I include here an excerpt from Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board transgender policy document on how to act if a woman complains there is a man in her ward
Inpatient Scenario:
A nurse is summoned to a patient’s bed in a female ward. The patient appears to be agitated. When
asked what’s concerning her, the woman explains she didn’t expect to be sharing the ward with a
man and points to the bed opposite. She states it’s inappropriate to have ‘him’ in the ward with the
other women. She tells the nurse she can’t relax and wants ‘him’ removed from the ward. If this
doesn’t happen she’ll make a formal complaint – the hospital has a duty of care to look after her and
they’re not taking this seriously by putting her in this situation.
The nurse listens and tells the woman she’ll see what she can do. She says that she understands
having a transgender person on the ward will be upsetting to other women and leaves to talk with a
senior colleague about the matter.
The response to the patient’s concern isn’t appropriate and breaches legislative protection afforded to
transgender people. Someone’s trans status can not be disclosed to a third party without the express
permission of the trans person and the assumption that others in the ward will feel uncomfortable is
unfounded. In this instance there is no need to either disclose or seek permission to disclose gender
identity. The nurse should work to allay the patient’s concerns – it would be appropriate to re-iterate
that the ward is indeed female only and that there are no men present. Her duty of care extends to
protect patients from harassment and should the woman continue to make demands about the
removal of the transgender patient and be vocal in the ward it would be appropriate to remind her of
this. Ultimately it may be the complainant who is required to be removed.
Gaslighting and punishing the victim!