Does a hospital have the right to prevent a qualified male nurse from working in its labor and delivery section? In Backus v. Baptist Medical Center, this question was answered in the affirmative by a United States District Court in Arkansas. The case, now on appeal, serves as an obstacle to professional nursing and an affront to the rights of female patients.

The plaintiff, Gregory Backus, is a registered nurse who, while employed by the defendant hospital, twice requested and was refused full time placement in its labor and delivery section. The refusals were based upon an unwritten policy that the hospital “did not employ male R.N.s in OBGI” positions because of the concern of our female patients for privacy and personal dignity which make it impossible for a male employee to perform the duties of this position effectively.”