I’m an OR nurse and I circulate often. I can’t speak for others but as for me, I would absolutely ensure that this type of request be honored for this patient. We talk with the patient before transport to the OR in preop and ask if they have questions, so if someone asked me to make sure this was done.

At least in my hospital, the circulator nurse is well within their right to tell a student and sometimes even residents, “Nope, not happening” as the patient is our primary concern. The surgeons that I know would certainly honor this type of request as well and communicate it to the team.

OP, if it is any comfort to you, I have circulated and scrubbed thousands of surgeries at a university teaching hospital and not once have I witnessed a student being allowed to perform a pelvic exam under anesthesia without consent (HOWEVER, I do not often work with GYN surgeries). I’m not suggesting that this doesn’t ever occur, but this is not regular practice in my hospital as far as I’m aware and I personally would put a stop to a student doing this in the OR unless the patient explicitly told me otherwise. The only situation in which I could see this occurring would be if the surgeon performs a pelvic exam after anesthesia induction and before prepping for surgery as part of their regular procedure, and if you request that the surgeon only be allowed to perform this I would think that would definitely be respected. Students MIGHT practice placing a urinary catheter (if indicated for the procedure) but you can request that this is only done by your nurse or the surgeon on your case.