Physical Assessment Lab

Nursing Students General Students

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Hello everyone,

I am a male nursing student in my second year of my nursing program and I am going to be taking physical assessment lab. Now I'm assuming that I will be taking this lab with all females and I was wondering if anyone had any tips to make it less awkward because there will obvisouly be some discomfort between my partner and I.

Thanks,

Joe

Not sure why there would be any issues? Only, if you make an issue out of it.

Many of your patients will be the opposite sex of you, same thing for her. You just remeian professional.

Well I did a report on the role of males in nursing and one of the things that I found in my research was that a lot of male nursing students did not feel welcome in their assessment labs and a lot of females felt uncomfortable in assessment lab with a male partner...

What are you going to do when you actually get out on the floor and take care of female patients? Many female patients will actually request the male nurse on the floor. As long as you stay professional with what you are doing there should be no issues whatsoever. Same thing with medical schools yesrs ago when there were many more men. It only becomes an issue if you make it one.

There were never any issues with any of the male students when I went to school, and there were very few of them at the time.

About the only time that I see any male/female things coming into play is with an teenage female patient that requires a foley catheter, most male nurses will defer to a female coworker for this. Other than that, there never seems to be an issue. And I have worked in almost every single area of a hospital. Otherwiese, a nurse is a nurse, and isn't gender related. You will also see male RNs working in Labor and Delivery, and that usually doesn't cause any issues either.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Well I did a report on the role of males in nursing and one of the things that I found in my research was that a lot of male nursing students did not feel welcome in their assessment labs and a lot of females felt uncomfortable in assessment lab with a male partner...

There again, if you have issues regarding this, you will convey the awkwardness to your partner and she to you.

Just remain professional at all times.

Hello everyone,

I am a male nursing student in my second year of my nursing program and I am going to be taking physical assessment lab. Now I'm assuming that I will be taking this lab with all females and I was wondering if anyone had any tips to make it less awkward because there will obvisouly be some discomfort between my partner and I.

Thanks,

Joe

Everyone feels awkward when they are a little "green" with their skills, whether or not its M/M or M/F combination. I understand your concerns. We just finished our H.A. Lab and my instructor addressed this concern very professionally. She asked if anyone would have a problem working with "Jim" (only male in our lab group) and if anyone did, they could choose not to work with him. Then she asked for anyone that wanted to volunteer to work with him, and several of the girls stepped up...our instructor noticed one of the girls, who was very comfortable with her body, yet not *model thin*, would make a good match for him and they worked together all term well. It wasn't an issue for either of them and they both handled it great =).

You'll do fine...and your concerns are valid. I think I WOULD have felt awkward working with him as a "green" student...and yes, I will deal with it once I do clinicals with real patients, but as a first time experience it was easier for me to work with a female. I would have felt the same way if I were in your shoes in a class with ALL men. Just as a suggestion, because this worked well in my class...the girl he paired up with was one of the older students in the class...perhaps that is part of the reason she is very comfortable with herself. Life has a way of making you not worry so much about little things as you grow older. =) (not making a sweeping generalization, just speaking from experience LOL).

~J

Specializes in Med-Surg/Telemetry.

Easier said than done, I would say.

I've seen my classmate, who is a guy, insert a rectal medication, I think it was colace. He was all panicking, and he said to the female patient, I can have the nurse do it for you, or If you dont have any problem with me doing it, I can insert it. It was a tough situation for him.

I've also seen my male classmates during LD clinicals check out the amount and color of Lochia, and feeling the breats during the assessment process. It was awkward, I could just sense it.

But I would agree, just be professional. Your classmate should be fine, dont worry about it, it's just your classmate. I had a guy listen to my apical pulse during assessment, and he had to place the stethoscope inside my shirt, and get close to my skin, but I didnt mind. :rotfl:

I would have to say that I am more uncomfortable with patients than with students. First of all the contact in lab settings is minimal contact with the purpose being learning a skill. Since I know all these ladies, and thet know I am a big flirt who love to have fun, (and they respond appropriatley to all my craziness), they are very relaxed about me touching them. They know I am happily married and we are all there to learn, so we have fun with the process.

As far as patients go, last semester I did about 6 female foleys and I never really got comfortable. One was for a nurse who had fun making sure I maintained sterile technique before I "stuck anything up there" as she put it. It made it a bit less stressful that she was OK with it. I actually had a male patient who would not let me foley him but let a female student do it...wonder what was on his mind :chuckle.

Anyhow, the rest of the advise about professionalism and respect are right on target. I always deflect nerves with humor and it has worked for me. I am the unofficial "big-brother" of my school and that of course has helped everyone feel more comfortable with me around.

And as far as them touching me...well lets just say I close my eyes and enjoy the moment...:rotfl:

what exactly do you have to do to eachother in this "physical assesment?" :D

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