Recently, on the Bioethics Discussion Blog, Dr. Maurice Bernstein asked the question:
The Other View: "Gender This or Gender That" but one (the medical system) may argue, it is not about patient gender but it is all about "Disease and Disorder: Diagnosis and Treatment". It's all about skill by physicians and nursing staff. Shouldn't that be what patients are looking for?
JR who runs the blog Issues 4 Though, had the best response (she beat me to it):
While what you said may be justified in a medical setting but medicine needs to recognize there are other components that make up how to successfully treat a patient. Mental needs have to be met or else the physical treatment will not be successful or will fail. Cured the ailment but killed the patient because they neglected the mental health of a patient. No patient should come out of hospitalization with PTSD. The physical treatment of the patient by staff should not be so abusive and horrific that the patient is forever mentally injured. Is that not a failed treatment and a side effect that is not mentioned? Even RXs mention some potential side effects. Procedures mention some possible side effects. However, they do not mention that because they may treat you less than humanely you may suffer from PTSD.
For some it is not that some female nurse sees their penis or a male nurse sees the breast(s) of a female patient. It is the manner in which it is done-with permission, for a valid medical purpose, & done with the patient's dignity & respect in mind. It is the ambushing of male patients of having an audience during an intimate exam of 2 or more females (some chose a female dr. & are fine with her but not with the nurse, MA, etc.), it is not having the same choice as female patients do in ultrasounds or even ward care, it is about how callously the exposure of a male patient is done & oftentimes done excessively or unnecessarily, it is being told it doesn't matter if we see you naked but society and religion teaches it does matter, it is made to feel you have no choice.
