from a physician based upon their gender versus how often a patient will refuse treatment from a nurse based upon their gender.
!Chris

In a life threatening emergency, I can almost bet very few pt's would refuse tx. based on gender from any healthcare provider. Most want their lives saved at all costs and probably wouldn't care who was saving them.

My response was to AndrewRN"s question why his classmate would chose a male physician but refuse a male nurse . It's the non emergent cares that she's protesting, such as bed baths, vag & breast exams. Some woman are choosy about who they take their clothes off for, I know I am.

BTW. My husband refused a woman MD for his prostate exam, so it's not only females who aren't comfortable exposing themselves. :eek: He also won't let me in the bathroom when he poo's, even though I'm a nurse and have taken many of people to the bathroom.

AirforceRN, RN · Oct 11, 2008

Why would you even want to be in the bathroom when he's pooing?

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2008

Why would you even want to be in the bathroom when he's pooing?

Mainly to get things I need out of there, such as my combs, hairspray, tooth-brush ,tooth paste, towels!:chuckle

Randysbarn1963 · Oct 11, 2008

As someone else aleardy stated, you are a professional, just do your job. Because at some point (someone) either male or female will say to you, If you can't handle it professionally, you need not be a Nurse. And it will come to it. So ask your self this- if I'm not ready now, when will I be ready. You passed your nursing, so your ready! I as a Paramedic since 2003 / and present nursing student have never had a problem with this, I act professional as always and they, (the patient) gets past it since you are just doing your job.

northern lights · Oct 13, 2008

I am a female nurse, and work in the o.r., often doing recovery, which necessitates placing leads on patients. Sometimes I get an attractive male patient, or a lesbian patient, and I think this offers some similarity. What do I do? If I feel nervous about the contact or task I am doing, I make conversation . . . do you have any pets, what was the weather doing outside when you came in 'cause we don't have windows in our unit, etc etc. It really helps, along with being matter of fact about what you are doing. The other option is to have the patient place the lead him or herself; attach the wire, remove the plastic cover, and point to the area through the gown. I know you can't do an ekg in a quick fashion this way, but it might help. Sometimes there just isn't another person around to be a chaperone, or to be the neutral person. In my unit we have two male nurses and 4 female nurses, and everyone does everything at one time or another. Good luck.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 13, 2008

Mainly to get things I need out of there, such as my combs, hairspray, tooth-brush ,tooth paste, towels!:chuckle

My dream home has my OWN bathroom that he's not allowed into.

WorkinTheStreets · Oct 20, 2008

In the field (Outside the four walls) there is a rule of scene safety that basically goes "Me, Us, Them." In other words, always cover your a**, your partners/teams a**, and then worry about the patient. Don't go anywhere that is unsafe....be it from hazardous materials, weapon, emotionally disturbed patient or other unsecured area. Working in EMS has taught me that there are times that your ego must be checked at the door.

If you don't feel the situation is safe, get out and get help. Trust your gut. It is not worth the aggravation to you or your family to fight off false accusations.

In the end, your reputation is all you have. Even if you are innocent of the accusation,there are those who will begin to question and/or doubt you. Once your name has a question mark after it...you might as well change careers, regardless of you occupation.

Emma Peel · Oct 21, 2008

In the field (Outside the four walls) there is a rule of scene safety that basically goes "Me, Us, Them." In other words, always cover your a**, your partners/teams a**, and then worry about the patient. Don't go anywhere that is unsafe....be it from hazardous materials, weapon, emotionally disturbed patient or other unsecured area. Working in EMS has taught me that there are times that your ego must be checked at the door.
If you don't feel the situation is safe, get out and get help. Trust your gut. It is not worth the aggravation to you or your family to fight off false accusations.
In the end, your reputation is all you have. Even if you are innocent of the accusation,there are those who will begin to question and/or doubt you. Once your name has a question mark after it...you might as well change careers, regardless of you occupation.

It is a shame, but I am sure it is true, especially for male nurses. We are supposed to think of the patient first, but in this litigious society, we have to take care of ourselves. Pity. I WANT to think of the patient first.

WorkinTheStreets · Oct 22, 2008

..... I WANT to think of the patient first.

Me too. But when the person laying in the street is full of holes he didn't have 10 minutes ago and the PD hasn't secured the area....I don't want to be the one who finds the guy with the hole maker. I'll wait for PD to secure the area BEFORE I go do my job. I can't help the patient if I become one in the process.

I agree 100% about being a professional at what you do. This is you job. It is the profession you chose. You have to treat the patient...but if you don't cover your tail, who pays your mortgage? Maybe I'm a bit cynical, but in the end I still believe you have to take care of you first.