A
male
age
36-40,
*risport1984
writes:My girlfriend is a nurse practioner student and I’m struggling to get used to a few things. When she exam on the teaching patient and told me about how she palpated the penis it was a bit awkward. Just recently, during her clinicals (sort of shadowing a doctor/NP), the patient allowed her to stay in the room when the doctor examined the guy’s penis and then she had the opportunity to palpate it. She called me on her way home from clinical and said “guess what I got to do today”. I know she’s seen plenty of penises during her few years as a registered nurse but her excitement is a bit awkward for me. I am comfortable with my size so it’s not me worried about how I stack up. I think it is more her excitement which I hope is just because doing those types of exams is new. She’s told me that it’s clinical (which I get), I think I just don’t want her to see mine as “clinical”. Any thoughts/experiences from nurses?
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female
reader, chigirl  +, writes (23 April 2015):
 Hehe, this reminds me about one of my last days at the hospital ward. There was one female doctor who I used to be scared of, because she always seemed so angry and was always telling people off for not doing what she meant they were supposed to. One day she came into the back room where I was sitting and told the nurses about her latest visit to a certain patient. Apparently this patient had some problems with his balls, but wouldn't let the doctor touch him or even see it, lol. Whereupon this doctor, blunt as she was, almost told him off for it and tried to tell him it was easy to fix and she could do it right away. Yet the patient refused. I had to hide a smirk, hehe, because I can't imagine what patient would be comfortable with this brute of a woman handling his privates.
But she was an excellent doctor, if only the patient would have been able to relax in her presence.
PS. As for people having hard ons at inappropriate times, it DOES happen. An erection is not so much under the control of the mind as you might think, not for everyone. Brushing up against someone on the bus might be all it takes for some. Seeing a bare shoulder might be all it takes for others. Doesn't mean they want to have sex with that person, oh no, they don't, but the body reacts in its own way. It's not because they are exhibitionist.
I think many Americans have problems relating to the body because of the negative view a naked body has in your culture. A naked and natural body is seen as something negative, or obscene, and not like the most natural thing in the world. Hence everything relating to the body becomes a mystery, or something to be grossed out about, and just seeing someones privates becomes a big deal.
I Norway all the kids shower together after gym classes (girls and boys separate, but in large common shower rooms). It is not unusual for parents to be naked around their children either. In public baths, there's the same system of common showers, so you get to see all sorts of bodies and of all ages. We have several nudists, who may have their own beaches and camps, but who also just establish themselves where they want. Just last year I went swimming and didn't even realize at first that there were only naked people around me.
So, try to shift your focus a bit. A naked body, or a mans penis, is not the big whoop. It's about as interesting as seeing a naked foot.
A
female
reader, like I see it +, writes (23 April 2015):
 I'm not a nurse or anywhere near one, but part of my job includes emergency medical assistance to people who may or may not be wearing all their clothes when they (have a heart attack, have a stroke, fall in the bathroom and need help getting up, are impaired by alcohol or drugs to the extent that a family member dials 911, you name it.) Or they may have an injury that REQUIRES the removal of their clothing for further assessment.
I have seen quite a few penises (and a comparable number of vaginas) belonging to patients of all ages, pediatric to 90s. Can't say I have compared any penis seen in the field to my current partner (or any partner I've had in the past.) Let's be honest, the average flaccid penis is not that aesthetically enticing to begin with - but over and above that, I encounter the packages in question in the context of a need for medical assistance, as does your girlfriend. Providing the necessary medical care is the focus for me, as I'm sure it is for her. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
Hope this helps! Best wishes.
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A
female
reader, Tisha-1 +, writes (23 April 2015):
 Maybe you might want to rethink dating a person working in the medical field as it's so confusing and difficult for you?
"I guess it's hard for me to relate to the idea of seeing the opposite sex's genitals as only clinical."
It appears that's what you will have to work on. If you can't find a way to relate to that then I guess you'll need to find a girlfriend who is not an artist, a nurse, a nurse practitioner, a PA, a doctor, a funeral director, a nudist or a mother (they get to change diapers).
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A
male
reader, Trisport1984 +, writes (23 April 2015):
Trisport1984 is verified as being by the original poster of the questionThat's funny you say that about the erection. I've never come close to getting one during my physical (mind you it is a male doctor). I also had a scrub at a Korean bath house (if you don't know what that is go watch Conan's experience on YouTube) two weeks ago and you are basically on display and being touched for 30 minutes. My girlfriend asked if I got an erection and I didn't come close to getting one (again, it was a male scrubbing me so maybe that had something to do with it). When I was looking for a place to post this question there were posts about guys getting full erections during exams but I am not sure how honest those guys are and, if they are honest, I'm assuming they are exhibitionists that are few and far between.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (23 April 2015): HiWomen are generally not the same as men in this way. It's well known that males are turned on mainly via visual stimuli of naked women. Women are not the same. No woman that I know finds the male naked body a turn on. This is why during a strip show where a woman is stripping, the men are fairly quiet, it's serious to them, they want to save what they're seeing for when they might enjoy thinking about it again...If women go to a male strip show, it's treated as a huge laugh. Women are screaming with laughter, it's taken as a joke. As I said not one woman I know is turned on by the naked male body. In fact, the opposite is true. A romantic novelist once said that men should keep their uniforms and medals on ( this was a while ago) when they make love as a woman would be far more turned on by this, than by having them naked. What turns women on visually among the women that I know and have talked to, including myself, is hair at the back of the head just touching the collar, a nice pair of arms or eyes. A sexy voice, smelling good and well dressed (whatever that interpretation means to the individual). Something that men don't seem to understand is that we're not like them in this way. My ex used to wave his erect penis at me and I would just think 'What?' He must have thought I'd be turned on by looking at it like he would be if I did the female equivalent. Not true, we are usually more subtle than that. When your girlfriend said 'Guess what I did today?' I think she was winding you up cos we know how men think. Trust me, she will not be constantly turned on by strange men's body parts.
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A
female
reader, chigirl +, writes (22 April 2015):
I don't think you should worry about guys getting an erection because of her. I am sure she's gorgeous, but imagine yourself being so sick you need to be in a hospital, and having some stranger grope your privates. Very often with other nurses/doctors watching. And with plastic gloves. Uh, no, that's not every mans fantasy.
So I wouldn't worry if I were you.
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A
male
reader, Trisport1984 +, writes (22 April 2015):
Trisport1984 is verified as being by the original poster of the questionI appreciate the advice thus far. Regarding the response about whether "I get it", I meant that I've heard that before and I do believe them. My feelings of awkwardness are for me to feel, not for me to communicate. I want to be there so she can be excited (I am so proud of her and what she's accomplishing so would never want to diminish that with my insecurities). That said, is it inappropriate for me to feel awkward? I guess it's hard for me to relate to the idea of seeing the opposite sex's genitals as only clinical. It's funny though because I reassure myself that it is clinical and then think, "wait, I don't want her to just look at my penis as clinical". I dread the day when she tells me how a guy got an erection but know it's coming because I am lucky to be dating a very attractive girl.
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A
female
reader, chigirl +, writes (22 April 2015):
Im not a nurse, but I can assure you that she can distinguish between handling a penis in a clinical and professional manner, and handling her boyfriends penis when getting hot and heavy.
I will also remind you that I don't know a single female who is turned on by a mans penis. Regardless of who that penis belongs to or how big it is. A penis in itself is not a turn on. What turns her on is the way she feels about you, the way you touch her, the way you look at her, things like that. Not merely seeing a penis.
You say you get it, that you understand, but I don't think you do. You have heard it, you are trying to grasp the concept, but not having been in that situation yourself, you can't actually understand it. Hence your questioning it, which I think is only natural. You question it, because you don't really get it.
I worked at a ward in a hospital where they performed anal examinations. I asked myself a similar question to yours: how do the doctors put fingers up a strangers but and not be weirded out? The answer is: you get used to it! A friend who studies medicine told me they regularly do these tests on fellow students too (so not only on strangers). It becomes a normal part of your day, and you treat it not as a "butt", but as a clinical procedure. Just like looking at teeth if you're a dentist.
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A
male
reader, Sageoldguy1465 +, writes (22 April 2015):
 Here's what I have done, under the same circumstances:
Take advantage of her post-shift (post-clinic) excitement... and get her to look at YOUR "Mr Happy" through a magnifying glass.... I've done this, and it's worked EVERY TIME!!!!
Good luck....
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A
female
reader, Abella +, writes (22 April 2015):
 She's your girlfriend and partners when they are happy want to share their happiness with their beloved. She trusted that you would be as excited as her about her progression in the things she is learning.
To her, when examining a patient/client then she is mentally going through a checklist of what is OK and what is not, how does the patient/client seem. That is her professional life. The patient on the bed is a project to fix and then move on. Not much glamour in it when you realise how many charts she has to read or write up. How many tests done that must be recorded in the notes.
All the above is about taking care of business.
It's different for her when she is with you.
you are a friend and so so much more than that.
you are her confidante, her caring partner.
She can (or should be able to)confide in each other and share many decisions.
You are also the one who wants to be with, and vice a versa
Just accept that is was all about speaking to you as soon as she could share her achievement with you. She trusts you.
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A
female
reader, So_Very_Confused +, writes (22 April 2015):
 She was excited over a new procedure not a new penis.
If she delivered a baby for the first time it would be a similar reaction.
It's HER JOB....
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A
female
reader, Honeypie +, writes (22 April 2015):
 You know I think it's akin to a male OBGYN/GYN/Doctor/Nurse/PA having to look at vaginas all day.
It's a body part. That is all.
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