I have to be bathed by my classmate???

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:imbar Ok call me old fashioned but I am kind of concerned. I had my nursing orientation today, and I was informed that as part of one of my practical nursing classes I will have to be sponge bathed by one of my classmates and in turn need to sponge bathe a classmate. Ok fine. No worries. HOWEVER, the next breath was, you will have to strip down to your underwear only and your classmate will drape you and sponge bathe you and vice versa. I understand that as a nurse I will give sponge baths to patients and I have no problem with that. But one of my classmates that I am going to spend hours and hours with for the next 2 years bathing me is a whole other story! True, like the instructor said it lets you know first hand how the patient will feel while you are abthing them, so you will want to treat them with dignity but being an overweight gal I am uncomfortable with this because I will have to look at these classmates for the next 2 years. Did anyone else ever do this as part of their curriculum? I don't mean to freak out but I never heard of this. They can stick me with all the needles they want for practice, but bathe the mannequins...lol :uhoh3:

We did sponge baths, but were given the option to wear bathing suits or underwear. We also we allowed to choose our partner. I still didn't like it, but I got thru it. It does give you some insight of how the patient feels to have a stranger bathe you.

Good luck!

My first reaction to this thread when I saw it was WHAAAT? Then I saw that you got to pick your bathing partner...what do you say exactly.."Ummm...you're cute....wanna bath?" :rotfl:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I know how you feel, I was a bit surprised we had to do this too. It was very embarrassing for both of us involved. I lived through it, but hated it. It certainly didn't enhance my skills in anyway.

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Not so. We practice IV therapy on each other.

How long ago? Most schools I have heard do not for the same reasons. Your school, while its good you got to practice on real people before going to the hospital, but the practice itself is scarey for the schools safety.

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The smart thing to do would be to not rock the boat and rebel, but just go with what your instructor says. If you put a target on your head this early in your nursing school career....you are screwed! I have seen other students complain to try and change things that weren't major (like bathing) and all that happened was a negative attitude towards those students and a label of "troublemaker". Nursing school is like boot camp. Just play the game and pass. Don't cause yourself more undue and unnecessary stress. You will get your fair share of stress during clinicals, studying, and taking tests.

I have seen this too and agree with the boot camp thingy. We had many "rebel" students try to change exam questions, stating they were too hard, well DUH do you not think they are hard for a reason? Do you think the NCLEX is a cake walk? I swear people think if they b*tch long and hard enough they can change the whole system, and in reality, it is hurting them more than helping them. I have seen people run right out of nursing school for not conforming with the rules or not doing a good job or just plain having attitude, and talking sh*t instead of learning and going through the motions. Most I wouldnt have wanted to be my nurse, so I guess it is a good thing. But you never want to stick out like a sore thumb, no tin school any way. leave that for a time when you have to be a pt avocate, or some other necessity in the field.

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My first reaction to this thread when I saw it was WHAAAT? Then I saw that you got to pick your bathing partner...what do you say exactly.."Ummm...you're cute....wanna bath?" :rotfl:

LoL if you wish. But in my class we had to pick same sex partners. But it isnt a huge deal since no one gets nude. So I can see how some schools wouldnt care either way. Its a good experience and it isnt so bad.

Also you dont usually do it on the first day. So you have a chance to get to know someone better and it isnt so bad, after all you all have to do it. No biggy.

I would fear "bed making" more. It was such a huge issue and so critical.

Had nightmare over being tested on something so stupid. But its all about the hoops baby.

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There is no way I would do that. What are they going to do kick you out? That would give a bad rep to that school. We never had to do that and that is just ridiculous. Don't let them scare you into doing something like this that you are not comfortable doing. I would definately read some law books about that one.

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Specializes in Geri and adult psych, hospice.

Hi all,

I actually took a phlebotomy class last semester, in hopes that it would help me in nursing school in the fall. We practiced drawing blood on each other every week! It did not feel good and was a bit scary, but I have to say, I think it will help me now that I've done it on a real live person. As far as bathing goes, we did this in my CNA class. We were clothed but "pretended" to bathe one another. When I actually had to give a real bed bath for the first time to a patient (who was male by the way :rolleyes: ) I was terrified! I got through it, and now it's second nature. Funny thing though, and thank God were in nursing school now, because my CNA instructer, who was in nursing school back in the sixties, said that back then they had to give each other enemas!! :uhoh21: WOW! Now THAT would be emabarrasing! Louisepug

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Phelbotomy is different. They do that. Here in my school we dont (ADN) stick each other. Although all my instructors did when they were in school.

And as far as fighting it, again I wouldnt rock the boat. JMHO

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LoL if you wish. But in my class we had to pick same sex partners. But it isnt a huge deal since no one gets nude. So I can see how some schools wouldnt care either way. Its a good experience and it isnt so bad.

Also you dont usually do it on the first day. So you have a chance to get to know someone better and it isnt so bad, after all you all have to do it. No biggy.

I would fear "bed making" more. It was such a huge issue and so critical.

Had nightmare over being tested on something so stupid. But its all about the hoops baby.

:rotfl: :rotfl: I'm sorry..I must be tired..I'm laughing at everything. Imagine the first day of class..."OK class, you're oriented, you're here...everyone..IN THE TUBS!"

Ok..I'm going to bed now :chuckle

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We had to bathe each other. We got to wear shorts and a Tshirt as long as we pulled the sleeves up on it. I would have told them where to stick it if they'd told me to strip to my underwear. It's bad enough being in a class with all these new people you hardly know, I think that's a little uncalled for. Maybe they just have a morbid sense of humor and wanted to scare the dickins out of you. As for being on the "other" end of the hospital care, I was in last summer for 8 days for surgery and those 8 days taught me soooo much on how to treat my pts. when I did get to return to my clinicals. It was a wake up call for sure. I start back this coming Mon. and will graduate in Dec. I learned to pay more attention to my pt. and less attention to the paperwork. Good luck to you.

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I totally understand what you were saying. I remember my orientation day before starting, being told we had to sponge bath AND shower each other. I felt totally freaked out. But after a few months of brushing each other's teeth, feeding each other, taking full histories and doing full ward rotations with our partner in the bed (or vice versa), I truly got used to it.

The thing is, when you're all in the same boat, it's easier to deal with. We have an eight bed ward with 16 nurse/patient pairs. When you are playing patient, you're in there with 7 other patients. And you're being nursed by someone who will be in the same boat next week - so we're all GREAT about draping! We also have the privacy curtains drawn etc. It's actually quite private and modest.

As for the fat issue - TRUST ME when I tell you that no matter how someone looks with their clothes on, we all look hideous under our clothes. We've all got rolls of fat and cellulite and yukky looking bits. And a funny thing happens when you're a nursing student - you stop looking at people as "fat or thin"...but as people who need care. I never would have believed it! lol

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As for the fat issue - TRUST ME when I tell you that no matter how someone looks with their clothes on, we all look hideous under our clothes. We've all got rolls of fat and cellulite and yukky looking bits.

I'll just counter this by pointing out that we're all equally beautiful under our clothes. :p

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