title: Exploration of the attitudes of nursing students to peer physical examination and physical examination of patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of peer physical examination (PPE) in early clinical skills has been studied amongst medical students. The majority of students are comfortable with using peer physical examination, when sensitive areas are excluded. Students' attitudes are related to their personal characteristics: gender, age, religious faith, and ethnicity. There is no data on nursing students' attitudes to peer physical examination.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Identify and explore:
  
  
  METHODS
  Dual cohort, cross-sectional, anonymous survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-year undergraduate nursing programme, skills centre and service clinical learning.
  
  
  METHODS
  All first and third year nursing students were asked to complete a modified Examining Fellow Students questionnaire at the end of 2008. The questionnaire asked students to indicate which of 12 body areas they would not be willing to examine/have examined by a peer of the same/opposite gender. This study also asked students which of the 12 body areas they felt uncomfortable examining on patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 76% (128/168). The students were predominantly female (93% female; 7% male). Most students were comfortable with examining non-sensitive body regions of peers (78.2%-100% willing) and patients (92.3-100% willing). Male gender was significantly associated with willingness to examine and be examined by peers (p=0.001); Asian students were significantly less willing to engage in peer physical examination with opposite gender (p<0.007). Year 3 students were significantly more comfortable than Year 1 in examining patients of either gender (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In spite of the male gender findings, this predominantly female population expresses similar attitudes to the gender-balanced medical student studies - high acceptability for non-sensitive areas. The role of characteristics and attitudes to peer physical examination shows similarities and differences to other studies. Student characteristics were not related to patient examination attitudes.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Skills Centre, Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. a.wearn@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Andy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wearn
authors.forename: Harsh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bhoopatkar
authors.forename: Thomas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010808:Physical Examination; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult