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.

How Nurses Can Stand Up For Their Convictions

How Medical/Nursing Students Can Stand Up For Their Convictions