Fortunately and unfortunately, the state of Louisiana deems 13 an appropriate age to request STI testing without parental consent. What I find difficult to understand is while they (meaning teenage girls) are so well versed in all of the ways to have sex, they have no idea what STIs are or what happens during a pelvic exam.
My most recent experience involved a 15 year-old female who wanted STI testing and a pelvic exam. This was her first pelvic exam. We discussed the various infections and took a look at the speculum and how it would be used. Her eyes almost popped out of her head when she saw the speculum--mind you it was the smallest one. She jumped off of the table stating she couldn't get the exam because she was scared. I, the person my high school classmates called grandma, had to give sista' girl a little tough love. I told her, in so many words using the most composed voice I could, that if she was going to do grown folks' things she had to go all the way. I also told her that she is the only person responsible for her sexual health. And maybe I mentioned that the speculum was smaller than the average penis. (Minor detail). She barely knew when the exam was complete.
Teens need to be educated about healthy sex practices because guess what just sayin' no doesn't work as well as it used to. I don't know about you but I dont want a whole bunch of sexually-irresponsible teens becoming our nation's next leaders, but wait that's already happened. Advanced practice nurses need to stay abreast of new STI guidelines because you never know when you may encounter one, even in specialty practices. Lesions are popping in some unconventional places, and that's partly due to the growing variety of sexual acts.
Nonetheless at the end of the day, they are still just kids. So do as I do, take a deep breath (and in some cases you may want to hold your breath) keep a gentle face and treat them like the adults they are so desparately trying to be.
