Assessing Each Other??!??

SummitRN, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2010

There's always someone who wants to touch everyone else, but nobody can touch them.

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2010

At my school nothing but pulses, reflexes, heart and lung sounds on each other! The rest LOL we learned in lab and the patients were our victims!

choc0late · Jul 31, 2010

Nobody sees any private genitalia areas at all. You keep a bra and panties on or a tank top and shorts if you want. But seriously, I don't know why it's such a big deal. Your going to be looking at tons of naked people in the most vulnerable state in their lives ever. I think it's good to share how they feel. At least we do it with classmates, patients have to do it with strangers. I think it's a test in dignity really.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Jul 31, 2010

There is nothing wrong with assessing each other. We did that in my class and it wasn't that big of a deal. Of course we didn't do breast exams or anything like that - for that stuff we used models and things.

We kept all of our clothes on. They usually wanted us to wear a tank top or something for auscultating lung/heart sounds (because it's easier and you should listen on bare skin because clothing can mimic the sound of crackles) but even if you listened over clothing and told the instructor you would listen on bare skin, then they were okay with it. We would lift the top just enough to expose the abdomen so we could listen to bowel sounds and that was it. No "free shows" :lol2:

CoffeemateCNA · Jul 31, 2010

If you don't learn what's "normal" by assessing your classmates, how do you expect to be able to determine what is "abnormal" on your patients when you are in a clinical setting? You have to learn what's right before you can know what's wrong.

healthstar, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2010

I have read in these forums that there are many schools that, when taking Health Assessment, the nursing students practice on each other! Is this true? I figured that assessment would take place during clinicals, in an appropriate place. I find it ridiculous. . . We are living in an age where health science technology and education can offer REAL alternatives (i.e. a life size maniquin). I find assessing each other in nursing school is both unprofessional and "ghetto" - for lack of a better word. Seriously, I am comfortable with my body, but come on! Wouldn't it be awkward to assess and/or practice on a fellow student? Also, I heard that some nursing school students practice inserting IVs and nasalgastric tubes on each other. Is this also true?!?! Maybe I'm mistaking the word "assessment." Enlighten me...I'm attending nursing school this fall. I mean, if WE HAVE TO, I will, but...anyway...

In my school the nursing students practice on each other ( it is a requirement and the instructor walks around to check on us) we practice in lab and there are curtains. We also do health assessment on real patients ( during clinicals). I don't think practicing on each other ( in nursing school) is unprofessional/ our lab looks just like a hospital room. I would say it's even better practicing on each other because you know most of the people in your class and they will let you touch them and they are more patient. In clinicals, you have real patients who can make you nervous and many of them don't want to be bothered as much.

Intern67 · Aug 1, 2010

I'm attending nursing school this fall....

Then you *really* need to calm down.

You may just watch too much sci-fi, but no one has yet developed a real alternative to human beings. (Heck, they haven't even found a way to get rid of "ghettos" yet.)

Chapis · Aug 1, 2010

it's just assessing one another, no one will be doing a pelvic exam on you, so calm down.

good luck in ns this fall.

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Aug 1, 2010

I did health assessments on other classmates for all systems, except the GU system (thankfully).

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Aug 1, 2010

My first IV I inserted on an instructor. Second on a classmate. I was terrified for the first and relaxed for the second, every one after that got easier and easier because you do them on humans.

Mannequins =/= real world experience. I would be scared if a student had never assessed another before going in to the work place. There is so much more about it then stick stetho here, put arm there, act awkward here. You not only need to develop your clinical skills but also your interpersonal skills. Laughing and joking around about it in lab helps.

P-medic2RN · Aug 1, 2010

Been there done that. You'll get used to it.

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · Aug 1, 2010

"I find assessing each other in nursing school is both unprofessional and "ghetto" - for lack of a better word. Seriously, I am comfortable with my body, but come on! Wouldn't it be awkward to assess and/or practice on a fellow student? Also, I heard that some nursing school students practice inserting IVs and nasalgastric tubes on each other. Is this also true?!?! "

Of course it's awkward to assess/practice on fellow students - that's the beauty of it. Better to feel awkward, clumsy, idiotic, etc while in the presence of someone who is feeling the exact same way than to go to clinical and do it for the first time on a patient who has the power to say "I don't want this student touching me." Mannequins are wonderful for some things, but they can't give the same feedback a fellow student can give.

As far as practicing IVs and NG tubes on each other...if you've got the supplies and you're both willing, go for it. But no school is going to require that you practice on each other. Just wait until you start nursing school to form an actual opinion as to whether practicing on each other is unprofessional.