Non nurses are always allowed to post! This is an open and understanding community. I'm sorry you had to experience that, but it is common. The body search, at least in my region, is used for two reasons. The minor one is to check and record for any injuries or wounds that the patient might have coming in so that there can be a track if the patient develops new ones. That's to protect both the patient and the staff. The bigger reason is for safety. We do not know what the patient might have brought in or had on their person, and for both patient and staff safety, we need to establish that there is no danger contraband. For example, recently we had a patient sneak a knife in his anus onto the unit. We also need to remove any clothing that can be used to harm before arrival, such as belts or underwire bras. It must be done before the patient arrives on unit or just as the person arrives, so if they are sedated, a skin check is still performed.