Yikes! I just found out that next semester, during our health assessment course, we have to do breast exams ON EACH OTHER!
I had heard about this throught the grapevine, but thought it was a rumor. As it turns out, it's not....
I am a appalled at this. I do not think that it is necessary for us to do exams on each other. There is technology available we can use instead, such as models that feel like real breasts that even have lumps in them for students to detect. The idea of another student doing this to me, or doing this to another student, is very DISTURBING. To me, it is no different than walking up to one of my friends or mother and saying, "plop it down here hand let me give you a breast exam!" (Wouldn't do it!)
Hey, I've got breasts...two of 'em actually...I can practice on my own, thanks..
The instuctors say it is in a clinical capacity, better get used to it, but I don't see them baring their breasts for us to practice on. Nor do the guys get to try it out on a female student. They do it on other MALE students......If it is so clinical, and Ok, why not???? And us gals can check the guys' prostate!!
Anyway...if anybody else has had to do this, I would appreciate any input you can give on how it went...maybe pointers for figuring out how to get through it with dignity in TACT, or pointers on how to get OUT of it..(against my religion maybe?)
We get to wear swimsuits, too, but when you are like me and not a twiggy by far, it is hard enough to find a swimsuit to fit let alone subject oneself to bed baths. Hopefully more students will get weeded out with this stupid exercise.
Yuck! I'm glad we didn't have to do either one of those in my Nursing Assessment lab last semester. We had the models and then also, one of my instructers had recently found a lump in one of her own breasts and let anyone who wanted to to feel it. The batheing thing...I don't believe that was even covered in my nursing assessment class. I think of that as being more of a nursing assisstant duty I guess. Although, I know that is wrong... I know that I will be doing that also so please to jump on me for that last sentence. ;(
We recently did bedbaths in our fundamentals clinical lab. It's to get us ready for the hospital. Yes, Jennifer, it probably is usually a nurses assistant job, but RN's need to know how to do them, and nursing students get to do them to practice skills on their patients. During the bath you can also do a lot of assessments and ROM which is good to practice. In the real world we may not do too many, but then it will depend on what type of unit we work on.
It really isn't too bad to bathe each other... you are all in the same boat and we had on swim suits and shorts if we wanted. We didn't do perineal care on each other and I've been in the hospital several times and never have had it done on me. Most of the time pts would rather clean themselves 'down there' and just need help where they have a hard time reaching. My instructor said that she was in the hospital with back surgery and no one did perineal care on her! She said the nurses always encouraged her to do it... good for ROM and building self confidence when the pt can do their own self care!
We go to the hospital on Friday! I'm excited! We are going to have an actual pt to deal with... not a smart alecky classmate!
I am taking the same class... Health Assessment! And they're saying we have to give breast exams in these cubicles where you can literally see across into the next cubicle! AH! I do not feel comfortable with showing my breasts off to everyone including the 3 guys in our class! I am only 18 and have had very bad experiences with breast exams and such. I do not want to have to be reminded of those experiences. I am VERY religious and do not feel comfortable with this at all! I want to know when as an RN do you ever give a Breast Exam?! not only that but apparently were giving each other baths! NAKED?! this is just a "rumor" but everything my instructor has said has hinted to this! I am NOT comfortable with that! No doctor has even seen me in that way! no one HAS! Not since I was little. There is no way I will be able to get through this without being embarrassed! I do not want anyone seeing my breasts or any other private areas of mine! ... This disgusts me.
Count me in on the "I would never do that" list. That is very invasive. It may be embarrassing for some women to just bare their breasts like that for other students. I have an older cousin who has very large breasts and ever since we were younger she has always been ashamed of them so how could somebody like that bare their breasts?
Not to mention, if a student is scared/embarrassed/nervous it is going to keep them from learning properly. Im sure most students would be uncomfortable with this. No way I would do it either
my mother inlaw told me that her program had them do breast exams. In fact, her class had the men do the exams too. I haven't heard anything regarding this in our program.
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#1rnstudent
157 Posts
We get to wear swimsuits, too, but when you are like me and not a twiggy by far, it is hard enough to find a swimsuit to fit let alone subject oneself to bed baths. Hopefully more students will get weeded out with this stupid exercise.