A few years ago the nurses in my unit tried to give me some fucked up assignment where they gave me 1 patient on the total opposite side of the unit. The reason was he was "sexually inappropriate toward women."
This patient was in restraints and had a 1:1 sitter with him 24/7. They thought that because I was a "man," he should go with me. I normally wouldn't have really cared, other than the fact that in a 24 hour period, I was the ONLY male nurse on that unit. Completely fed up with the fact that for 80% of the time a female would be taking care of this patient (and they'd be taking turns) and I would be taking care of him 100% of the time I would be there, I asked the charge nurse "What do you guys do with this patient when I'm not here?" She replied "We just deal with it", so I said "so why not just "deal with it" when I am here?"
They lost their shit, complaining that I didn't want to be a team player, "we're women and don't have to be subjected to the "verbal sexual abuse" (From an obviously mentally impaired patient).
I basically just told them that I think they're all very capable, strong, professional women who have the ability to ask for help when they need it, and do not have to single me out and give me the "aggressive, or verbally abusive patients" whenever I come to work. Their behavior abruptly stopped.
Male nurse here.
A few years ago the nurses in my unit tried to give me some fucked up assignment where they gave me 1 patient on the total opposite side of the unit. The reason was he was "sexually inappropriate toward women."
This patient was in restraints and had a 1:1 sitter with him 24/7. They thought that because I was a "man," he should go with me. I normally wouldn't have really cared, other than the fact that in a 24 hour period, I was the ONLY male nurse on that unit. Completely fed up with the fact that for 80% of the time a female would be taking care of this patient (and they'd be taking turns) and I would be taking care of him 100% of the time I would be there, I asked the charge nurse "What do you guys do with this patient when I'm not here?" She replied "We just deal with it", so I said "so why not just "deal with it" when I am here?"
They lost their shit, complaining that I didn't want to be a team player, "we're women and don't have to be subjected to the "verbal sexual abuse" (From an obviously mentally impaired patient).
I basically just told them that I think they're all very capable, strong, professional women who have the ability to ask for help when they need it, and do not have to single me out and give me the "aggressive, or verbally abusive patients" whenever I come to work. Their behavior abruptly stopped.