In nursing school, during bed bath lab, do we practice on eachother?

Question

I was wondering this, because I'm going to need some serious mental preparation for that... Is this even legal I'm wondering? I can get past the modesty in a theraputic nurse/patient relationship, but my classmates are my FRIENDS, and I feel it's very inappropriate. So, if you've been there before, ease some of my anxiety and shed some light on what's going to happen in there.

Answer 1

My nursing lab had us practice on medical mannequins. We did not practice ANY skills on each other which involved any kind of nudity or injections, etc.

They will not expect you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. So don't stress.  

Answer 2

If your school does not have even the simplest simulation lab with crude dummies (Simulated Americans), yes you will practice with each other.  The difference is, you will be dressed and you wont be using water.

There are labs where you will be looking in each others ears and eyes.  You may find yourself feeling each other's butts as you practice locating injection sites and you will certainly learn how to do dressings by wrapping each others legs.2

The time for modesty and embarrassment have passed.  You are going to be a nurse and you will see people in various states of undress.

Good Luck

Answer 3

I graduated about four years ago and we did not practice on one another at all.  I did come home and practice on my husband and my son.  I drew my sons blood.

Bed baths are really self explanatory and can be reasoned out in the head.  Many programs dont place a lot of emphasis on them b/c it often a pct will perform this for you.  And the same goes for a lab draw.  You will need to know how to start your own IV's though. They have very realistic dummy arms that we used in NS. You could even draw back the fake blood.

In any case I cant see them

Answer 4

Most of the nursing schools I know of practiced doing bed baths on one another but the patient (classmate) wore tee shirt and shorts and so you washed only arms and legs and verbalized how you would wash everything else. Also self care is encouraged and you allow the patient to wash what they can on there own while you as the nurse assist as needed (for example washing their back). I hope this adds to your comfort level.