Did you have to brush your classmates teeth?

QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP · May 30, 2012

We never brushed each other's teeth in skills lab. Nor did we practice baths on each other. That's something you read about, but perform for the first time in clinical when you do AM care. Brushing teeth is so basic (especially when you client has dentures, and you can just hold those suckers in your hands), I don't see why a school would waste such time on it...

Besides, if a client is able, they are supposed to brush their own teeth.

2bmalenurse23 · May 30, 2012

In my program we also had to brush our classmates teeth and vice versa. It sounds weird but its not that bad , its to get you prepared to do the skill in a clinical setting.

Sannie6226 · May 30, 2012

I was on a nursing schools facebook page and saw pictures of them brushing each others teeth. Is this common to use other students for practice teeth brushing. I think i would feel REALLY uncomfortable with this. And brushing teeth shouldn't really be a skill that we are unfamiliar with... lol

Well although everyone should be comfortable brushing their own teeth, not everyone has brushed someone else's! It is a little akward because that is usually one of the first things you do with your new classmates, but by the end of the semester that is by far not the weirdest thing you have done or talked about with eachother!

shay&lynn, ASN, RN · May 30, 2012

We didn't do that in school...we had to assist if needed in the clinical setting.

This is something I learned in STNA training.

SweetOldWorld, BSN, RN · May 30, 2012

I was on a nursing schools facebook page and saw pictures of them brushing each others teeth. Is this common to use other students for practice teeth brushing. I think i would feel REALLY uncomfortable with this. And brushing teeth shouldn't really be a skill that we are unfamiliar with... lol

Wait til you get to suppositories...

Stephalump · May 30, 2012

We actually do brush each others teeth and bath each other and things like that.

The theory behind that is knowing what it's like to be bathed adds an empathy factor to performing the task.

travelcat18 · May 30, 2012

I don't think we brushed each other's teeth, but we did give each other bed baths. It's so not a big deal and it's something you'll need to do in clinical. It will help you learn to brush someone else's teeth, and as a 'mock' patient, you'll learn what it's like to be somewhat vulnerable.

Part of bonding with your fellow nursing students is all being in the same awkward situations. You'll be laughing about it before you know it.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

pixiestudent2 · May 30, 2012

The though of someone else brushing my teeth really disturbs me. I don't know why it seems very weird. I really hope my school skips this...

KB1975 · May 30, 2012

Sali

I could not agree with you more! I have brushed other peoples teeth but I do not like the idea of someone brushing mine. lol

Juniper248 · May 30, 2012

I'm pre-nursing so I don't know exactly what a bed bath entails, but do you have to bathe eachother's private parts and such (in lab)? :uhoh3:

UTVOL3 · May 30, 2012

Never did that. My NICU colleagues and I had to feed each other sterile water from various types of nipples once, though. Complete with scratchy washcloths smooshed under our chins! lol! Crazy speech therapists!