Examining each other?

RedSox33RN · Sep 25, 2004

The thing about being a pt. though, is that you have a CHOICE. As a pt., I can refuse any treatment, or choose not to see a man (or woman) for a certain procedure or as my physician/NP. Not so if your instructor is telling you to do something, or else.

In addition, the students are studying to become professionals, but they aren't there yet. Not to say they won't be, but it's my choice not be half-naked in front of them. And I'm not ashamed of my body either. I even ask my kids before I practice procedures on them. It's their body, and they must learn they have a right to say no (within reason of course. Emergencies not withstanding).

lauritasol · Sep 25, 2004

Ooooo me too! Our instructor in our health assessment lab told us that we would have to wear a sports bra for our second week and strip down. I was totally shocked and was extremely worried about feeling weird in front of my classmates half naked, especially with men in our group! But it turned out not to be as bad as I imagined. We did go with our lab partner (thank God mine was a girl and a friend!) and we were able to don gowns AND be behind partitions, BUT the awful thing is is that we are performing physicals on people who are healthy. I think that turned out to be the worst part. We are ausculating, palpating and examining relatively healthy people, so I don't feel like I am learning anything from assessing the "normal" every time. I will be glad to start assessing my patients in clinical next week.

Another thing was when some people did complain about feeling uncomfortable about the undressing and such our profs just told us war stories of what they had to go through when they were in nursing school and that this was nothing compared to that. I guess they use to drop NG tubes and other scarey things on each other.

I hope it works out for you and is like my experience - not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but if it makes you feel uncomfortable I would definitely say something! Let us know how it goes. :rolleyes:

wam79 · Sep 28, 2004

This sounds weak to me . I'm an open guy . In my school I was the only male. I was very open to describe exams that males would get. We did practice exams with clothes on. Clothes off wasn't an option ,but I can't see how that will relate to pt. care. Other female students are not patients it would not be a relationshup on the same level.

I recently enroled in a Standardized Patient program at the UH Med school. I will be a pt with a diagnosis that is assigned to me. The program is used for nursing & medical students. Residents also. The student will take a history and do an exam based on the "pts" presentation.This is a more realistic learning enviroment. you have a health care agenda and you have to examine a "pt" male or female. the students are expected to do whatever exam the illness calls for (no genital,rectal or female breast exams). I wonder if other communities have programs like this?

Chaya, ASN, RN · Sep 28, 2004

We were given time alone in a curtained exam area to change into a gown (leaving our underwear on) before our partner did the exam. As an old married lady I had the only man in the class for a partner. I was actually more comfortable examining and being examined by a man as I had not had that much physical contact with other adult women! I felt awkward with the physical exam but it wasn't really invasive. I did feel like I was stepping over the line in a different class when we took histories; my partner divulged some things about psych history and substance use I wished I hadn't learned. Even with the provision of confidentiality I was uncomfortable using this info in the write-up although it was very relevant to her physical health.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2004

Does anyone protest this sort of nonsense? I just sit here with my mouth hanging open that students do this sort of thing. Examining a cooperative and healthy fellow student is nothing like doing it in on a patient. I just can't imagine this "nurse play" as being beneficial. Am I the only one on this BB to feel this is a true privacy invasion?

We only had to do bed baths on same-sexed persons in private. Not a situation like this in front of 28 other people.

However, I think it's valuable to "practice" head-to-toes on humans so that when we go to clinicals there's some confidence that we know what things sound like and feel like and how to do it. So I can see some value in it. But this sounds a bit over-the-top.

crb613, BSN, RN · Sep 28, 2004

Today in our Health Assesment course our instructor told us that from now on we had to wear sports bras & bike shorts to class every week so that we could examine each other. We will have to strip down to just the sports bra & shorts for class.
I have some issues with this & I'm not sure how to handle it.
I understand they want us to feel vunerable like our patients would so that we can relate. But when doing exams on patients we are supposed to protect privacy. Yet in our class we are expected to strip down to sports bra & biker shorts in front of 30 of our class mates, male & female. In fact my partner ( got partners the first day & must stay with same partner whole course) is a male.
I'm actually friends with this guy & don't mind having him examine me, but I feel it is a violation for me to have to remove my clothes in front of the other 28 people in class.
I am a very private person & very self concious about my body size & shape. I'm just not sure where I stand on this & if I can or should attempt to do anything about it. Or is it something I'm gonna get forced to do. Do I have a right to object or refuse? I don't mind the exam, just the exposure in front of all my classmates.
I'm not the only one who feels this way at all. Does anyone have any advice or insight?
Thanks so much !

I for one think it's nuts!! What the heck are the dummy's and for?? I know they are not the real thing but there are plenty of other ways to obtain training.When we practice we talk through certain areas while being in the correct place on the dummy.We do do pulse, bp, resp. and that type of stuff on each other. I would suggest talking to your teacher and tell them how you feel and I personally would not do it.I am so sorry you are being put through this unnecessary stress. :imbar Just my 2 cents worth and good luck.CRB613

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Sep 28, 2004

This is absolutely ridiculous. No one should have to strip down to underwear in front of his or her classmates, and in the OP's shoes I'd be the first one in the dean's office protesting such a requirement.

When I was in school some years back, we did have to bare parts of our bodies for IM injections and physical assessments, but we wore patient gowns and our underwear for the more 'intimate' skills check-offs, and were NEVER required to expose private areas. We also were permitted to do these with only our partner and an instructor present, and the curtains were always drawn.

That said, I can't help but recall the day the second-year students did their final assessment check-offs, with us freshmen as their 'patients'. I was paired with this one girl who did everything perfectly until she got to assessing my gag reflex, which is extremely reliable......and extremely SENSITIVE. She'd barely gotten that cotton swab in my mouth before I went "YAAAAK!" I didn't quite throw up, but that huge retching sound made everyone in the room think I had, and she scrambled to get out of the way while a number of heads popped up over the top of the curtain to see what was going on! :rotfl: Both of us were embarrassed, and we just kept apologizing to each other.....she hadn't done anything wrong, but I couldn't help gagging.......well, it IS a reflex, isn't it?

Of course, the whole incident made everyone laugh, and even the instructors broke up when they realized I was OK.....it was just good technique on the part of their student. :chuckle

Love4Me, RN · Oct 1, 2004

For our health assessments we were split into groups of 2 and there were about 10 groups in the room at a time. Of course we had the curtains pulled around each group. We had to wear a tank top and shorts. Needless to say...we have gotten to know each other VERY WELL.