Do you request a female doctor/nurse to do your smear test?

[catscan]

Just that really.

Ah, I see what you mean catscan. Yeah, I think you're right, you couldn't say in advance "no gay doctors please", but you could on the day say "I'm not comfortable with this doctor for this procedure because he's gay and I live in the dark ages", or whatever.

Strikethrough fail!

No. I had my first smear at 17 and had a male gynaecologist when it found pre cancerous cells, so treatment after was with him. I would never consider requesting a female nurse/doctor after this. I'd rather just have it done for my health as soon as possible rather than wait. I don't think there is any room for embarrassment when it comes to your health. But I understand why some people with previous distressing experiences might.

"Today 07:46 BertrandRussell

"I don't understand why it would matter the gender of the doctor or nurse, they're professionals doing their jobs"

Really? You really can't understand why it might matter for some women?"

If a woman has a history of abuse at the hands of men and can't bear to be touched intimately by a man, or follows some religious restrictions. They're the only two legitimate reasons I can come up with for caring. But for anyone else with no psychological or religious needs? I genuinely don't understand it.

Also agree with others highlighting the need to allow male students to sit in or practice, if we want them to be capable and proficient how do we expect them to learn without doing? at my last gynae I had a male consultant and a male medical student and was happy to have the student watch and then repeat the procedure (just a simple internal exam). Not once did I think he should be denied that learning experience due to me. What good reason would there be?

I defend anyone's right to say 'no' to any medical exam or treatment for whatever reason, but I admit I find it a bit precious all of this requesting and triple checking for a woman just because the issue involves your genitalia.

Yes I agree. Regarding the PP who had requested all female HCPs on her maternity notes, perhaps there's an Equality Act exemption around maternity care and intimate exams, like there is for women's refuge shelters?

Broccoli - no, 'S'. You too, though, I take it?

There are or were lots of the toads around, hence the acronym being a thing amongst med students at one point.

(Totally Unnecessary Breast Examination, if you were wondering.)

I just assume that the nurse performing it will be female. If they had a make nurse doing it, they'd need a female staff to chaperone, so not very cost effective. I've never asked specifically for a female nurse.

, Funnily enough the Dr I was thinking of the second letter of his surname is 'S', but clearly not the same doctor.

Interesting about the cost of chaperones kat

I think all the examinations I've had by males, a chaperone has been called in, usually a nurse or a receptionist. Do chaperones have to be the same sex as the patient? Mine have been female but I think that's coincidental.

but I admit I find it a bit precious all of this requesting and triple checking for a woman just because the issue involves your genitalia.

Wow. Caring about who gets to put their fingers inside you is not precious! And I can say as an ex-nurse that I've had men not want me to do personal care (as a woman) before and I was of course completely fine with it and went and got a male nurse/HCA.

It's not just younger women and internal exams, lots of he elderly ladies I cared for hated having male nurses and HCAs Doug personal care/helping them on and off the toilet etc with them. They used to say how upsetting they found it and how these men had seen more of them than their husbands had. I always used to inform them that if it made them uncomfortable they were perfectly entitled to say something. As long as they were prepared to wait for a female HCP to be available they could. And that no one had the right to touch them without their consent. As a HCP I wasn't always aware that touching someone without their consent is classed as assault.

*i WAS always aware that touching someone without consent is classed as assault

Stupid autocorrect

Also having spent time around male medical students both professionally and personally I can tell you that many of them are not professional and make some pretty shocking sexist comments about patients. So I don't think everyone should just be expected to suck it up. And I say that as someone who went through nurse training. Patients often refused to have a student nurse (me) present and it didn't bother or offend me. That is their choice. There were still always plenty of learning opportunities to be had.

During the births of all my children I always had female midwives and doctors.

I remember one asking if a student doctor could come and observe the birth of my first son. It was a young male. He sat and chatted to my husbands about music festivals completely ignoring me. The female midwife had left the room for a moment obviously thinking he would take over the situation.

I'd never given birth before so really would have appreciated some support and it was really pissing me off. They were in a world of their own. I had to shout at them to get attention "Hello" Woman giving birth here!!"

Never asked but always had a female which I do prefer. Now that I think about it I strongly prefer a female.

I've never had to, as all the nurses who've done it have been female. I would request a female if necessary, though

No I don't care who sees my bits! I also had a male midwife during the birth of my second child.

I do understand that some people fell differently though and I think they ought to be able to request a female, but that they should do so when they make the appointment not just assume it would be a woman.

'Also agree with others highlighting the need to allow male students to sit in or practice, if we want them to be capable and proficient how do we expect them to learn without doing? at my last gynae I had a male consultant and a male medical student and was happy to have the student watch and then repeat the procedure (just a simple internal exam). Not once did I think he should be denied that learning experience due to me. What good reason would there be? '

Because a person doesn't want to. You're perfectly free to volunteer to be examined by whomever you wish. Some places will even allow you to volunteer even when you have no medical reason for having pelvic internal exams. But no one is beholden to use her own body as a teaching instrument.

I think the chaperone issue is not a problem for female staff examining males, although the patient has the right to request. But no male doctor or nurse these days is likely to want to be doing intimate examinations on females without a chaperone present. This is because medical staff committing sex offenses are almost always male.

'Also having spent time around male medical students both professionally and personally I can tell you that many of them are not professional and make some pretty shocking sexist comments about patients.'

I found a fair few intensely stupid as well. It's quite unedifying.

No. Why on earth would I?

The Med Bar at Uni was full of the most dreadful people. I was horrified when some of my med student friends took me along a couple of times. Real drunken obnoxious wankers.

I found a fair few intensely stupid as well.

when giving birth to my foot down breech DD, there were a number of male med students coming in to "have a feel of things" - one actually said -

"Oh, I can feel a foot - makes it seem like there is a real person in there"

Really? No shit Sherlock, thought I'd try for a puppy this time!

I think the chaperone issue is not a problem for female staff examining males, although the patient has the right to request. But no male doctor or nurse these days is likely to want to be doing intimate examinations on females without a chaperone present. This is because medical staff committing sex offenses are almost always male.

Yes, I think a female must always be present, to protect the female patient AND the male doctor/health care worker.

when giving birth to my foot down breech DD, there were a number of male med students coming in to "have a feel of things" - one actually said

"Oh, I can feel a foot - makes it seem like there is a real person in there"........... Really? No shit Sherlock, thought I'd try for a puppy this time!

What a bunch of tits!

'Also having spent time around male medical students both professionally and personally I can tell you that many of them are not professional and make some pretty shocking sexist comments about patients.'

Awful. But sadly, I do find this easy to believe!

I think the chaperone issue is not a problem for female staff examining males, although the patient has the right to request. But no male doctor or nurse these days is likely to want to be doing intimate examinations on females without a chaperone present. This is because medical staff committing sex offenses are almost always male.

Yes, I think a female must always be present, to protect the female patient AND the male doctor/health care worker.

when giving birth to my foot down breech DD, there were a number of male med students coming in to "have a feel of things" - one actually said

"Oh, I can feel a foot - makes it seem like there is a real person in there"........... Really? No shit Sherlock, thought I'd try for a puppy this time!

What a bunch of tits!

'Also having spent time around male medical students both professionally and personally I can tell you that many of them are not professional and make some pretty shocking sexist comments about patients.'

Awful. But sadly, I do find this easy to believe!