Standing Up For Your Convictions Against Doing Intimate Procedures On Opposite Sex

Promote Stronger Medical Patient Modesty

Home

About Us Why Is Patient Modesty Important? Patient Modesty Violation Cases Male Patient Modesty Female Patient Modesty Why Is Patient Modesty a Serious Issue? Be a Sponsor For Medical Patient Modesty Advertise Donate To Support Medical Patient Modesty

Tips For Patients Tips For Parents of Teenagers Tips For Sexual Abuse Victims Standing Up For Your Rights Unnecessary Urinary Catheterizations Non-Consensual Exams On Patients Are Pap Smears Necessary For Virgins? Helpful Links Modesty During Childbirth Find An All Female OB/GYN Practice Reasons For Home Birth Find A Midwife Sexual Misconduct By Doctors Problems With Medical Gowns

Tips For Doctors Tips For Nurses Tips For Hospitals Tips For Students/Residents Working With Sexual Abuse Victims Standing Up For Convictions Problems With Medical Gowns

How Nurses Can Refuse To Do Intimate Procedures On Opposite Sex

There are some nurses who have strong convictions that they should not do intimate procedures on the opposite sex, but are often sadly looked down on. Medical Patient Modesty fully supports nurses who don't feel comfortable doing intimate procedures on the opposite and believes that nurses should fight for their rights to not do intimate procedures on the opposite sex. Because doctors are able to refuse to provide certain services based on their consciences due to religious or moral reasons, why should it be different for nurses?

It is very difficult to stand up for your convictions in the nursing profession, but don't let that prevent you from fighting for your convictions. You should consider consulting with a lawyer if there is a lot of resistance or if you are fired or not hired based on your refusal to do intimate procedures on the opposite sex. The truth is many nurses don't have a problem with doing intimate procedures on the opposite sex so it would not be a big deal for one nurse out of 10 nurses on a certain hospital floor to not do intimate procedures on patients of the opposite sex. The nurse with the conviction could do intimate procedures on the same gender patients and non-intimate procedures on the opposite sex.

Here are some arguments you may hear from other nurses or supervisors and how you can respond to them:

1.) You cannot be a nurse if you cannot do intimate procedures on the opposite sex. That is not true. Remind them that some male family practice doctors will not do any intimate female examinations such as pap smears, pelvic exams, rectal exams, and breast exams and that some female family practice doctors will not do any intimate male exams. If doctors are able to refuse certain services based on their convictions, nurses can do the same.

2.) You need to give up the nursing profession if you are unable to do intimate examinations on patients of the opposite sex. Remind that they there are many other nurses who don't share your convictions and that it would not be a big deal for a few nurses to not do intimate procedures on the opposite sex. You could do intimate procedures on same gender patients and non-intimate procedures on the opposite sex.

3.) Female nurses who only want to do intimate procedures on female patients can only work in Labor & Delivery or women's unit. That is not true. For example, let's say that a female nurse loves to work with heart surgery patients, but she feels convicted that she should not do intimate procedures such as urinary catheterizations on male patients, she should talk to her supervisor about her convictions. A good nursing supervisor would work to accommodate your convictions. Don't give up your desires to work in certain specialties. Stand up for your rights to not do intimate procedures on the opposite sex and don't let people intimidate you.