Bathing Classmates and Other Personal Boundaries?

[brownhairedgal]

I've read a few threads on this and honestly I am shocked. I was unaware that students had to practice anything on each other that was invasive or required them to wear any clothing besides scrubs or other professional attire. This concept did not exist for me until I read threads in which people spoke about these practices.

I do not think it is right for students to have to wear clothing that exposes them, even if it is "just" shorts/bathing suit/bra/sports bra/tank top. Nor do I think it is right for students to have to be examined or touched in any way by another student. If we're going to make it about why I personally don't like it, it is because I don't wear shorts other than when I swim, they are usually knee-length, and I don't swim very often (last time was 2-3 years ago). I don't like to expose my legs for various reasons and I don't want to have to purchase clothing to show off a body part that I don't ever show off, hence why I don't own that type of clothing.

In previous posts there were people to said it wasn't a big deal, and others who think students should have to because their predecessors had to (and they had to do much more to each other than just bathing- such as catheter insertion, breast/lady partsl exams, anal swabbing, etc.), and yet others say it is so that students can learn what it is like to be a patient. Many of these people are saying that those who take issue with it aren't cut out for nursing. This makes no sense to me.

Other than helping out your classmates by providing a body so they can practice and do their exam on, what benefit does this give you? You will make a friend in class who may or may not help you later? So the benefit here is teamwork? I find it highly unlikely that I will be working with the classmate after I graduate and I don't feel that it is my duty to let someone invade my personal space just because the school we are at doesn't use mannequins and real patients. A student is not the same thing as a licensed professional and I don't want inexperienced people touching me or using my body to practice things like injections or catheters or even bathing. Once they are licensed then I know I can trust that they are being professional and held responsible, until then they are no different than someone in my A&P class going for a biology degree.

None of this means I will have a problem with other people's bodies or caring for them. My own personal level of comfort for MY body does not mean I won't be able to do my job and do what I need to when caring for another person. My own body being exposed is not something that will help me when I am bathing a patient because I will never be bathed by a patient and I will never be unclothed in front of a patient.

It seems that people who went to school years ago had to do more to each other than the schools today and if you respond to this I would love to hear what years you went to school (your age is not important) and what your experience and opinions are.

P.S. This is not about a male/female thing, as I think either gender would bother me just as much.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I guess I would want to know why I would let you practice on me if you would not let me practice on you? Or why other patients in the hospital then should allow you, an unlicensed student and absolute amateur in patient care, practice on THEM?

Time to pull up your big girl panties (that nobody is going to see) and accept that as nurses we will have to do a lot of things we are uncomfortable with, and will have to do the same to others. Am I looking forward to letting others bathe me? Not in the slightest. Do I think my discomfort means I am highly likely to learn something? Definitely.

Onward and upward. You signed up for this. Embrace it.

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

still IMHO does not take much to do a proper and correct bed bath, you know what you need to clean (hance you clean your self every day!) it is not rocket science, and you can read the directions on your fundamental book!

wash a barbie doll with an alcohol wipe = same thing!

eyes first, with no soap, inner corner to outer, then face and neck, arms to hands (cleaner to dirtier,) belly legs, peri care (if pt can, let them do it), turn around, butt, change rags again, back, then a quick back rub, linen change r dry the patient as you go, only expose what is being cleaned, change water and rags as needed!

dont rub butt rags or peri rags on patients!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I think what practicing gives you is an aura of confidence and competence when caring for the patient. And that is crucial to patient well being. If they don't feel like you know what you are doing and could do it in your sleep they aren't going to feel secure or well cared for. Practice is always worth it, for patient care and for passing clinical scenario exams.

[Aurora77]

I'm really surprised how many people here think that it's appropriate for students to give each other bed baths. That's beyond bizarre to me. That experience in no way gives students a chance to find out what it's like to be a patient. The classroom/lab environment is vastly different from a hospital/LTC. The interpersonal dynamics are very different. I can't believe schools would actually do this.

To the OP, I would definitely talk to a trusted instructor about this. I hope it works out well for you.

[Boog'sCRRN246, RN]

When we practiced bed baths in lab, we practiced over clothing. No one removed anything and nothing was exposed. I think practicing invasive/non-invasive procedures on classmates is more myth than anything else. Sure, you can practice IV starts and blood draws and bed baths and caths on each other, if you want to, but no school is going to force these things on students.

[Do-over, ASN, RN]

We did not practice bed baths on each other, but we did do our physical assessments on each other in class. We looked, palpated, percussed, listened, etc, each other in class and every chance we got in the practice lab. Yes, flabby bellies, stretch marks, scars, etc. were exposed - but we treated each other with respect and dignity, and provided for privacy, (just as we do for our patients) so it was all good.

[rotteluvr31, ADN, RN]

As for bed baths being easy to do... when I started school a million years ago we practiced bedbaths on each other. A fellow student was comfortable and confident. Until the first real day in the hospital with her first real patient. Although she knew what to do, she started at the toes and worked her way up! It was her comfort zone to start at the feet. Being in the hospital was so much different then the safe secure practice lab.

We only did one invasive procedure on each other, and that was an IM injection. Oh, some folks might have started IV's on each other. I think I declined starting one or being someones guinea pig. That must have been an optional day. And of course, this is waaaaay before there were sim labs.

But the OP made me think of CNA's. The programs here have them practice everything on each other. That's how they learn in lab prior to getting experience in the nursing home. Then they go to take a state exam where they are paired up with a stranger to perform some task, like bathing, so they can earn their certification. I will agree that baring parts my skin to a stranger isn't my idea of fun; however, if you can give a bedbath to a classmate you may be more at ease the next time you give one. And the next time will be on a patient who will be able to sense your discomfort. Especially if you start at their feet.

[elkpark]

When we practiced bed baths in lab we practiced over clothing. No one removed anything and nothing was exposed. I think practicing invasive/non-invasive procedures on classmates is more myth than anything else. Sure, you can practice IV starts and blood draws and bed baths and caths on each other, [i']if you want to[/i], but no school is going to force these things on students.

We also practiced baths, in lab, with clothes on and a dry washcloth and basin -- just went through the motions, and nobody actually touched any personal/intimate areas of someone else's body. I just don't see what the big deal is.

[twins2005]

I think your instructor will understand the modesty part, but ask her privately if other arrangements can be made ahead of time.......don't make a big deal of it and I imagine they will be more than accomadating.

Good luck!

PS. It's really not that bad!

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

it is not rocket science

wash a barbie doll with an alcohol wipe = same thing!

Spoken like a true student. No it is not rocket science. None of nursing is. What isn't true is your statement above...

The bed bath is an intimate time between the patient and the nurse. It allows the nurse to get to know the patient and IMO is the best way to do skin assessments. If you are going to compare practicing a bed bath to that of washing a Barbie doll with an alcohol wipe you are seriously missing something. By receiving a bed bath you may discover what is uncomfortable (which you will most likely discover during a bath given by a fellow unexperienced student) and can have a slight understanding of what it is like to be exposed to a perfect stranger when already in a vulnerable situation and have to trust that person.

I don't think "This is my first time, but I read it in my nursing text book I can give you a bath" than "oh I can start an I.V. I read it in my text book, they even had pictures". Many of my I.V. skills were learned by getting I.V.s by fellow students...just as I learned many of my I.V. skills by starting them on fellow students.

Mannequins can not give you feed back after a bed bath just like a plastic arm with kool-aid can not advise you how to improve your I.V. skills...which I can guarantee you as a student they do.

[cwood88]

At my nursing school we were not made to unclothe each other and we too used a dry wash cloth and basin. And we also did not practice our I.V. skills on each other we used dummy arms. I would have preferred to use each other with the IV's but my college would NOT let us. and I agree with some of the other posters that if you have to undress to a certain extent, then so be it, you are doing it to your patients at your clinical institution. So If you still feel strongly about it I to would speak with my clinical instructor and not degrade the program for there preference in learning techniques, b/c that we get you no where if you do!!!

[Psilant]

Our school has us do a 'mock' bed bath on each other. We keep our clothes on, but we were asked to wear shorts so that we could practice putting on TED hose.

I was uncomfortable with the TED hose thing just because I have very ticklish feet. And I think feet are gross and wasn't really looking forward to having a foot in my face.... but it really wasn't / isn't that bad!!!! At least I had the chance to practice my 'nursing mask' before I offended a real patient. LOL.

We also did this to help us understand proper body mechanics of rolling someone. Not all patients can move themselves. Trust me, a 400 lb patient's leg is HEAVY!