I work as a nurse on a busy labour and delivery unit. We have had an increased number of transgender/non-binary patients giving birth on our unit in the last year. The department put out an educational resource on how to limit harm and provide inclusive care for these patients. The information/ suggestions in this packet is mostly reasonable such as asking “what pronouns do you prefer?” “What can I do to make you feel safe and comfortable during this process?”. I have zero problem with this. The suggestion I have a problem with is asking “what should I refer to your birthing parts as in order to limit triggers during the birthing process?”. As a healthcare provider we are taught to only use anatomically correct terms in a healthcare setting. Using “nicknames” is unprofessional and could cause confusion with patients and between healthcare providers. It also makes it difficult to get consent for procedures/assessments if you are not saying the name of the body part. Such as obtaining consent for a cervical exam. I honestly don’t care if a birthing patient identifies as a male, but they still have a uterus, cervix and vagina and I am not going to use alternative names in a healthcare setting. I’m all for trans rights and making people feel comfortable but I think this is a little too far. I have cared for transgender patients on L&D before and it can be a very triggering process for them. However, I don’t think using incorrect terms for their anatomy is an appropriate solution and goes a little too far and I will not be incorporating this in my practice. So AITA?
