Has anyone ever had a mammogram or smear by a male nurse?

[strawberrisc]

Just posting here for traffic.

However I've heard male doctors often insist on a chaperone to protect themselves.

I don’t blame them to be honest.

@Helena
Doctors (male or female) don’t give a rats ass what you do or don’t do with your public hair. Honestly.

Haven’t rtft but mammograms are carried out by radiographers.
Radiography as a profession has a high ratio of men to women in it in comparison to nursing but as of yet I haven’t known a male radiographer go into mammography which is a subspeciality. It takes a special kind of woman to do it. You really have to to grab and manhandle the breasts. I wasn’t cut out for it.

I had a male doctor do an internal for what turned out to be dubious reasons. I don't know if he was dodgy or just out of date. It felt much less respectful than the large number I've had from females. Since then I feel safer sticking with females. Not fair, maybe, but anything that makes you tense up doesn't help.

No but I don't think I would have a problem with it, it's not like these things are ever enjoyable experiences either way! I had my manky stitches examined by my male gp following the birth of my dd and he was very gentle and reassuring. I had been fobbed off repeatedly by female midwives and he was the first to actually listen and take me seriously and finally I got some treatment.

I have had smear tests done by my male gp and by a female nurse. I would not go back to the male gp as he was so rough, I always ask for the nurse who is lovely.

When I had to have a mammogram after finding a lump (all was fine) the male consultant was horrible- he seemed completely uncaring and it was only with the help of the (female) nurses I got through the needle biopsy.

I would always ask for a female HCP if it involves this sort of thing- Ian not comfortable with males "rummaging around" as a pp described it.

@Iused2BanOptimist

I’ve never had anyone check my stitches, either in the days after birth or at a six week check. No one ever checked either my breasts or my perineal healing. I’m not unusual in that respect. They asked, but never looked. Certainly where we live, this is not routine for a post natal visit.

My midwife checked my stiches but only because I asked. No one checked my breasts (what do they check them for?!)

Hey ho. Post natal checks not what they were but then no one gets the number of visits that used to be standard (twice daily for three days and daily minimum of ten days) just twenty years ago. Breasts checked for signs of mastitis, blocked milk ducts, engorgement,cracked nipples, baby fixing and feeding ok.
Perineum for healing stitches, haemorrhoids, sorting constipation, incontinence, general advice.
I'm rather amazed none of these things are checked any more.

Don't mind male or female doctors/nurses for anything else but would prefer a woman to do smear test ... I would imagine (right or wrongly I don't know!) that she might be more gentle and empathetic as someone who's had it done to them.

Yes to the smear. He was hot too! But it was fine

An update to my post of yesterday, at 18.47: My parents went to a funeral today, having reached the age where they go to them all the time.

My DF was touched to be introduced to two middle aged men he'd delivered in his role as GP obstetrician. One of them had even been named after my DF because his mother so much appreciated his help during a tricky home birth. DF was very chuffed. Not a lot of jobs where you get that level of appreciation.

Smears and coil fitting only been done by women but had male gynacologist during at least one birth. I don't mind but I have never been a victim of either abuse or rape. If I was I'd imagine I'd feel very different and patients should nearly always have the right to refuse treatment from a HCP (racism and sexism not acceptable redons for refusal).

I think male HCP are possibly more likely to be arrogant and thoughtless just because older doctors are more likely to be male and to have that 'I am a god and know better than you'. I am more educated than most doctors and work in Pharms so am slightly more knowledgeable than the average patient. It is only the oldest doctors (and by that I mean those 60+) who have ever patronised me, younger ones always ask my background and tailor their language accordingly. I do rather think it's unfortunate that you get better treatment as a middle class professional but not sure how that can be solved.

I had a breast ultrasound and nipple biopsy done by a man. It was not a problem for me personally. Iv had a male doctor 'down there' in pregnancy too. Also not a problem.