I have just attended an excellent conference including a presentation on performing pelvic exams on challenging patients. Which begs the question- why do “non-medical smear-takers” aka nurses NOT get taught to do bi-manual pelvic exams with their smeartaking? It is like teaching phlebotomy without teaching how to actually draw the blood.
Can anyone tell me why this is so?
Every smeartaker should be able to complete the second phase of a smear- the bi-manual exam. It is not rocket science. It is a technique like many others nurses do- invasive- yes but you are already down there anyway! But not dangerous.
Makes me wonder who designed the original smeartakers courses in the
first place?
#1 by NPs Save Lives on August 14, 2010 - 2:01 pm
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There are too many things that I was not taught in school. I think that there should be WAY less theory and more clinical education in the NP and doctoral programs. My thesis was a complete waste of time. I would have rather spent the long hours in clinicals, especially in specialty to help me in primary care.