Male vs. Female Nurses

[Disney Doll]

I am curious as to folks' opinions...

If you are a woman, would you have a problem with being cared for by a male nurse?

If so, why?

Do you feel the same way about a male doctor?

If not, why not?

 

[lindakmonty]

I don't have a problem being seen by a female or male... but I PREFER a female. I go to a female physician...and female ob/gyn...much more comfortable

 

[lowie]

i personally prefer a female doctor and nurse for gyno stuff, including birthing, going one step further i prefer a female midwife.

but for general medical stuff i dont have a preference. as long as they seem caring and not rushed.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Yes, I am a woman, and yes, I have a problem being cared for by male nurses, doctors, dentists ...

I prefer women.

 

[jennyl772003]

My BIL just became a nurse!

I have no problem being cared by male nurses or Drs. All of my Drs, including OBGyn, have been male. My current gyno is TERRIFIC!

 

[joshsmom]

My OB/GYN is male and he delivered my son. I have absolutely no problem with him at all. He's a wonderful doctor. He and his wife practice together, so if my doctor is not there for whatever reason, I see his wife. They are HUGE Disney fans too!!

I don't go to the hospital much--only had a few stays in my whole life--and I don't think I ever had a male nurse. I don't think I would have a problem with it though.

 

[KristaTX]

I'm a woman and an RN. I like females for gynecology or breast-related things, but other than that I'm fine with either sex tending to my general medical needs. I've seen good and bad females and males in both professions that you asked about. It's the individual that matters.

I've never stayed in a hospital, and I don't know why I feel this way, but I would be very likely to watch especially closely a male nurse's aide or orderly until I got used to him. But then again, I'd also be watching anyone in the hospital like a hawk whether it was me or my family member in there.

 

[lulugirl]

I don't really have a preference, I just want someone competent (good bedside manner is also a plus).

 

[Tazicket]

I have a male OB/GYN and GP, the OB/GYN has always been my OB/GYN.

I was in the hospital for knee surgery (exactly a year ago tomorrow) and I had both male and female nurses. Of the handful of nurses I had there was one male and one female nurse I didn't care for- mostly because they were boneheads (one made me wait 45 minutes for a bedpan and the other kept screwing up my pain med schedule). Of my two favorites, one was a male and one was a female.

Now...they did send in the girls when I needed help with the dreaded bedpan, and I might have felt a little weird had they sent in a guy for that. I know...I know...my OB/GYN is a guy, but I'm weird like that.

 

[caitycaity]

i have a female PCP and a female ob/gyn. i prefer females, but i've had males in the past. the reason i prefer females isn't due to shyness or anything like that. *in my experience* female health care professionals are more likely to listen to what i am saying and actually engage me in a dialogue rather than try to get me in and out because they are too busy.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I prefer whomever is the most competent.....sex doesn't even factor in for me.

 

[Jeafl]

I prefer a female for any OB/GYN issues, otherwise I am ok with either sex.

This reminds me of what happened to my best friend. She had just given birth to her first child and was half asleep in her hospital room. A HUGE guy, about 6'4" 300 lbs, walked into her room and said in a loud, booming, deep voice "Can I check your episiotomy????" She had no clue who he was, he had no nametag or badge on so she said no. It turns out he WAS a nurse, but it really freaked her out. He did get in trouble for not wearing his nametag if I remember correctly.

 

[FSUGrad97]

I'm a woman, and I have no problem with having male doctors and nurses.

In fact, one of the best nurses I had was a male surgical nurse when I delivered my DD2 by c-section. Due to a drop in my blood pressure, I felt like I was going to be sick and this nurse kept me calm and focused, which I appreciated.

Like one of the other posters said, I want the nurse or doctor to be competant - their gender doesn't matter.

 

[susan1]

I'm a woman and an RN. I like females for gynecology or breast-related things, but other than that I'm fine with either sex tending to my general medical needs. I've seen good and bad females and males in both professions that you asked about. It's the individual that matters.

I've never stayed in a hospital, and I don't know why I feel this way, but I would be very likely to watch especially closely a male nurse's aide or orderly until I got used to him. But then again, I'd also be watching anyone in the hospital like a hawk whether it was me or my family member in there.

hi
that's quite insulting to healthcare assisantss why should they need more watchng than male nurses et al, just because male nurses have training doesn't make them less likely to abuse females and certainly many doctors are known to have been suspended for such behaviour. i work with many male h.c. a's and they are for the most part perfect gentlemen and whatever their short comings they would never abuse the trust put in them

 

[cinmell]

I have a female Primary Care Physician and a female OB/GYN. I prefer female doctors to male doctors due to past experience.

 

[PlutosFriend]

I prefer a female for any OB/GYN issues, otherwise I am ok with either sex.

This reminds me of what happened to my best friend. She had just given birth to her first child and was half asleep in her hospital room. A HUGE guy, about 6'4" 300 lbs, walked into her room and said in a loud, booming, deep voice "Can I check your episiotomy????" She had no clue who he was, he had no nametag or badge on so she said no. It turns out he WAS a nurse, but it really freaked her out. He did get in trouble for not wearing his nametag if I remember correctly.

Oh my! I think that would freak me out too! I work in a hospital and there are no male nurses or techs that work on the ob/gyn areas. I believe that is their rule.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My preference is female...but I would not refuse care by a man if I needed it and they were my only option. Just like someone who knows what it is like--especially in female reproductive health.

My primary is female (was male but he left the practice and she was who I switched to within the practice), my "gyn" is actually a midwife. For this pregnancy I'm switching to a guy--b/c we no longer have midwives for obstetric care in our area. And this guy is actually supposedly the next best thing to a midwife. My dentist is a man and my ortho is a woman .

 

[jel0511]

As for Dr's I don't have a preference, my OB is male and my PCP is female. When I was in the hospital, I had both male and female nurses, I didn't mind either sex, until it came to the sponge bath. I wouldn't let the male nurses touch me!!!!

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I don't care either way - I just prefer the best one, be it doctors or nurses. Oh, and ones that speak english. Where we live there is a large population of Filipino nurses (or some similar nationality) that can barely speak english, and always called my kids "she" instead of "he", no matter how many times you corrected them. And the vast majority have the worst bedside manners.

BTW, some of the best nurses my son's ever had were male. Our most favorite was a gay male - oh my he was a hoot and a half! We still visit him at the hospital when we're in that area.

 

[minkydog]

I've been a nurse for 29yrs. When I entered the field there were very few men in nursing. Most men(and women) felt it was a "second-best" kind of job for a man, a girl job. The thought then was that a man in nursing either had to be gay or couldn't cut medical school A huge misconception.

As in any field there are good ones and bad nurses.As a professional I find men equally hard-working and caring to most female nurses. I've never worked with a male nurse who I felt was "creepy" or anything less than top-notch. As a consumer I have had both male and female nurses and can say emphatically that gender does not matter--experience and listening skills count more.

So, which would I prefer? I want the nurse with a few years experience, with a cool head and a sharp eye. Male or female, I care not.