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Shadowing practice: Live Smear Test, Q&A With The Nurse & Office Group Discussion

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  1. Good morning everybody, today is the day that I filmed myself having a smear test.0:09
  2. So if you're wondering why on earth I've decided to film myself getting a smear test, it's because I had a meeting at the beginning of the year with Jo's0:17
  3. cervical cancer trust and it was really eye -opening and it was one of those meetings where I was like is there anything I can do to help encourage more0:24
  4. women to book in their smear tests or kind of make people feel a little bit more at ease when they get their letter to the post and I came0:36
  5. up with the idea that I could actually film it and ask the nurse questions and show you the things they use and talk about you know how long it0:47
  6. takes.0:55
  7. I asked a lot of you on Instagram if you had any particular questions or you wanted me to show anything in particular and I've made a long list of0:56
  8. questions that the lovely nurse Jenny is more than happy to answer.1:07
  9. I feel like in the 10 years of vlogging this is a moment, I've never done this before, here's me thinking I've overshared then I bring you into a smear.1:11
  10. In all seriousness I do feel that it's important and it is something that I would have found very reassuring and also a great reminder had I seen something like1:24
  11. this I don't actually think I've even seen anything like this in school, there wasn't, I mean you might have but I didn't have any educational videos about smear tests1:34
  12. so yeah there are a lot of people that have a lot of questions so it's really important that they get some kind of education, reassurance and just generally understand1:42
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  1. more about cervical screenings so I was like hey what's that thing in the Game of Thrones?1:57
  2. I volunteer, that's the one, I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna film a smear test and I hope that you enjoy the rest of this video, I'm gonna be filming2:07
  3. for this vlog, I'm gonna just make it its own video to be honest and I'm also going to be filming it for IGTV so I have Maddie coming in2:16
  4. with me and I have Lauren our creative producer coming in with me as well so you know the more the merrier, I'm not planning on showing them my foof,2:26
  5. I'm just not sure, maybe there's a boundary within work that's like keep the foof to yourself, don't show your colleagues your foof unless you're gonna get wild at a2:36
  6. Christmas party and that's your kind of thing, yeah I'm not planning on them seeing, of course I don't care if they see by accident but that's the only thing2:48
  7. I'm like oh I just really hope that Maddie and Lauren don't seem a vagina today, that's all I'm thinking, I think because I'm not going into it feeling like3:00
  8. I'm going for a smear test, I'm going into it thinking I want this to help people and that's really altered the way my mind feels about it because if3:07
  9. you have seen my previous smear test that I had in 2016, I was so nervous, I couldn't like eat properly for days building up to that because it was3:15
  10. my first smear test, I had no idea what it was going to be like and this one is my second so I have a vague idea, I mean it's3:24
  11. been three years and you know my main my main kind of worry if you will was having to get my vagina out in front of a stranger because I3:32
  12. don't really do that, you know I keep that to myself and my partner so that was what I that was my worry was how am I gonna like just3:45
  13. take my pants off and just be like well here's my vagina but they see them all the time and actually I'm just gonna let Jenny like do all the3:56
  14. talking and of course afterwards I will share with you my experience but yeah that's what this video is today so if you've clicked on this video hi I'm Zoe4:03
  15. and you can now come with me into my smear test Firstly thank you for allowing us to film this and for me to come in because I think this4:13
  16. will be really really helpful for a lot of people, one of the most asked questions I think were people just wanting to know a little bit more about what4:30
  17. a smear test is and how old you have to be to have a smear test.4:37
  18. Basically starting from scratch then so girls at the age of 24 and a half get an in -bi letter which is sent from what we call a primary care4:42
  19. screening database so everybody's on that database so they would get their in -bi letter and the reason it's 24 and a half is because obviously the screening program starts4:50
  20. at 25 and it's to make sure that people have got their letter but they haven't got a period that they can then make an appointment to come and see4:59
  21. the practice nurse and have their smear test done and and overall they reckon it can take sort of three to six months to actually make that appointment so that's5:10
  22. why you get that early invite.5:17
  23. The actual smear test if people have been sexually active then it's a bit like being sexually active.5:20
  24. I often will go and get a speculum which we're going to obviously show on the film anyway and I'll show what it looks like.5:27
  25. We discussed what the procedure actually is so putting the speculum inside the vagina and then I also showed them the brush bag and we're going to see later of5:34
  26. how the sample's taken and explain to them how it goes around the cervix and that's they're the cells they're the important cells that we need to take to send5:43
  27. to centre the lap in the inner pot and that's really how it's described to people.5:52
  28. However I always say to people if you're very anxious please come and talk to us because so many people are scared of having a smear test because they don't5:59
  29. know what's involved and and the other big big thing I also find is that people have had friends who've maybe had a smear test and then the friend goes6:10
  30. back and says it's such a horrible experience it shouldn't be a horrible experience it's not a pleasant experience but it should never really really hurt anybody.6:19
  31. That was another one of the most asked questions was is it going to hurt and the only way I can describe that is by the simple fact that everybody's6:30
  32. cervixes are so very very different lots of women have very sensitive cervixes other women probably don't even know you've done it and we can't tell that to a lady6:39
  33. you know we don't know how sensitive their cervixes are.6:48
  34. I think if people have got concerns I cannot reiterate enough please go and talk to practice nurse please because rather than not coming please just go and talk to6:52
  35. someone get a familiar face somebody that you feel you can trust as well.7:02
  36. I think a lot of people judging by what people are asking me is that they felt they couldn't say or you know if they were a bit worried they7:05
  37. felt that they couldn't tell the nurse that they were feeling a bit worried but I think it's important to kind of emphasize that if somebody is feeling a bit7:12
  38. unsure or a bit worried that they can express how they're feeling and I think that would make people feel a lot more kind of at ease and more comfortable.7:19
  39. And I think people should I mean we here we have a 20 minute appointment for our smear test I am aware that lots of surgeries don't have that luxury7:28
  40. and it might be 10 minutes it might be 15 we always have had 20 simply for that reason is you know the woman will come through the door you7:35
  41. want to build a rapport with your ladies before you do anything yeah and you want to find out their previous history you want to find out if they've had7:44
  42. a painful experience also even down to the simple things of what's our speculations being used in the past you know because that's really important.7:51
  43. People asked how does the HPV vaccination play a part in smear tests?7:59
  44. We are aware that the girls who had the age the first lot of HPV vaccine are now coming through mm -hmm this is my personal view I think that8:05
  45. the vaccine was sold very badly in the beginning and I think that's one of the big issues why we we are not getting the 25 year olds coming in8:14
  46. for their smear tests because they think they've had the vaccine so they're fine they don't need it I'm really really hoping that now the boys are involved in September8:22
  47. that the vaccine will be sold in a different way and that it is yes it is to prevent cervical cancer fine but it's only certain strains of the human8:32
  48. papillomavirus that we know are most prevalent to cause in cervical cancer the vaccines we give only covers four strains there's still over 40 strains out there that can contribute8:44
  49. to cervical cancer which is why booking in smear tests is so important exactly yeah a lot of women were quite self -conscious about getting undressed from the waist down8:57
  50. for the first time you know they were asking whether they should do anything in preparation should they be shaved should they have shaved their legs what pants should they9:06
  51. wear what clothes should they wear and people who felt a little bit more body conscious like do you have any advice or any yeah there's exactly what you're saying9:14
  52. people are very very aware that they're going to undress in front of a stranger I teach to vehicle screening to practice nurses and one of the main things we9:24
  53. say is you we're not allowed to use blankets anymore we have to use the couch roll but a little bit of dignity by a couple of sheets of couch9:32
  54. roll goes a long way making sure we pull the curtains around the bed we always lock the door I always say to ladies come in a skirt because then9:39
  55. you can use yeah totally because I always got the skirt on because then you can just tweak it out yeah and obviously you should be behind the curtains undressing9:49
  56. anyway we try to leave a chair so that people have got somewhere to put their clothes on and and I think a lot of it is is the rapport9:58
  57. you have with that client you know I always say I'm going to lock the door now and you can often see their shoulder structure just relaxing because they think10:06
  58. then yeah I'm in this room and I haven't got to worry too much also you've seen it all haven't you there's there's there's no right or wrong I don't10:13
  59. know and patients will apologize to me and say I'm really sorry I haven't had time to shave and I just say you know it doesn't matter to me whether10:21
  60. you shave yeah I'm not looking at what you're like down there I could you get all sorts you get girls with piercings you know they it's all normal yeah10:28
  61. that's not important to us we're not here to judge we should never be here to judge lots of people ask do you need to have a smear test if10:37
  62. you've not had sex yeah this is a this is a really really tricky one um and I would pose the question back what do you mean by not having10:44
  63. sex so if you've never ever had penetrated sex and you've never ever um had foreplay and you have never been near a man or boy or even sex toys10:53
  64. I would say then your risk is minuscule okay and you need to make that decision between yourself I would say that it's the decision that needs to be discussed11:07
  65. between whoever is going to take that sample and the patient and you make that decision together yeah okay you should the nurse should never say you need a smear11:18
  66. test it's it's something you talk about properly together if you're with a partner and you've had foreplay um and or you've used sex toys then yes I do think11:26
  67. it's very very important you have your smear test because the human papillomavirus lives on sex toys it lives on your hands and it actually lives for quite a long11:37
  68. period okay so we know boys haven't been vaccinated at the moment and so boys you know we there is no way of us knowing if a boy is HPV11:45
  69. positive and the only way we know a woman is HPV positive is by her coming here having a smear test yeah there are no other signs or symptoms is11:55
  70. it easier if you're relaxed and do you have any advice to make people feel more relaxed when having a smear test done it's it is much much easier if12:04
  71. you are if you come in and you're relaxed however you can see patients are very tense they don't know what to expect which is why for us again as12:12
  72. nurses we have we should be sitting and explaining what we're doing because we need to gain consent so I again and I teach this and I do it myself12:22
  73. so when my ladies are up on the couch I will explain what I'm doing step by step we should all be explaining that so there are no shocks yeah12:33
  74. it's all about communication isn't it if they're having it done and it feels painful and they say so so if they said to you all this feels too painful12:41
  75. what sort of happens there like can they would you kind of stop and give them a bit of time or if someone was finding it really uncomfortable and they12:49
  76. were like halfway through the test what would happen okay so what I would often do is I might say shall we change the spectrum shall we use a smaller12:59
  77. spectrum and see how that goes a lot of the pain is often when the spectrum is opened so again what you can do is maybe take the spectrum out13:07
  78. and reposition it into a different you know going in at that possibly a different angle because not everybody's cervix is as you focus it in line it can be13:17
  79. difficult so you may be moving the spectrum around to actually find the cervix I actually sit on my stool at the end and you can actually physically see when13:28
  80. a woman is tensing because her buttocks will tense yeah and my stop phrase is and probably a lot of nurses will say this the same so try and relax13:36
  81. it's very easy for us to say that but the patience to try and relax is another question yeah we've even had ladies here who if they have found things13:46
  82. to be very very uncomfortable we may have given them a little bit of estrogen cream which they can use internally to make not more pleasant but to make things13:56
  83. a bit easier when the spectrum goes in what does that do it gives them a bit more lubrication down below okay it tends to plump the cervix up so14:05
  84. that to take the sample it's a bit easier got you we've I've even given obviously with the discussion with the GP we've even given a couple of our patients14:15
  85. medication to try and get them to calm down so there's there's lots of things we can actually do to try and support the ladies yeah yeah so your smear14:24
  86. history is normal you've never had any abnormal smear and this is your second one so you are what we call a routine recall I don't need to find out14:38
  87. if you're on any contraception yes so you're taking hormones yeah it's not your first smear and then what I need to do is find out when your next period14:48
  88. is due that's as far as I go with this form okay because I've got my little raffle going with my lady um the next things I have to fill14:57
  89. out or whether I see them cervix or their sample dates I can't fill that out until you've done it yeah so then my next thing is come and sit15:06
  90. on my pink couch lovely couch I'm going to lock the door okay yeah and I'm going to pull the curtain down just all right not going to make any15:16
  91. difference because we've got Maddie in law anyway it's up to you doesn't matter because your feet so what I want you to do when you're ready is to come15:25
  92. and you've got your skirt on so you might not want to do that but your bottom needs to come right on the end here yeah and your feet need15:46
  93. to go in the stirrups got you and please don't bring your feet on the wall okay right where are you going to go Lauren because you're you're at the15:52
  94. yeah business end business end down there okay so I'm going to film your pants off pants off I'm going to put them you put them on the chair do15:58
  95. you want to colour my bed all right oh come over here this smells very weird just coming in your waist up casual just next to you Maddie okay yeah16:06
  96. I'll just take that I might see you it's all right we'll edit it this bit is my bum close enough to the you just lay down for the minute16:18
  97. because I'm going to get my equipment ready and then I'll take what you need are you the only woman looking how I am love that so this is the16:27
  98. pot that we use and obviously what we have to do is check the expiry date I'm reading that date pot and what goes in that the this is your16:38
  99. sample going to go in here got here um and you like jelly first time around I didn't ask a lot of questions she was like distracting me so I16:47
  100. had no idea what was actually happening so we have large or wide they called we have a medium long mm -hmm and we have a medium and then we16:56
  101. have a small and then we have a virgin so you have to basically this is five different sizes yeah okay so that's an medium plastic plastic we don't use17:07
  102. metal anymore very rarely do we use metal we used to use metal which were clunky and cold and horrible I didn't realise because I didn't really look last time17:20
  103. but it's quite tapered at the end I thought it was just round all the way to the end I don't know why so that's that's probably what the average17:31
  104. lady would have yeah okay this is a small one we want to compare visors that's quite different yeah this is the virgin so even the virgin can you see17:39
  105. is much much smaller yeah oops oh yeah okay are you happy to go for a medium yeah whatever you not virgin I know okay surprise do you lay yourself17:52
  106. back on the pillows yeah you don't need to bend your knees up put your feet in like this yeah make sure the skirts touch right under and then can18:10
  107. I just get you to lift your bottom up and sink down all right and the reason I do that is because then for whatever reason your surface will come18:19
  108. forward okay position for me okay okay so now I'm gary jelly because I think it's kind of for you and I literally use a tiny little blob just because18:26
  109. that is less than I thought it would be yeah because if you use too much it interferes with the lamp okay I've undone my pots so it's all ready18:44
  110. and then this is the brush we use okay so it's a very soft brush however what I would also say is sometimes it can make your surface bleed all18:51
  111. right and that is normal that happened to me last time yeah that's very very normal I'm nervous now I hadn't thought about it until this moment okay so I19:04
  112. know the girls at the reception they say are you scared about doing this I said well no it's just a vagina I do it all the time okay so19:15
  113. I'm now going to put the speculum in okay so I'm just going to touch you and what I would like you to do at any point you are uncomfortable19:24
  114. you tell me or if you feel this is even too big you okay yeah okay okay so now you're going to get that stretchy feeling I was telling you19:32
  115. about and that's where you're opening the that's it speculum yeah this is the bit that feels kind of weird yeah it is a very strange feeling is it okay19:44
  116. yep all good well done so I'm now going to take your sample okay just me using the brush okay you're all done oh right how long did that take19:56
  117. from start to finish a couple seconds so yeah there is a bit of blood okay and I'll explain the reason probably for the blood is is because you're on20:16
  118. the pill so when you're on a combined pill you often do bleed yeah because we have to brush the brush and we've got really really hard to make sure20:27
  119. you get all the cells off okay so then I'm going to lower the couch down and you're all done sometimes you can bleed because of the estrogen in the20:37
  120. pill yeah all right sometimes you might bleed a little bit easier because you have got also a range of cervix and I think when I read the letter this20:51
  121. was explained last time to you you've got what we call an electropian they are normal okay there's that it's it's where so like when you have a graze on21:00
  122. your leg your arm whatever you have a graze on your cervix which is absolutely normal for anybody who's sexually active okay but because it's in a warm and wet21:08
  123. moist area it's gonna take a long time to heal you've also got the combination of you being on the combined pill so the estrogen can make you bleed a21:18
  124. bit more and I would say we say long term pill use is probably not recommended any longer yeah by that we say five to ten years and you've only21:25
  125. been on it a couple of years yeah so if you're happy on it I would say stay on it yeah um because you've got your rektropians as well contributing21:35
  126. probably to the bleeding okay so will I always have that forever possibly until you get menopause and then everything will try to stop because of the couch it comes21:43
  127. into view much much easier I think we'll let you get your pants on yay just to say also the other thing that some people do feel a bit strange21:54
  128. after best mere oh yeah that was one of my questions it's like if somebody is there any like arcotane or yeah some some people can feel quite sore inside22:06
  129. because of you interfering with their you know it is right it does feel yeah much more high up than you think it's gonna feel yeah the sample is going22:18
  130. to take 12 weeks to come back you should get some extra sense in the post if there is any problems what we do here in this particular area is22:34
  131. um you would be contacted by composcopy so if you if your sample came back showing that there was any HPV um and it can come back at different levels22:42
  132. so you we can have what we call um mild moderate or severe dyskaryosis which means that's how the cell the damage to the cells has been so mild is22:52
  133. very is a is a tiny bit of damage moderate and then severe so severe is the worst and then the next step would be is that if someone had23:03
  134. severe they would then possibly go on to have cancer if they didn't get their severe cells treated okay so we very very in all of my sample taking history23:13
  135. I had never ever seen a cervical cancer okay I've seen plenty of pictures but never ever in a lady I've taken samples on women who have had severe dyskaryosis23:24
  136. so they would go straight to composcopy and they don't have treatment and the treatment they would usually have is what's called a let's which is where they actually take23:35
  137. they cut the bad cells away um and they would also then they stay in the cervix up to to see what depth those cells are and then they know23:45
  138. what what the depth is to cut away yeah and then basically those ladies are usually called back again in six months time to then look at the cervix again23:54
  139. and other samples taken to make sure that all of those abnormal cells have gone and not regrained so for moderate and severe they would be referred to composcopy usually24:03
  140. if a woman has mild and it's HPV positive then she would still be asked her to composcopy and then have a look at her cervix and again they would24:14
  141. stain it out and they just literally have a look and probably with somebody with mild they would just be keeping an eye on her so they might then ask24:23
  142. her to come back in six months or a year's time okay so viral cancer is a very very slow growing cancer it can take up to 10 years to24:31
  143. grow okay so that's why we do the yeah intervals we do however very very rarely it can grow very very aggressively now we also have a pathway for women24:38
  144. who come for vaginal bleeding and so if a woman is up to date with her smears but for whatever reason she then gets vaginal bleeding we have a particular24:50
  145. pathway to follow um what I personally am finding is that because girls are coming in later for their smears so i .e.25:01
  146. it's not 24 and a half it's sometimes 26 27 28 but their first smear there's a lot of those first smears are being abnormal because they've left it too25:11
  147. long yeah okay thankfully they've come in at that point rather than they leave it and leave it and then it's actually full blown cancer yeah I mean I guess25:20
  148. maybe it's just a bit remiss of us when a woman turns up for her smear test we actually don't talk a lot about why they've come yeah we obviously25:32
  149. the majority when they come have come because they've had their letter and they know it is I mean they they talk about it as being their cancer test and25:43
  150. I think that's something we need to get away from because it's a preventative yeah to prevent you developing at yourselves um let's face it the majority of samples are25:52
  151. normal but I do think a lot of women actually don't appreciate what contributes towards survival cancer you know lifestyle is a huge contributor um four or four more four26:05
  152. or more four pregnancies um is a big contri contributor if you're HIV positive um if you've got a low immune system which you would have if you're HIV positive26:17
  153. if you're a smoker you know they are huge contributors how many sexual partners you've had the age when you're first sexually active you have plenty of chapparites in there26:28
  154. so if you were a bit nervous could you bring somebody else in yeah by all means yeah okay that's good to know lots of mums come with come with26:38
  155. their daughters very occasionally um they come with a husband yeah girls often come with another girlfriend yeah okay you know I might sound as though service crazy but it's26:46
  156. my it's my life that should be a patch it's fine I've always done yeah and you know and probably for the last 15 years I've talked to nearly all26:58
  157. the nurses in in Sussex Ceremon Surrey in Kent I had to do smears you know I've I tend to do all the difficult ones here I was a nurse27:09
  158. with a soldier for cervical screening but I've done loads of those stuff it's just always being something I've enjoyed which even my family they come mad should have said27:18
  159. it to you behind the curtains but I usually do say to the ladies then while they're getting the nickers on do you check your breasts yourselves as nurses we27:33
  160. are not allowed to check a patient's breasts um because the owner should be put onto the patient to be breast aware and I always say to women you you27:40
  161. need to check your breasts after your period at least once a month and it's feeling up under your armpit your breast tissue under here all over your breast fairly27:48
  162. firmly with with this part of your hands so you're going all over here everywhere same on the other side in the bath or the shower with some soap on27:57
  163. your fingers and then you can glide over easier and the most important thing also is to find a mirror stand in front of the mirror with your arms above28:05
  164. your head look at the underneath part of your breasts because that's the bit we tend to miss and all on on all of your breasts what you're looking for28:13
  165. is puckering dimpling so how the skin of an orange looks because if there's any puckering or dimpling or also tethering where the skin's pulled in that could be an28:23
  166. indication of there being something abnormal going on okay so breast cancer it doesn't necessarily have to be painful all right some people will say they get like a burning28:33
  167. sensation around where the lump is but they might also then not get any pain but they've examined themselves and felt a lump and yeah and the idea is that28:42
  168. they go to GP yeah it keep checking lots of women get hormonal lumps when their period is due and they are often just normal lumps is when those lumps28:51
  169. don't disappear with your hormones that you need to worry thank you it's been amazing it's really nice to meet you too thank you it's perfect thank you have a28:59
  170. nice special day you too have a joy weekend hello do you have a watcher?29:13
  171. we've got a watcher I think two one two three four five oh yeah meant for six have we all had a smith?29:18
  172. no not everywhere I've got my book for Monday no one's got hers but Dan hasn't he hasn't it's good to be honest because I think lots of people like29:25
  173. yeah I mean mine is a year late mine was a year late too I was 26 you were pretty old time I was very old time I love how29:36
  174. much yes it's such different like the groups of people isn't there I feel like there's the group like us obviously in you as well yeah people are like the29:45
  175. couches need to like get this done let's do this like turn 25 on the phone to the GP do you have me about my video?29:53
  176. yeah I was more in the take the letter just hide it obviously except with Carrie I was like Carrie you need to book it come on Carrie you need30:00
  177. to book it I think compared to most offices like how do you know how to look type?30:09
  178. yeah that's not true are you going to do something recently?30:14
  179. recently May end of May first one which was a year and I'm still waiting for the results as you guys know still we're on week 10 I need to30:17
  180. call them to I'm going to call them today but you just I just got told it could take 12 weeks for me so I think no but why are30:25
  181. they two weeks?30:31
  182. yeah see I think it's different depending on where you are so I've got mine really quickly too so I think it depends on the labs that they're using or30:32
  183. something I don't know so do you want to tell us how it went?30:40
  184. oh yeah so yeah it went very well I did is that some ropes?30:44
  185. yeah I was waiting at the moment I was like it went very well but I think I know who said that it was absolutely fine I was definitely much30:51
  186. more relaxed than the first time because I knew what was happening but also I was saying to these guys in the car the first time around I didn't she30:59
  187. didn't say to me like this is what a speculum looks like this is what this looks like she just did it so this time it was so interesting to31:07
  188. actually see everything quite close up because I didn't look glassed out my just I think that fear of being unknown was the worst bit because she was she was31:14
  189. going to be touched by imagination as well yeah and also you want to be in and out there you're like you don't want that it's like a wax you31:21
  190. don't want that to I'm too scared to get fucked you know you want to be in and out I don't want to be in and out maybe I would31:28
  191. do a wax now but then it's a wax painful I don't know why I say it was quite painful like yeah can I I know some people say this31:36
  192. yeah mine was quite painful really and I was crampy for like two days afterwards really but that's pretty normal and it wasn't like unbearable and it's not enough to31:43
  193. make me not go again yeah I think it's just so different for everyone isn't it because mine didn't hurt at all mine didn't hurt or something yeah yeah because31:52
  194. I my first one I wasn't when I was on the foot when I was 25 I bled that time and she said to you today I bled today a31:59
  195. common like the one on the pill thing and you have more estrogen you're more like that state whereas previous ones I had since the first one I haven't bled32:07
  196. because I'm now off the pill so it could be that yeah I just want to see how the next one goes but it wasn't anything that was so bad32:18
  197. that's made me go I'll never do that again yeah yeah less than a period no no not terrible how was your first smear were you nervous I could imagine32:25
  198. you're not really sure you were nervous I don't really care about being naked so I just I just didn't really think about it I think my whole thing is32:34
  199. up until I was about very recently like 21 I didn't really know what it was like I know my parents haven't said anything about it no one ever told32:46
  200. me what it was I think it's only been public information I've only been aware of it recently yeah yeah or I don't know what it was testing for anyway32:56
  201. but yeah mine was fine I went in it was out within five minutes yeah it's so great I did the bling yeah I'm lucky but it is just different33:03
  202. for everyone absolutely definitely yeah and I think there's different things that bother different people because it's funny you say like I'm fine being naked yeah that's my worry yeah33:11
  203. I know that's a big worry for some people like yeah well there's a bunch of a worry I was like it's gonna hurt that's my big worry yeah but33:19
  204. in the end it wasn't that bad yeah it's worse than me I was only ever concerned about the results yeah like that's what I was already that's what I33:26
  205. was really I didn't really think about that procedure but then I have like I'm quite vigilant with my waxing just everywhere I'm like that's what I've been I was33:33
  206. just kind of like here's my match I didn't really care about that there's no doubt about it she said she's been doing it for 20 years imagine how many33:42
  207. cervixes she's seen she doesn't care about you so many of them I didn't care about that it was I actually probably had more stress after it because I was33:51
  208. like okay now I'm in the period of waiting that is interesting so she's gonna have to wait 12 weeks yeah yeah that's what's worrying me more see I came34:00
  209. out was like done forgotten about it now I'm telling me sound like I'm like oh I should probably find out what those are but yeah yeah interesting how people34:08
  210. have thought of it differently well I had mine I got a text back something I had to go back because um something had gone wrong the results were they34:16
  211. had got a knuckle yeah they don't have a knuckle something so I had to go back so then I was really panicking but then did you have the test34:25
  212. done again yeah that was I think that's really common though I've had friends who that's happened yeah she did say sometimes if you've leaped too much it interferes with34:31
  213. your the cells yeah and then you have to go back yeah but I think that's quite normal yeah and I was just saying to these guys and I think34:39
  214. you had this as well because always was really easy today I had it where she made me put my like hands under my back to be able to tilt34:49
  215. my yeah and then she couldn't find the cervix that was a fair amount of exactly digging around yeah but Rose had it where I think that was really so34:57
  216. my so it's just like right there yeah I'm like that's my treasure I'm like oh fun but I'm like bingo yeah that Rose had it where I'd been someone's35:07
  217. put a pillow under me before or like make me kind of make a fist and put that under my back and then they find it more easily she did35:17
  218. say stirrups not all gps will have the beds with stirrups on did you have stirrups for that?35:25
  219. yeah did you?35:31
  220. no yeah mine was feet on the bed feet down but she did say stirrups makes it easier because you sort of fall into the place that you're supposed to35:32
  221. be don't remember when I first heard about having a smear and like what it was and that you have to have it I certainly didn't understand HPV no I35:39
  222. saw it in the terms I don't remember anyone like my mom was that what anyone like saying this is a smear if you have to go and have it35:47
  223. it's kind of like some weird like thing that just kind of came into your knowledge over years but you don't really know what it was about and I think35:54
  224. it's so interesting now that we've all got to have this thing we didn't we didn't really know what it was and what it was for because they were so36:00
  225. informative like even like stirrups everything but I think it's so good we do talk about it because it's just so important important yeah it's probably because in the UK36:08
  226. you can't go until you're 25 so there's no point in even talking about it that's true yeah that's true you guys it's like the unspoken like when you reach36:17
  227. 25 you're going to get the letter yeah but that's literally what people say yeah I was going to say the letter the letter another great thing about the UK36:26
  228. is that's a really good question and that's something when we posted about Jo's Trust before there were so many people going oh my god what is this they said36:35
  229. it's so good yeah it's a really good one I'm sure somebody in Germany was like we go every year yeah and I was like plenty of that it's like36:42
  230. literally like a dentist trip it's like three years here every three years unless you so when I because I had I think of my second smear they came back36:51
  231. with the I was HPV positive and I had the it was only mild like signs of bad cells but after that I'd go I went every year for a37:00
  232. couple of years honestly once I was clear like positive like I don't think positive like clear tests came back I think for two years they put me back on37:12
  233. the three -year cycle so it really depends I think on what your results are but I think three years is the standard why do you think that less than37:24
  234. less people are going because she said it was an all -time low like why do you think it is that people are over like 28 I mean just like37:32
  235. like well she said about 38 people that were heading that first I mean why do you think it's people just aren't going people that are 38 are going for37:38
  236. the first time yeah she said that she said that so really people are 38 in their 30s first man I think well I don't know this is not really37:45
  237. on trip I think people just don't know about it people don't know that they must go it's like straight up fear like I knew what it was but I37:52
  238. just didn't want to go so I didn't yeah that was me too oh so we know me enough so that's okay maybe there's so few people no I'm not37:59
  239. to expect there's so few things in life that you do that are preventative the dentist is basically the only thing we all do on a regular basis that is38:07
  240. to stop our teeth falling out to stop something in the future and this is probably the only other thing and so you kind of don't really think about unless38:17
  241. you get you wait until you've got something and then you go and fix it usually so I think people just don't really think in a preventative way because there's38:26
  242. not I think check for other cancers quite so that's so true yeah that's true you need to understand the absolute benefits of it and I really understand that it38:34
  243. is so difficult for so many people and there are so many barriers that people might have however once you can get your head around the fact that this is38:44
  244. such a great opportunity as you say it is purely preventative and it's free yeah yeah it's free yeah so I wonder whether it's the jay goody effect as well38:51
  245. because I think it peaked then in the UK because of what happened to her and then I think it's like so you did kind because people you get a39:01
  246. bit complacent with everything don't you people just get busy and don't I think yeah and I think a lot of people I can't remember who I was speaking to39:10
  247. but they were like people just get busy like life gets in the way and because like you said it's not something you're fixing it's not something that you're thinking39:18
  248. I need to have this fix I need to get this done that's the damn camp I'm in this is the damn camp it's not urgent it's not urgent I39:26
  249. don't want to go it's that I need to sign up to a doctor since I moved here and it's just like getting around to doing it yeah when I39:32
  250. actually don't mind going at all I've had like STD checks it doesn't yeah it doesn't bother me it's just maybe it's not consciously like oh it'll never happen to39:40
  251. me which is such a dangerous way of thinking it's gonna be a memory it's fine yeah but it's okay yeah but such an easy mindset to step into as39:49
  252. well yeah and I think that's probably what a lot of people have it's not one of those things oh no I'm scared it's like just haven't got around to39:58
  253. it yeah definitely after watching you today that took less actual seconds seconds under two minutes I mean it's really you're taking half an hour in a day to get40:05
  254. to the doctors to get away and come back out if you think of it like that it's just half an hour but when people say it's so quick that40:16
  255. was so quick and I was like wow yeah yeah you're out even though I found mine quite unpleasant I was shocked by how quick it was and I think40:22
  256. it's fine no even though everyone told me which is stupid that you don't listen but even if I'd known it was so quick I would have done it sooner40:30
  257. Jo's trust we're saying that they feel that a lot of women are not going also because of like body confidence and how they feel in their bodies and having40:38
  258. the confidence to kind of be naked from the waist down which I think is really sad that's really sad yeah I get it yeah same because yeah not everyone40:50
  259. is confident to just like your pants up especially not to somebody you've never met before you've literally just like shaking hands where they walked into this room is it41:01
  260. normal it's my vagina normal do I need to shave like that but no one's vagina is normal everyone's is different exactly people see thousands I think as long as41:09
  261. you feel comfortable and like happy like I wore a long skirt today and she did say like you know wear something that's easy or you know just feel comfortable41:20
  262. take somebody with you which you're allowed to do which I didn't realise but you can air your concerns I think a lot of people don't feel like they can41:31
  263. say like I'm a bit nervous about you know you seeing my wobbly bits or you seeing my bare vagina or did you feel better having people in the room41:41
  264. yeah yeah but I think I just wasn't as nervous because I knew I was filming it if I was on my own I would have been a bit more41:51
  265. like reserved and overthought it well there you go everyone just take a camera take a camera just walk in the first one's always going to be the most difficult41:57
  266. absolutely the anticipation is a lot unless something else happens to you obviously but in terms of like the nervousness and yeah not knowing what to expect the first one42:08
  267. will always be the hardest so once you get that one out the way like now I and you know obviously I was a little bit nervous the first one42:17
  268. but now it's just kind of slightly getting to me yeah like that exactly it's like going to the dentist you just go don't you you know grin and bear42:23
  269. it just opening up a different one there one there vessel so dance gonna yeah but it's honestly at the top of my to -do get her doctor pink sorted42:34
  270. yeah there you we should get you to report back in like a week she's gonna look have you achieved what's going on what's going on no one's going on42:45
  271. Monday I'm actually quite excited now I was like yeah I'm gonna do it I wish doing the club everyone needs to join this club yeah I kind of wish42:55
  272. I knew more about it before I went for my first one because I didn't really oh yeah yeah do the it would have been so much less stressful yeah43:03
  273. I mean I had to not go out there these days yeah I was just sort of imagining like this giant like Victorian tool glass I thought it was glass43:10
  274. she's a big piece of metal that's what I was expecting I was just even seeing up the the whole thing is going to come people are going to be43:19
  275. like like they met one my first time maybe yeah yeah they'd set a huge piece of metal on you hmm if you patch your letter okay okay yeah yeah43:24
  276. happy vaginas everyone happy vaginas on the ground43:36

Practise english speaking with British conversation at B2 pace

This clip is a real medical interview between a British YouTuber and a nurse, discussing a smear test procedure. It's B2 level English at a faster pace than 52% of the catalogue, running at 190 words per minute. The conversation mixes medical vocabulary like 'cervical screenings' with casual everyday English and informal reductions. You'll hear natural patterns that reveal how native speakers actually communicate in procedural settings. The speaker uses British pronunciation throughout, so shadowing this clip trains both your ear and your mouth on authentic patterns you would never learn from a textbook.

British english pronunciation practice: reductions and natural speech

Listen to how this speaker forms words in real conversation. Three lines stand out as key patterns for shadowing practice.

  • Line 14: "I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna film a smear test". The reduction from "going to" to "gonna" appears 15 times in this recording. This is authentic native speech, not a writing error.
  • Line 2: "So if you're wondering why on earth I've decided to film myself getting a smear test, it's because I had a meeting at the beginning of the year with Jo's" Notice how "it's" contracts, how words link between clauses, and how "why on earth" conveys tone as much as meaning.
  • Line 9: "I feel like in the 10 years of vlogging this is a moment, I've never done this before, here's me thinking I've overshared then I bring you into a smear." Here "here's me" is conversational shorthand that classroom English does not teach.
  • Shadow these lines repeatedly to build your ear for authentic reduction and your mouth for producing it naturally.

Improve your english speaking: how to shadow this line step by step

Work through this recording in stages. Start with line 1: "Good morning everybody, today is the day that I filmed myself having a smear test." Shadow it five times to lock in the rhythm and British pronunciation. Move to line 14, which contains two "gonna" reductions in quick succession. Practice that line slowly first, then at normal pace, until the reduction sounds natural. Then tackle line 2, which is longer and carries the setup of the conversation. Break it at the comma and shadow each half separately before putting it together.

  • Line 11 shows how to build emphasis in a longer clause: "I didn't have any educational videos about smear tests." Pay attention to stress and pacing.
  • Line 12 continues the thought: "there are a lot of people that have a lot of questions". Notice the repeated phrase structure that builds conviction.
  • Line 10 is one long thought requiring control of pacing: "In all seriousness I do feel that it's important and it is something that I would have found very reassuring and also a great reminder had I seen something like" Start by practicing the opening, then extend it as your control improves.
  • Work through at least three new lines in each practice session, repeating each line five times before moving on.
  • This daily english conversation practice builds your fluency with everyday English patterns you can reuse in your own speaking.
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