where and how can i learn to do a pelvic exam

AnnieNP, MSN, NP · Jun 10, 2019

Do you have a local NP program that you could contact and ask their guidance?

Oldmahubbard · Jun 10, 2019

I am not sure where you are expecting to work? And how you would work with just some "glad to have you" clinical hours, and no certification?

It doesn't work that way. Hasn't in at least 30 years.

Just donate to Planned Parenthood.

My opinion only.

MikeFNPC, MSN · Jun 10, 2019

Well, if you're certified in adult, I'd connect with your local professional APRN organization and ask around for a women's health NP and see if they would let you see one, do one, teach one, lol.

Oldmahubbard · Jun 10, 2019

Ok, people, can you imagine a physician asking such a completely ridiculous question?

Please just retire. Not to be cruel, but you embarrass me.

MikeFNPC, MSN · Jun 10, 2019

This happens all the time, every day, everywhere, it's not unusual at all. I personally give refreshers for providers, NP's, PA's, and MD's, with procedures such as joint injections.

What we need more on this forum is more encouragement, not tearing down.

TuxnadoDO · Jun 11, 2019

It does not sound like you are qualified to provide gynecologic medical services, and won’t become qualified for this by simply learning to do a pelvic exam.

Oldmahubbard · Jun 11, 2019

1 hour ago, TuxnadoDO said:
It does not sound like you are qualified to provide gynecologic medical services, and won’t become qualified for this by simply learning to do a pelvic exam.

Thank you and Good Lord.

djmatte, ADN, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 12, 2019

5 hours ago, TuxnadoDO said:
It does not sound like you are qualified to provide gynecologic medical services, and won’t become qualified for this by simply learning to do a pelvic exam.

Debatable. I question why an ANP doesn't feel confident in the first place. They are technically qualified to treat patients who are 13 and above. This includes a range of primary care and women's health issues. This should be part of core certification/competency.

I will say this, medicine is one of the only fields I've experienced where someone can read and watch something and just start doing it. Maybe one the hardest hangups RNs have coming from a role of training, policy, and procedure that justify actually performing. I remember a doc I worked with who did trans nasal sphenoid ganglion blocks (for headaches). I asked where she got the training and was told she read about the method and just started doing it. #mindblown

Pelvic exams in and of themselves are not hard. But as a guy, they were intimidating for me. I also had a first preceptor who made me really drive to be good at it because she recognized it was intimidating and she was a hard a$$ regarding women's health. Like anything in medicine, practice will make you proficient. I reflect on my school experience and am thankful for their hard requirements for primary care procedures like paps and pelvics. We had to do 50 before we could clear clinicals. I could roll into these areas confident in practice. As others have suggested, I suggest looking into other providers to get some insight into the how and what you are looking for. You are not outside your scope to read extensively and start doing. But I'd like to have more insight personally if I were in a similar situation.

caliotter3 · Jun 12, 2019

I say, if the OP wants to try this, then go for it. Much better than to be like my PCP. One reason I chose my PCP was because she was also listed as practicing OB/GYN and I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. Come to find out in my first visit that she doesn't have anything to do with OB/GYN. She shut that door quickly. If someone is qualified to do something and wants to do it, fine by me. Someone out there will benefit by their efforts.

TuxnadoDO · Jun 12, 2019

2 hours ago, djmatte said:
Debatable. I question why an ANP doesn't feel confident in the first place. They are technically qualified to treat patients who are 13 and above. This includes a range of primary care and women's health issues. This should be part of core certification/competency.
I will say this, medicine is one of the only fields I've experienced where someone can read and watch something and just start doing it. Maybe one the hardest hangups RNs have coming from a role of training, policy, and procedure that justify actually performing. I remember a doc I worked with who did trans nasal sphenoid ganglion blocks (for headaches). I asked where she got the training and was told she read about the method and just started doing it. #mindblown
Pelvic exams in and of themselves are not hard. But as a guy, they were intimidating for me. I also had a first preceptor who made me really drive to be good at it because she recognized it was intimidating and she was a hard a$$ regarding women's health. Like anything in medicine, practice will make you proficient. I reflect on my school experience and am thankful for their hard requirements for primary care procedures like paps and pelvics. We had to do 50 before we could clear clinicals. I could roll into these areas confident in practice. As others have suggested, I suggest looking into other providers to get some insight into the how and what you are looking for. You are not outside your scope to read extensively and start doing. But I'd like to have more insight personally if I were in a similar situation.

Couple good points in there. But...

Procedural capability is one thing to consider. For physicians who have done thousands of procedures, learning a new one often means learning a new series of steps or using new equipment, but those steps have been done before, practiced hundreds of times during other procedures, and the equipment is usually a new version of something already used. For instance, I've used the Seldinger technique for multiple procedures. Learning a new procedure that utilizes the Seldinger technique would not be like learning how to do something from scratch. I can learn a new peripheral nerve block easily, but it's because I already know how to do nerve blocks and am adept at using an US machine.

The larger point I was trying to make, is that being able to perform a pelvic exam is not the crux of competency in women's medical care. How many pelvics do you have to do before you're good at it? Before you're good at detecting subtle abnormalities? Do you then know what to do once you've found something abnormal? After not treating women's gyn issues for so many years, are you the person you'd want your mother/sister/daughter seeing for preventative healthcare or when having a related medical problem?
If the OP can take some sort of NP-geared course related to outpatient GYN care, and takes a job with a physician on-site, that might work out fine.

DannyBoy8, RN · Jun 13, 2019

WHNP post-masters program?