WE're OUtta the vagina!!

[Jenny67]

{insert sounds of angels singing here!!}

Today was exam 3 of 5, and I have officially survived our Maternity lectures and now move on {happily} to dysfunctions of the child, beginning with child w/cardiovascular alteration on Monday. Looking at the syllabus I am not too sure what I am going to do, not having to read 250-300 pages/lecture.

I have to say that if I knew everything that I know now I am very doubtful that I would have had children God Bless our L&D Nurses!! I just couldn't do it.

[AtomicWoman]

I don't think anyone would argue that. I am not picking on AtomicWoman here but using her response as a reference, if there was ever a place to joke about it, it should be here in this forum. I am sure you are correct about the OP, it was meant in fun. So cmon folks lighten up!

OK, folks, imagine the following scenario. A muckraking reporter wants to write an article "exposing" the "bad attitudes" medical personnel have toward patients. The reporter comes to AN and looks around and writes something like the following: "From early in their training, nursing students learn it is acceptable to refer to patients as body parts. Women in labor are referred to as "lady partss". The students learn that this is a humorous way to think of the range of reproductive medical issues women may have. [followed by a quotation from AN]" A misinterpretation and exaggeration? Certainly. But one possible intepretation? Yes. And let's not even talk about what the reporter might write about the attitudes of (some) nurses toward the obese after visiting AN! (Yes, I realize that obesity is not the subject of this thread. But the same issue pops up in discussions of obesity; it all has to do with respectful attitudes.)

My point is this: Jolie was right when she pointed out that this is a public forum. We may think we're only talking amongst ourselves, but anyone can come here and read these posts and draw conclusions about attitudes and thought patterns held by nursing personnel. I sometimes cringe at some of the comments I read, hoping no one outside the nursing/medical community will ever read them.

I don't want to beat up on the OP. In fact, I am glad the OP posted this because it brought up an important issue that nursing students need to think about. I don't think it is possible to be too respectful of patients, even if we have to sometimes bite our tongue or keep our fingers still, as the case may be.

[queenjean]

OMG I lauged out loud and almost cried, queenjean you are 2 funny . As a person with both a cardiovascular and pulmonary system I am not offended. I also happen to have a lady parts (along with all the accoutrements) and was not offended by the title of the post. I totally "got" the metaphor of transitioning through from a zygote (or trophoblast or blastocyst or whatever) to a newborn.

:dncgbby:

Hey, it's no skin off my back; I figured someone else would get it, too. I hear nursing students (and nurses, too) can be pretty goofy (no offense to those who have an integumentary system, auditory system, or a sense of humor intended).

I'm just glad you didn't pee your pants laughing, unless you are on Alterations in the Urinary tract system (no offense intended to those of us who have alterations in our urinary tract system).

I'm gonna keep my eye on this thread (no offense intended to those readers who have eyes and can or cannot use them)!

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

My point is this: Jolie was right when she pointed out that this is a public forum. We may think we're only talking amongst ourselves, but anyone can come here and read these posts and draw conclusions about attitudes and thought patterns held by nursing personnel.

I think I can safely say that we are all aware that anyone with a computer and internet access can view what we post.

My point is that nowhere did the OP refer to women in labor as "lady partss". She was simply expressing relief at having completed the OB portion of the curriculum of the program in which she is enrolled.

In fact, I think it is disrespectful and insulting to draw conclusions to the contrary.

If the public's image of nursing is of such great concern to you, then best lead by example. People tend to respond in a more positive way to someone who walks their talk than they do to .

makes people :angryfire. Not a very effective way to sway people to your point of view.

Just my .

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

OK, folks, imagine the following scenario. A muckraking reporter wants to write an article "exposing" the "bad attitudes" medical personnel have toward patients. The reporter comes to AN and looks around and writes something like the following: "From early in their training, nursing students learn it is acceptable to refer to patients as body parts. Women in labor are referred to as "lady partss". The students learn that this is a humorous way to think of the range of reproductive medical issues women may have. [followed by a quotation from AN]" A misinterpretation and exaggeration? Certainly. But one possible intepretation? Yes. And let's not even talk about what the reporter might write about the attitudes of (some) nurses toward the obese after visiting AN! (Yes, I realize that obesity is not the subject of this thread. But the same issue pops up in discussions of obesity; it all has to do with respectful attitudes.)

Or, imagine this scenario. Said reporter reads about how long it takes, how difficult it is, and how many hoops prospective nurses must jump through just to get into a program, the kind of treatment they receive while in one of the most rigorous training programs in existence, and then, when they do make it through and pass the NCLEX, how they are hired with no experience, given shoddy orientation, and basically thrown under the bus just to supply the hospital or LTC ward with warm bodies. No wonder so many nurses are leaving the bedside, and we have this nursing "shortage", or crisis, as I prefer to call it.

We should all just be quiet and only say good, positive, cheerful things, because someone might discover the truth?

[vashtee, RN]

Jean's lady parts monologues?

Bwahahahahahha!

I also loved the title of this thread. A sense of humor is going to serve you well - not just in nursing, but in every area of life.

Thanks for the giggles!

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

This is what happens whenever someone posts a title that is humorous, but questionable. Some people are offended, some people think it's funny, and a minority want to actually talk about the original subject matter. The thread ends up being a discussion of the propriety of the title.

Very predictable. ..

[groovy jeff, RN]

OK, folks, imagine the following scenario. A muckraking reporter wants to write an article "exposing" the "bad attitudes" medical personnel have toward patients. The reporter comes to AN and looks around and writes something like the following: "From early in their training, nursing students learn it is acceptable to refer to patients as body parts. Women in labor are referred to as "lady partss". The students learn that this is a humorous way to think of the range of reproductive medical issues women may have. [followed by a quotation from AN]" A misinterpretation and exaggeration? Certainly. But one possible intepretation? Yes. And let's not even talk about what the reporter might write about the attitudes of (some) nurses toward the obese after visiting AN! (Yes, I realize that obesity is not the subject of this thread. But the same issue pops up in discussions of obesity; it all has to do with respectful attitudes.)

My point is this: Jolie was right when she pointed out that this is a public forum. We may think we're only talking amongst ourselves, but anyone can come here and read these posts and draw conclusions about attitudes and thought patterns held by nursing personnel. I sometimes cringe at some of the comments I read, hoping no one outside the nursing/medical community will ever read them.

The public ventures here at their own risk and peril. A hundred years ago I worked in a meat packing plant and if you had any idea what goes on you would become a vegan. The public will draw their own conclusion no matter how proper we might be.

Reporters will find something bad to say or twist the facts around about anything. I mean when was the last time you saw a headline that wasn't sensationalized. What if a SN ask an honest question about a procedure and a reporter gets a hold of that and the tag line reads "Nurse are inept!" "What ifs" are nothing more than speculation and most of the time without basis.

Again, I can see your point and I certainly mean no disrespect. I just don't think the argument is a valid one. If all these post were "proper" or "PC" I don't think I would stick around here very long.

[suanna]

Wow! there are some seriously tense people reading this thread. I totaly understand where "Jenny" is coming from. After my L&D rotation I felt I was paroled from death row. I picked up Mono half way through the semester and had to REPEAT L&D even though I passed it fine the first time-you re-do the whole semester. Even after 22+ years in nursing I still have nightmares about my L&D rotation. The closest I ever hope to get to a delivery room is the grandfather's waiting room. As to this thread being offesive- it's a nursing forum, not a public bulletin board in a womans clinic. Lighten up. If you don't care for the topic or the phraseology- there are lots of other threads to pick at. I'd never want to discourage anyone from posting whatever they are feeling in the practice of nursing in this forum. We have great moderators who are always watching for deliberately offensive posts- they do a wonderful job.

[Roberta88]

OK, folks, imagine the following scenario. A muckraking reporter wants to write an article "exposing" the "bad attitudes" medical personnel have toward patients. The reporter comes to AN and looks around and writes something like the following: "From early in their training, nursing students learn it is acceptable to refer to patients as body parts. Women in labor are referred to as "lady partss". The students learn that this is a humorous way to think of the range of reproductive medical issues women may have. [followed by a quotation from AN]" A misinterpretation and exaggeration? Certainly. But one possible intepretation? Yes. And let's not even talk about what the reporter might write about the attitudes of (some) nurses toward the obese after visiting AN! (Yes, I realize that obesity is not the subject of this thread. But the same issue pops up in discussions of obesity; it all has to do with respectful attitudes.)

My point is this: Jolie was right when she pointed out that this is a public forum. We may think we're only talking amongst ourselves, but anyone can come here and read these posts and draw conclusions about attitudes and thought patterns held by nursing personnel. I sometimes cringe at some of the comments I read, hoping no one outside the nursing/medical community will ever read them.

I don't want to beat up on the OP. In fact, I am glad the OP posted this because it brought up an important issue that nursing students need to think about. I don't think it is possible to be too respectful of patients, even if we have to sometimes bite our tongue or keep our fingers still, as the case may be.

To be completely honest, I think that if I read a story about student nurses calling patients lady partss, I would just start cracking up. I would immediatly bring it to my mom who works in health care, and she would start cracking up. Then I would proceed to show my sister who wants to go into something else in the medical field (she hasn't decided what yet) and I'm pretty positive she would start cracking up. It would then be an ongoing family joke. "okay lady parts, we've had enough out of you," is what we would say to each other and then laugh some more. Being proud owners of lady partss, not one of us would be offended. My mother has some problems with her uterus (I'm not sure what it is called- I am pre-nursing) but it's basically falling slowly from the place its supposed to be in. She will call me to ask if I can go get her some ice cream because "her lady parts is falling out." We all think it's hilarious (not that she needs to have surgery, but seriously, you're walking along one day and you're mom starts joking about her falling lady parts... it's classic). I definitly do not think that that is being insensitive, just human.

To respond to the OP, I think its WONDERFUL that you are out of the subject of the lady parts. I am just pre-nursing but I think that I would love that section of nursing school. Good luck with your next topic and enjoy the lighter reading!!!

[Acosmo27]

I got that it was a joke. I just didn't see the humor in characterizing maternity patients as "lady partss", just as I wouldn't appreciate the characterization of psych patients as "nut-jobs", pediatric patients as "brats", geriatric patients as "cute little old ladies", etc. I think that when we belittle our patients (especially on a public forum) we show them disrespect and cheapen our profession.

To answer your question, I passed maternity with flying colors and have practiced maternal child nursing for more years than I care to admit, in roles ranging from staff to management to transport to education. I have met patients and families I loved and patients and families I disliked, but I can't ever recall referring to any of them by their body parts.

I hope that as you move on thru your other rotations you will come to see your patients as something more than the cardiac kid in 201 or the broken hip in room 700.

Best to you.

someone needs to lighten up.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I hate when people on internet forums say dismissive things like "lighten up". Sometimes I think people ought to "grow up", but I think it's best not to type it out here...

[winterymix]

Hmm.. since the OP directly cited the number of chapters she had to read in the original post, I took the, "..we're outta the lady parts!" as referencing all the reading/learning about the lady parts and other female reproductive organs rather than her clinical clients or a specific part of them.

As nurses, we are bombarded with "sensitivity training", which is important. But I think it sometimes causes us to be overly sensitive or draw a conclusion about a statement that really isn't there.

I seriously doubt any competent reporter or even layperson could read the title and/or post which follows and be able to construct a credible argument that nursing students objectify their clients.

Just my 2 pennies..

-Winterymix :)