Hey i have a question for all the nurses out there. When you took health assesment did you preform the tasks on yourself or a partner? And what did you wear. Next semester i have to take health assesment and i was talking to some girls that are taking it now, they told me that they preform the exams on each other,all of them including finding the femoral pulse and feeling for the intercostal spaces across the chest. They said to do these everyone wears just a sports bra and shorts during class. Now there is no way i am about to take off my shirt in a room full of these perfect girls. (none of the girls in my class are overweight none!) How was this handled at your school? And what should i do? I would rather drop out of school than wear a sports bra to class.

If you don't get an answer to this, Ariel, let me know. There are a couple of RNs on one of my other WLS forums and I will pose your question to them.

Thanks carlene

When I went to nursing school we did have to perform assessments on each other including breast assessments and I was the only overweight girl in my class. What that class consisted of you and your partner in a hospital gown and panties with the clinical instructor learning how to perform a proper assessment. I must admit the first time It was strange to be exposed for assessments but as you progress through the class your comfort level increased and you realize that when your working in a clinical setting you don't really see it as a fellow student but rather as a body to learn how to perform an assessment. Please, don't drop out of nursing school because of this. I totally love what I do and I would have missed one of the best things in my life if I had quit nursing school due to my personal reservations. Good luck with school.

I graduated in 2001 with my A.D.- and no, we did not have to do anything in our underwear. That is kind of weird, and I would have undoubtedly had issues with that.

I also graduated in 2001 with my BSN but I guess that teaching methods depends on the instructor's discretion.

I took physical assessment last year and we "partnered up" and did assessments on each other--we were dressed, but no shoes or jacket/sweaters.....

I don't think I would have been comfortable with the hospital gown.....

Ok so i guess i will just tell the instructor that i will do the assesments but only if i get to keep my clothes on. thanks everyone.

Just wear a button front shirt...they can listen and poke gently under the shirt. They need to practice how to do assesments on shy patients also!

I graduated in 2001 as well. I took my teenage daughter in, and did my assessment on her...she wore a sports bra and shorts. There was only me, my instructor and my daughter in the room. Everyone was offered the opportunity to arrange for the partner. We did breast exams on prosthesis breasts with varying degrees of lumps, cysts, masses or normal tissue so we could identify what we felt

You've probably already taken your assessment, but anyhow.....

In my ADN class we were in pairs and performed general assessment on eachother in shorts and shirts, my BSN we were required to supply a "client" and also performed all assessments while fully clothed. Assessment of the genitals and breasts were physically omitted but discussed with the proctor of the lab. Hope that helps!