title: Creating a more positive patient experience of pelvic examination.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore through descriptive comparative analysis an alternative method of pelvic examination to increase patient comfort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two participants were recruited from a convenience sample of patients at an ambulatory women's healthcare clinic operated by a teaching hospital in the Southwest United States. Twenty-five were examined using the conventional pelvic examination technique; 37 with a new technique that we call the Rad technique, named after a co-author of the study. Three women's health nurse practitioners were trained in both methods and alternated the exam technique used. Visualization of the cervix was measured by clinician responses to the Speculum Exam Questionnaire for Clinicians; level of pain was determined from patient responses to the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. Results were analyzed using a t-test for independent samples. Pain was further analyzed using chi-square test of association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the relationship between the variables of visualization and pain was not statistically significant, 16% of women in the conventional technique group reported vaginal pain compared with 5.4% in the Rad technique group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Changing from the conventional pelvic examination to the Rad technique may create a more positive patient experience and thereby engage more women in recommended in gynecological health care.
authors.affiliation: Parkland Health and Hospital System, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Manzar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rad
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Sell
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marshall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D058869:Gynecological Examination / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Women's health; lubrication; patient acceptance of health care; vaginal smears