Convictions
About Intimate Procedures On Patients of Opposite Sex
This may be hard to believe, but
some medical and nursing students, nurses, CNAs, and doctors
have strong moral or religious convictions against performing
intimate procedures on patients of the opposite sex, even in
medical settings. Sadly, they may be looked down on for holding
these convictions. We believe healthcare professionals
should be able to seek reasonable accommodations that respect
their convictions and allow them to avoid performing intimate
procedures on patients of the opposite sex whenever possible.
Physicians can sometimes decline to provide
certain services based on their moral or religious convictions,
such as prescribing birth control pills. We believe that convictions
against performing intimate procedures on patients of the opposite
sex should also be taken seriously as a matter of conscience.
Some male family practice physicians choose
not to perform breast exams, pelvic exams, or Pap smears on
women because of their moral or religious convictions. Many
women already visit an OB-GYN for their female health concerns.
In family practices with female physicians, nurse practitioners,
or physician assistants, it is possible to arrange for these
providers to perform women's wellness exams instead.;
Similarly, some female family practice physicians
may feel uncomfortable performing prostate examinations or other
intimate examinations on male patients. They can refer these
patients to a male physician.
There are also medical specialties, such as
podiatry, ENT, and neurology, in which doctors are able to practice
without performing certain intimate procedures on patients of
the opposite sex.
We would love to hear from doctors,
nurses, and medical or nursing students who have taken a bold
stand for their convictions. If you have advocated
for the right to decline intimate procedures on patients of
the opposite sex,
and share any advice you would offer others
who hold similar convictions. We admire healthcare professionals
who respectfully stand up for their deeply held beliefs and
hope their experiences can help others facing the same challenges.
It is generally easier for physicians, particularly
family practice doctors, to arrange their practices around these
convictions than it is for medical and nursing students or nurses,
who may face additional educational, workplace, and staffing
requirements.
If you are a nurse or a medical or nursing
student who holds these convictions, please click on the links
below to learn more about how you can advocate for reasonable
accommodations.
