Guys, how should I handle this?

[jov]

This is a gal wanting male input: we had a "problem" in our last two semesters when we were watching videos of examinations. In one movie, the pretend doctor pulled up the gown of the pretend patient and one of the guys said "slow down the video!" There have been similar comments in that vein. Now, I'm not a prude--not after having been married 26 years LOL-- but I feel a patient is a person in a vulnerable position and it is of the utmost importance to make sure that patient does not feel ANYTHING sexual is going on.

When complaints were voiced, the guys replied, "the girls were laughing too" and brought up an instance where the girls giggled during a circumcision video. Now, I'm sure you guys would be the first to admit there's nothing sexual about circumcision and I think the giggles were from watching the guys squirm-- but I definitely felt the other comments made were sexual in nature and completely inappropriate. Any feedback?

[arelius]

I agree with you. That kind of reaction is unprofessional and should be kept to a minimum in the classroom and completely erased in the clinical setting. I understand that in the classroom people are friends and colleages so there is some lee-way(sp?) and joking and playing around a little bit is okay but it's better to practice being professional in the classroom to form good habits that will show in the clinical setting. I'm sure it was all in good fun (the guy was probably just trying to be funny) and didn't truely mean anything by it, especially sexual intent.

[Medwynn]

That kind of behavior is immature, yet i can see how one can laugh about it. I laugh all the time in class. Sounds like the students haven't witnessed these performed. Wait until their peds rotation to see some real circumcisions performed on multiple babies.

Movies are one thing but i don't think they'll laugh when they're up close and personal.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

Perhaps he was just trying to break up the monotony...sometimes a little humor..even in BAD taste...can help to break up a tense situation. Perhaps he felt a little embarrased about watching the video.

Whatever the situation, you can get away with it in class, but NEVER in clinicals. You've got to cut some people a break and not judge them on their random comments - we're bigger than that.

vamedic4

working working working all night long

[firstyearstudent]

I don't know if I should be here, since I'm a woman, but I thought I would say that there might be a double standard here. Women are always saying racy stuff in my classes and everyone just laughs. Why should guys be held to a higher standard?

For instance, we saw an assessment video that ended with a rectal exam and somebody said, "They save the best for last."

Another time the instructor said, "You might find yourself being attracted to a patient, but it's never okay to have sexual contact with them." Then a girl snickered, "Unless they've got prostatitis, and then you can stick your finger (you can guess the rest)."

I think people make these jokes in class because they are embarassed and want to cut the tension.

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

I agree. Sounds pretty harmless to me. But then, nursing school is infamous about magnifying every little thing.

I will say this: if this is a problem for you NOW, wait until you hear some of what passes for humor in the profession. There's a REASON why it's often called sick, or 'black humor'.

http://www.corexcel.com/html/body.humor.page7.htm

"Most nurses and doctors have this sick sense of humor. They share humor that the average person would consider insensitive or inappropriate. (Policemen, firemen and EMS professionals also have this kind of sense of humor, as we will see later.) Why do hospital staff have such a crude and macabre sense of humor?

Doctors and nurses confront life-threatening tragedy every day. So if humor does help cope with extreme emotional stress, you would expect it to show up in hospitals, where staff are exposed to serious illness and injury, death and dying every day. Working in a hospital is tremendously stressful, and staff have no choice but to develop effective tools to help them cope. Most doctors and nurses soon learn that humor is an especially powerful tool in letting go of the difficult emotions that accompany every day's work.

New staff members who are initially put off by crude hospital humor gradually learn to enjoy it--or try to work elsewhere. Most realize that this kind of humor helps them live with the terrible things they must confront every day. It helps fight off burnout and do their job effectively."

~faith,

Timothy.

[Thanet]

I agree. Sounds pretty harmless to me. But then, nursing school is infamous about magnifying every little thing.

I will say this: if this is a problem for you NOW, wait until you hear some of what passes for humor in the profession. There's a REASON why it's often called sick, or 'black humor'.

http://www.corexcel.com/html/body.humor.page7.htm

"Most nurses and doctors have this sick sense of humor. They share humor that the average person would consider insensitive or inappropriate. (Policemen, firemen and EMS professionals also have this kind of sense of humor, as we will see later.) Why do hospital staff have such a crude and macabre sense of humor?

Doctors and nurses confront life-threatening tragedy every day. So if humor does help cope with extreme emotional stress, you would expect it to show up in hospitals, where staff are exposed to serious illness and injury, death and dying every day. Working in a hospital is tremendously stressful, and staff have no choice but to develop effective tools to help them cope. Most doctors and nurses soon learn that humor is an especially powerful tool in letting go of the difficult emotions that accompany every day's work.

New staff members who are initially put off by crude hospital humor gradually learn to enjoy it--or try to work elsewhere. Most realize that this kind of humor helps them live with the terrible things they must confront every day. It helps fight off burnout and do their job effectively."

~faith,

Timothy.

Well said timothy,

I have not been here long but have been a nurse MANY years.

I have been searching these forums for a few days now, trying to find how things are done and said here...

eating food whilst watching a patient have a BM? or GI? ... It has been posted.

making a 'blue joke' with a 90 year old patient when you both know death is just around the corner... been posted.

I could go on.

The thing is some of our humour IS out of order. BUT it is between ourselves (Perhaps that is why so many medics/firepersonel/police marry each other)... we understand the humour.

BUT

When we are actually doing the job we love we are professional.

I have nursed neighbours and seen them in embarresing situations and dealt with it as a nurse...

later I see them in the street and deal with it as a neighbour

not too sure this has helped any but it is just my tuppence worth.

[nurse_schuh]

As a recent Grad and nurse in Federal Prison, I find that humor can go a long way. Do you not think that police officers do not make light of certain instances that the general public may find offensive? There are some stories that I have heard here that many might find objectional in nature, but that is the way we cope. Nursing School can be stressful, as I am sure we all know. I was what many may call the "class clown", and I have many of my other classmates that have contacted me to say how much they miss my off the wall comments, or how they have been sitting in orientation and their instructor would say something and they sat in silence waiting for my smart-a** comments. I had alot more fun throughout school than most people admit too, and I for one am glad that I may have made the experience a little more bearable for my classmates.

My advice to you: Have a laugh. You will find that it can go alot faster if you have a little fun.

[Logan]

Hi,

A little humour never hurt anyone.

However, if used excessively - or if it is disruptive to class - then it is certainly a problem.

Thanks,

Matthew

[ICURNGUY]

If the ones that make the comments in class leave it at that....they are wise at choosing the time and place. If they are not....Good! Hope they are imbarrased and relieved from duty by doing so. We (nurses...not M or F) do not need people like that representing us. Just like in earlier classes, and even nursing school, they will weed themselves out. Sometimes a few get lucky and make it that far.

[Dabuggy]

I am guilty and would have laughed. I can seperate classroom and clinicals. In clinicals I am very serious about what I do and my position there. In my class we laughed at a lot of things, However if someone spoke up that it made them uncomfortable, it would have stopped.

I'm sorry a few in your class were uncomfortable. Curious as to if your instructor laughes?

Dabuggy

[Corvette Guy]

Perhaps he was just trying to break up the monotony...sometimes a little humor..even in BAD taste...can help to break up a tense situation. Perhaps he felt a little embarrased about watching the video.

Whatever the situation, you can get away with it in class, but NEVER in clinicals. You've got to cut some people a break and not judge them on their random comments - we're bigger than that.

vamedic4

working working working all night long

:yeahthat:

BTW, some pretty dark humor can be heard in the OR... via male & female health care professionals.