Palpations, physical exams on genitals?

[lissart]

In our health assessment course there is a few chapters on doing health assessments, palpating, exams etc on both male and female genitals. Is this done on eachother (students) or on manicans? As a young female nursing student I surely don't want the guys in my class to be doing that on me during labs, I'm very self concious and heavily involved in my religious beliefs and do not want the students in my class to be doing that on me. How was yours done? any sigh of relief plz

[Everline]

Um, no we didn't examine each other's genitals. We used mannequins to learn peri care, catheter insertion and etc. I don't think you have to worry about this.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

We used mannequins that had electronic sensors that created vital signs and breath sounds for lab practice. We had the option to practice blood pressure and radial pulse on classmates while waiting our turn. It was discouraged to practice apical pulse on classmates so my son was a semi-willing participant at home

[lissart]

Um, no we didn't examine each other's genitals. We used mannequins to learn peri care, catheter insertion and etc. I don't think you have to worry about this.

what about inspection or palpating the genitals when doing evidence based Physical assessments?

[lissart]

We do have those high tech mannequins as well that bleed, sweat, heart and lung sounds etc but.....I'm asking about physical assessments such as inspections and palpating male and female gentialia. are those also done on mannequins ?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

We do have those high tech mannequins as well that bleed sweat, heart and lung sounds etc but.....I'm asking about physical assessments such as inspections and palpating male and female gentialia. are those also done on mannequins ?[/quote']

For lab, yes. For clinical, actual patients. Never on classmates even if they were a patient in a clinical facility. Even there we rarely had a need to palpate genitalia even in OB all checks were done by staff. Unless you had an advanced OB/maternity preceptorship.

[lissart]

Oh ok :) yeah I can deal with doing it on actual patients in clinicals just don't want to do those on classmates, particularly classmates doing those on me. what about peri care, dressing and undressing and bed baths. I know we practice those on eachother but as for our provite areas, we keep them concealed? I don't want my classmates especially the males seeing my privates

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

We were fully clothed for the "patient " interaction of direct care in lab. Peri care was verbalized and performed on mannequins. Volunteers were the live patients for the "talk the patient through the bed bath" and we ALL wore scrubs. We draped for privacy even though fully clothed

[lissart]

oh ok :) Thank you for your quick responses! Now I can breathe a little better lol

[Everline]

Yes, I think you can rest easy on this one. I have never seen or touched my classmates' genitals, nor have they seen or touched mine. We have to insert catheters and do peri-care on actual patients during clinicals. But this is not something we practice on each other.

[RN9742]

The most uncomfortable thing I experienced, was a male student listening to my heart/chest sounds... We compromised, I placed the stethoscope in the proper place for him (for the ones near my breast, I'm not exactly small chested), since our instructor insisted we do it properly, ie without a layer of clothing between my skin and his stethoscope.

[Kuriin, BSN, RN]

How you guys can be nurses and so prudish is beyond me. If you honestly think they give a crap about your breasts, you should think again. They're trying to further your education. How would you like it if you didn't let guys let you place your stethoscope on their chest?