13 replies to this topic

[NawlinsGirl]

just wondering how you feel about male nurses in ob especially in delivery ?

[NurseChat]

If male doctors are allowed, sure, why not male nurses too? Although, perhaps it should depend on the wishes of the patient...

[Sincerely]

No male in it's right state of mind should be in OB...
Male Nurse or Male Doctor in OB...

[lapwing]

We have had male nurses in the maternity units in the UK for several years now, in fact our Director or Nursing has the honour of being the first male midwife in the country.

I have never had children so I really cannot speak from experience but I am not sure that I would feel very comfortable with a male midwife caring for me. While we certainly have had male medical staff working in maternity for what seems eternity, they do not carry out some of the more intimate duties that a nurse carries out. That is where I think I would have a problem.

As long as the mother is given a choice, I guess it is really not an issue.

[Lulu]

i think if men want to work in obs and gynae then go for it doctors do and nobody bats an eyelids... obviously some women will prefer female midwives just like some women prefer female docs and as long as there is a female on duty taht is fine but its not always the case...

what is more important is their ability to care and not what their sex, religion, age or inside leg measurement is

[canovac]

I had to float to ob one time and a male nurse was floated to my floor to cover me. I was kinda upset, for the simple fact, I didn't work ob and had no clue. But in our hospital, men do not work ob. Isn't that considered gender racism? If men choose to go into nursing, shouldn't that include all aspect of it?

[aussie-margaret]

My hubby is a RN and has his Psych Certicate and MIdwifery.

He trained as a Midwife at a small Sydney hospital.

He only had 2 patients refuse care (during delivery) by a male midwife in 12 months of the midwifery course.

[NursetillaTheHun]

I agree with LuLu. To say a man should not be allowed to be an ob nurse is just like saying women should not be allowed to with male penises (urology). Remember in the good, old days when orderlies were hired to deal with all the 'male sensitive areas'? Being an effective and professional nurse has nothing to do with what sex you are but on how well you do your job. I can't believe that men how have to 'break ground' into field where some people feel they can't do the job as well as a female.

That said, I would love to hear your reasoning Sincerely on why you think no man in his right mind should not go into OB. You might have real life experiences to shed some light on the topic.

This topic does create another interesting discussion though. How does one deal with patients refusing care from nurses who are the 'wrong' sex, race, age, religion, or any other characteristic they feel uncomfortable with? Any comments?

TheHun

[NawlinsGirl]

I think if men want to work in ob they should be allowed. Its no different than women working with male patients. On the other hand, i think patients should be allowed to decline care if they dont feel comfortable with male or female nurses taking care of them. I work in California where there are many different cultures and I find that being the reason females declining male nursing care.

[stephanie]

I have experience in the ob/gyn as a patient and I really don't see any reason why a man cannot be in ob/gyn. I do have experience with having a gyno who could not look at me in the face and tell me what was going on with me. What I got was a vague answere and some meds. I was 16 at that time.

I think as long as a man can just be comfortable talking to women with out turning red in the face then its fine. Also being a male nurse while a women is in labor probley is not a big issue unless the husband or whatever the case has got the issue (i know my husband probly would if the whole staff there where all men, I would probly be uncomfortable too.) But as a woman who went into labor, during that time I really wasn't that picky about who was getting my son out of me. In conclusion men or women both can give an uncomfortable state if they are uncomfortable.

[adiaz1229]

Although I can somewhat understand women being uncomfortable with a male delivering her child, or tending to her during pregnancy, in the end as a female I'd have no problem with it. It's a little sexist to believe that just because he is a male working in a generally "female" department, he must have gone through extensive schooling just to cause trouble or make someone significantly uncomfortable.

Whoever can do the work, learn the material, and be outstanding is who gets into the hospital. There's no easy work getting into a health care position, from what I've seen. Just my opinion.

[3boyzmom]

I think it's a cultural thing (and common in many cultures) that men don't normally attend to intimate care of women, unless the man is a doctor. It's more widely acceptable for women to care for men (except that in some cultures the woman doing so is considered less than a lady ). Is the double standard right? Of course not. But, nonetheless, I have to say I'd be mildly uncomfortable with a male nurse providing such personal care. I really doubt that I'm the only one. I guess that if people really want to work toward changing that double standard, that's great. In the meantime, though, we need to just be sure that female patients know that it's OK to express a preference. My concern is just that some may be uncomfortable, but would not speak up.

[mattsmom]

I prefer a female doc and a female nurse...specially if they're going into my private parts...LOL!. Many women feel similarly. I wouldn't want a male nurse checking my cervix (nor a male doc). Just my preference, but one that should be honored from a modesty standpoint IMHO.

I tire of this new age of male nurses who 'demand their right' to work OB. <sigh>
I see more and more male crusaders entering our ranks; who aren't really into the spirit of nursing at all IMHO.