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.

Specializes in mis-information :p.
The answer depends on her level of sedation and her feelings. A simple explanation that the doctor wants to monitor her heart by placing monitoring wires on her chest- it woun't hurt- just tape, "do you mind if I place the monitoring wires or would you like me to have one of the girls do it?" Offering the patient a choice empowers her and establishes a level of professionality and trust in the nurse patient relationship. You are asking for problems if you don't include the patient in this decision. Odds are, if she knows what you are doing and why, putting on tele patches isn't going to be a big issue for her.

+1

It's always best to protect yourself and your license.

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Thank goodness.

For a while, listening to a number of "I just want my paycheck" nurses, I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who considers one's license something to protect and be proud of.

...even if I'm still a mere student and don't yet have one! :rolleyes:

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Here's my perspective as a female:

At 15, I would have been very, very uncomfortable with a male care provider. Puberty made me not only highly conscious of boys my age, but also of the fact that adults are sexual beings too (ew) which made me feel skeevy. It was kind of a "they know I know about sex" thing.

I would have appreciated you asking if it's ok to put on EKG pads if there were no female nurses around. I'm not sure how it is sexist to be aware that 15 is an uncomfortable age regarding the opposite sex.

Also, having a chaperone for a gyn exam is not limited to male practitioners. My female gynecologists have always called a nurse or medical assistant in when doing the exam.

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it is not a sexy issue.all what u have to do next time is to explain your procedure with all details to the patient.

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

Do yourself a favor and make sure that you always have a female present when you do anything to a female pt that requires the touching of that pt in an area that is usually covered by clothing. As male physicians have a nurse come in with him during an exam you should do the same. As the director of a large ED I had a male RN accused of the sexual assault of a female pt in his care. He was assigned to the GYN area at the time. There was no one in the room with him and he was doing a straight cath on this pt. He was found not guilty in court but the board of nursing did take some action on his license.

It is a shame that all RN's can't be seen as equal in the workplace but that is not what occurs. You just have to be careful.

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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.

I think this is a great thread...I have run into the same thing, time and time again. I would have done the same as you. I'm quick to hand off a female patient to a female nurse...it just makes sense. If my patient is uncomfortable then I am uncomfortable...

What I have learned when dealing with patients of the opposite sex is that if I have a professional mindset then I exude confidence and my patients feel more comfortable with me.

During my first days of nursing school we had to give each other bed baths. I was one of two men in a class of 40 women. Most of the women are 20 - 21 ... and I am not. :) I'm a non-traditional studen. Most of the women were uneasy about giving baths nevermind receiving one from a male. My partner was a young, modest women who was very concerned about her privacy. I spend about 5 minutes explaining my method for providing care and how I would enure her privacy. She agreed to the bath. Afterward she told me how she felt very comfortable throughout the procedure and "appreciated my level of professionalism" ... Pat me on the back, right? :)

My point here is I kept my Pro Hat on straight and was able to get the job done.

Think "Pro" and they'll never know.

Remember nurses are supposed to be "Asexual" ... Think Eunuch ... we can't have sexual tension getting in the way of patient care and I believe we can teach our patients that they are receiving quality care regardless of the caregivers gender. My 2cents :twocents:...

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One thing that I always do with all patients: warn them that the stickers are going to feel cold. Sometimes that bothers people more than anything else.

There have been a few times as well when I just let the female patient put the stickers on herself and connect the cables, with me just telling her what goes where.

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I'd have a female in the room. Explain things, offer to let her stick her own stickers ... Protect yourself and CYA!

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be professional bro!!! dats ol i cn advice... but i hav a question im newbie here, wer s da section wer i cn ask for helps bcoz i hav prob. right now i'm trying 2 make a ncp's for my pt ho under go wid surgery i hav 3 probs. now pain, fever and risk for infection any suggestion? I ned 2 more. hope some one wil help me!!!!!

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Specializes in Telemetry & PCU.
be professional bro!!! dats ol i cn advice... but i hav a question im newbie here, wer s da section wer i cn ask for helps bcoz i hav prob. right now i'm trying 2 make a ncp's for my pt ho under go wid surgery i hav 3 probs. now pain, fever and risk for infection any suggestion? I ned 2 more. hope some one wil help me!!!!!

I am not quite sure I understand your question????:confused:

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I'm positive I don't understand the question. Is this for real? :eek:

be professional bro!!! dats ol i cn advice... but i hav a question im newbie here, wer s da section wer i cn ask for helps bcoz i hav prob. right now i'm trying 2 make a ncp's for my pt ho under go wid surgery i hav 3 probs. now pain, fever and risk for infection any suggestion? I ned 2 more. hope some one wil help me!!!!!

I am not quite sure I understand your question????:confused:
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Specializes in Telemetry & PCU.
I'm positive I don't understand the question. Is this for real? :eek:

Jetfuet- You and I just aren't hip enough to understand! Is "hip" still a groovy word??:jester:

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