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.

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

LOL, Im not sure that hip is groovy anymore-or groovy is hip-but, cool is still cool:smokin:

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I worked in the NICU for 1 year and during that time there were plenty of young females breast feeding. I always asked them if they were comfortable having a male nurse in the room/helping while they breast-fed. Most of them were ok with it, but those who preferred a female nurse got one.

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I have to say that its silly and ridiculous to think that ALL male nurses are potential preditors and just want to "do" all females either nurses OR patients. I have worked with some brilliant male nurses and have had some great shifts. In fact I prefer working with men than I do women. I find women are too ******* ******, but with men they are more willing to help and guide you and show you things. I once had to nurse a male patient who had been drinking and obviously felt "courageous", with all the alcohol in him. I was treating him then the sexual innuendo about my looks and physique pertaining to the size of my breasts - I quickly ask him to stop and left the room. When I returned with a MALE nurse, the sexual inappropriate comments soon stopped.

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I say we need more nurses in the profession. If they are hot American Male nurses - I am all for it lol - But on a serious note - I think men can be just as good a nurse if not better than female nurses. We need them. There are times when I find the oestrogen levels just too much :):)

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It's a shame this even is an issue. I think in the end the OP did the right thing and it's wise to CYA.

But the whole thing is insulting and degrading.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

We tend to "go through the motions" sometimes and just apply the monitor leads. So it is good that you are thinking about your actions. Best thing to do is explain what you need to do. And ask if that is o.k. for you to do that. Because a female nurse may not always be available.

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Specializes in SDU, Tele.
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.

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

Thank you for that. I am part of a very strict religious group, very modest, plain, etc and it is very sad to read how close minded some of the RNs on here can be about other people's beliefs about touchy-feely situations and modesty, even in the clinical setting. I am not a nurse yet, so I don't know how it will be when I have to work on male patients and their private areas. But their privacy is so very important, and I wish all RNs would remember that. I have a male ob/gyn, and I was almost crying when he told me he had to do a pelvic exam. It is VERY hard for some women, less for others. Likewise, it may be hard for some men to be touched in certain areas by women. Boys get molested too.

It's not because we are (insert rude word here) or whatever. Some of us just want to keep a sense of dignity(I don't know another word to use, so maybe its not the right one...). It is not that we don't appreciate that they are caring for us--I very much love my ob/gyn but its just a reality. We have feelings and certain perceptions that are different from men's. I give kudos to male nurses because they have to deal with a lot. I have compassion on them. But sometimes I wish they'd understand that some women go through a lot of junk and even the most "insignificant" thing as having a girl expose her breasts during an exam can bring very traumatic feelings/images to mind.

And to just bring that out there--I NEVER once thought that my OB/GYN was going to touch me the wrong way, or that he was looking at me in a nasty way. In fact, I can't really be sure he is even attracted to women! It's just uncomfortable!!!! :uhoh3:

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Some time the situation will arise that may mean life or death,and you are the only one to do the job,sexism cant get in the way of life and death situations.If it were me,and I was the only one available,I would explane whats going on to the PT,and follow through,but I would be sure at least one other "person" was in the room.But if a female nurse "is" available,I would pass it on to her.

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handled it perfectly:clown:

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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.

its almost like a AAA road side assistance membership...you hate to have to ever use it:up:

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My first clinical experience was with a possible rape victim, I politely excused myself for the exam and was commended for doing so by the doctor and the staff... my second clinical experience I had a 78 yo woman with HTN and I applied the ECG without a concern... I believe it is situational and that not every patient will be treated by a textbook

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Definitely did the right thing. There have been a few cases where I have had to do an EKG on a female my age, and I guarantee you there is a way to do it using a gown, and a towel or sheet that everyone will really appreciate, since exposure is kept to an absolute minumum. Leads 1 and 2 should be placed with the gown in place through the neckline, the limb leads on the limbs, the sweep the gown under the left breast KEEPING it covered, just to just below the xiphoid, that way you can quickly place 3,4,5 & 6 then place the gown back in place. If you do it right, you should never see boobs or touch boobs.

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