male nurses

Hi all!
I wanted to ask how many of you wonderful women have had "guy" nurses at the castle? If you did, how did you feel about it? I am ok with all of it, as sometimes we have male dr's; but since nurses do most of the care, I was curious.

At the hospital I work at we have a lot of male nurses and they are so wonderful with the patients, very professional. Although we have had patients ask for female nurses when assigned a male...For me perhaps it is an underlying fear of actually knowing them on a personal level, as well as a professional level. Perhaps I am nervous? Do I really want them to see my vagina...? any thoughts would be great! I am starting to do too much thinking and analizing perhaps?

Thanks for your support

I am still 2 weeks away from my date with the castle, but I have had other "female" surgeries in the past and had male nurses. The first time, it felt a little odd when he came to check my sanitary pad. (Yikes!) But, after the first time, it really did not bother me. I recall having at least 3-4 male nurses through the various surgeries and they were all wonderful. After the first pad-check, I was comfortable with it. In some ways, they almost seemed more sympathetic/empathetic.

If it were me, I wouldn't be any more concerned about the work relationships with the males than the females. Hope that sets your mind at ease a bit.

I think my nurses were all female, but I was on pain meds... LOL! I can honestly tell you that at that point if someone had a medical reason to see that part of my anatomy (regardless of their sex) I would have let them and not cared. They have seen it all...

Best wishes!

I had 2 nurses assigned for each shift. In all but one shift there was at least 1 female nurse which did the checking the pad thing. Although the morning after my surgery I was able to get up, put on my own undies, used my own pads, and went to the bathroom on my own. From that time on the nurses didn't check my pad, just asked if I had any discharge and emptied the 'tophat' thing in the toilet that measured my urine output. The night before I was discharged, I had 2 male nurses and I loved them! I was getting bored, they talked to me, made jokes, and was very respectful. All my male nurses were much more sympathetic and pampering than the female nurses. Well except for the one I had the morning after I got to my room from recovery. He brought in the do-hicky thing that you're supposed to suck air from, and he also made me cough...several times because I wasn't coughing hard enough....OUCH! My DD told me I gave him a dirty look that reminded her of the looks I gave her when she broke curfew! LOL In my opinion... nurses, whether they be male or female, are professionals just doing their job.

Put me down for a 'NO' vote.

I had a male nurse in training that did vitals but when it came to personal care my female nurse asked me and I declined. She was very gracious and understanding and did not demean my reasons in any way.

My physician is male. Some women are more comfortable with a female gyn and they can make this choice for themselves. If you are in the hospital and have a male nurse and are not comfortable, I think we should be allowed to decline this care and request a female.

I never even thought of this! lol My gyn is male and he has been my doctor for 14 years now, vaginally delivered my first daughter, did my c-section on my second doctor and I'm totally comfortable with him...

Nurses on the other hand... I'm not so sure I would want a male nurse. I just think I would be uncomfortable with that. Not checking vitals and such, but when it comes to the "intimate" stuff. Probably just because I don't have a relationship with him I guess...

I've also gone to female gyn's and felt weird about that too. I guess I'm totally confused. I want a male gyn and female nurses! ha ha... I just felt weird with a female being "down there" I also didn't like the female doing the breast check part of my exam...

I haven't had a mammogram yet (I'm 34) and I'm not looking forward to that but, I guess I would prefer a female do that also.

In any event, I'm not going to cancel, postpone, or freak out if I do have a male nurse though. I just might have to change my views at least momentarily!

I havent been to the castle yet but I've had several surgeries over the past decade and all my doctors were male, except for the obgyn who delivered my daughter (and she was mean ). I have had great experiences with men being more compassionate actually. I recently told this story in another post but I had a student or nurse in training help me go pee after a laparatomy I had in 2003. He was very nervous, I could tell and he didnt want to but I made him help me take my undies down and help me sit on the toilet, stay there and wait for me and then help me pull my undies back up and get back to the bed. I could care less cause I was in so much pain and on pain meds it really didnt matter who was there helping me. However, when I was in the USAF I worked at the base hospital at MacDill and there was a very very HOT gyno DR that I had to see cause I found a lump in my breast. OMG, I was mortified that he was the one I had to see and I must of been beet red when he came in and made me pull open my paper top. That was awkward but afterward it was no big deal. I saw him in the hallway and said hello and that was that. It's not that bad really. BTW, it was nothing to worry about but I keep an eye on it each year.
Stephanie

Scarbelly -
You reminded me of something that happened when I was very young. I had a much older "grandpa-like" Gyn, and went in for my check up. Something happened, and he was out and I had to see the doctor that was filling in. I was about 20 years old, and in walked this young man who didn't look any older than me, wearing a rugby shirt (no lab coat), and looking FINE!. I nearly died! Maybe because I had never had a doctor or medical professional who was attractive to me? Maybe because he wasn't in medical attire? I don't know what the reason was, because he was completely professional, but it made me VERY uncomfortable. I was much relieved on my next visit to find "grandpa" back!

Before surgery, I was actually asked whether I minded a male nurse attending, so I said I'd rather a female. After surgery, I couldn't have cared less if it was some kind of monster from the deep with two heads!! As long as I was looked after, I didn't mind who did it. I didn't think I'd feel like that in a million years ...

OK... I don't want an attractive male nurse or doctor! lol I'll take the UGLY ones! lol My gyn delivered his first baby about 30 years ago so however old that makes him... I don't look at him as a "grandpa" type, I guess he is technically old enough to be one... But, I like his personality, bedside manner, etc, and I'm NOT attracted to him! lol

When I had my c-section, I had a mean old nurse. I still remember her name and if I see her again this time I will scream and demand someone else! Surely she isn't still there at this age?? Probably so, just to be mean to all the young ladies!
She even gave me the wrong baby and made me breastfeed him! (my baby was a SHE)