Medical Assistant Prep / Unit 14 MAS 336 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Assisting With a Pelvic Exam
The idea
A pelvic exam calls for preparation of the room, the patient and the equipment, and usually a chaperone, according to the practice's policy.
In practice
Step one: prepare the room and the supplies the provider requests, including the speculum and any specimen materials, such as those for a Pap test. Step two: give the patient a gown and a sheet to cover the legs, and leave the room while she changes. Step three: when the provider is ready, help the patient into the lithotomy position, keeping her draped. Step four: remain as chaperone if that is your role, attentive to the patient's comfort and the exam. The exam usually includes an external look and an internal look using the speculum. Step five: hand the provider supplies as asked, and label any specimen at once. Step six: help the patient sit up slowly, and give her privacy to dress.
Where people slip
Many patients find this exam stressful. Explaining each step before it happens, and checking how the patient is doing, are part of the chaperone's job, not extras.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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