Too insecure

[RNsoon]

Hi everyone!

So my situation is just as it says. I'm really insecure. I am in my first semester of nursing school and currently taking fundamentals. I'm scared for next week because we'll be starting head to toe assessments and I don't want to be a patient! I have body and gender dysmorphia and the thought of my classmates looking at my chest, skin, basically assessing me is freaking me out.

I don't know how to bring it up with the teachers or my classmates because they expect everyone to help each other out by practicing on each other in lab. The first week when we did vitals I felt embarrassed and humiliated when my blood pressure came up to 130/89 because that's high for a 22 year old and every time I let someone practice on me they would look at me funny and even make remarks on how I need to take better care of myself.

I am fully aware I need to take better care but I don't need the whole class knowing about my poor health. I don't know what to do, I don't want to come off as mean and someone who isn't willing to help but my anxiety is sky high. I barely know my classmates and I just need suggestions on how I should proceed.

Any advice is appreciated

[Sour Lemon]

1 hour ago, RNsoon said:

Hi everyone!

So my situation is just as it says. I'm really insecure. I am in my first semester of nursing school and currently taking fundamentals. I'm scared for next week because we'll be starting head to toe assessments and I don't want to be a patient! I have body and gender dysmorphia and the thought of my classmates looking at my chest, skin, basically assessing me is freaking me out.

I don't know how to bring it up with the teachers or my classmates because they expect everyone to help each other out by practicing on each other in lab. The first week when we did vitals I felt embarrassed and humiliated when my blood pressure came up to 130/89 because that's high for a 22 year old and every time I let someone practice on me they would look at me funny and even make remarks on how I need to take better care of myself.

I am fully aware I need to take better care but I don't need the whole class knowing about my poor health. I don't know what to do, I don't want to come off as mean and someone who isn't willing to help but my anxiety is sky high. I barely know my classmates and I just need suggestions on how I should proceed.

Any advice is appreciated

I always felt awkward about classmates assessing me, but it was part of the nursing program, so I dealt with it. I suggest that you do the same.

If you get no other benefit, you'll at least understand how vulnerable your real patients can feel.

[CamMc]

I know you didn't specifically state that you are transgender, so I apologize if I'm miss understand. I am a trans man and understand the discomfort of gender dysphoria and feel that some use dysmorphia to mean the same, so I definitely understand. I'm not in nursing school yet, I had been in nursing school about 10 years ago before I realized I am trans, so then I just figured my discomfort with people seeing my body was just typical body image issues. As it was many years ago, I don't remember ever actually having anyone see my chest, but I would suggest talking with an instructor to let them know and perhaps they can help you come up with a solution that will keep you more comfortable but still be able to fully participate. I also would say that your classmates are likely to be just as nervous about assessing you that they aren't paying much attention to your body as you, but more as just the body they are assessing if that makes any sense. I understand though how uncomfortable it is though just to think of people looking at your body. In regards to your BP, does it usually run high? If you go to the doctors would that be what it is or perhaps was it because you were already anxious that it was higher? It looks like you're new on this site so you have to have posted a set number of posts before you can send private messages, but feel free to reach out ?

[Orion81RN]

If my BP or HR was mentioned by another student, in regards to my health, I'd remind them of what other things can cause elevated readings. For example, someone says, "You need to pay better attention to your health." As a fellow classmate, that's pretty rude. You could say in a nice way, well what are other causes for variations in vital signs that we've learned? Excitement, nervousness, pain, physical activity..." They'd be too busy feeling dumb for their presumptive comment to focus on you and your body at the moment. ?