patient attire

[Lithium]

Well, I occasionally find myself reading a few blogs floating around out there in cyberspace about EMS professionals all over the world.

Something that I've seen more then a few of the people write about (however so briefly) is how they 'dress' their patients for the ER before arrival. Basically, they admit to carrying 'johnnys' in the ambulance (I guess the johnny is the gown given to admitted patients?) and once the patient is ready for transport, they'll have them put this on. To be honest, I've never seen this in practice up here. It makes sense however, since most medical and perhaps some minor trauma cases can be in the ER for a few hours at the least and will be asked to change into the robe for assessment purposes.

What are your thoughts? Would you request your patients to take off their tops (ladies can leave their bras on) and put on the hospital gown? And yes, I do realise there are certain consequences that can arise from this ...

peace

[Ridryder 911]

I don't dress the patient nor do I recommend it either. I do place coverage for and protect the patient's privacy.

The reason is simple the patient will be placed into a hospital gown as soon as they arrive (no I don't carry gown or hae the time), as a ER nurse I will tell you it is a pain in the ars to disobe some of these folks, in fact I am more prone to partial disrobe some of the patients (i.e sleeve etc) when establishing an I.V, or B/P...

R/r 911

[Dustdevil]

Never heard of such a practice, even when working hospital-based systems. :?

I don't think many medics know when it is or is not appropriate to gown a patient, and to what extent. And you don't know where they are going to be waiting for the next several hours either.

Don't forget, everything you remove from your patient during transport, you are responsible for. This will just increase the frequency with which patients personal belongings are left on your ambulance.

And, of course, can you really justify asking somebody to disrobe for the hospital? I know that if I as a patient asked you why you wanted me to disrobe, and your best answer was, "because the hospital might want you to," I'd tell you to feck off and die. And report you.

I see nothing good about this idea.

[nsmedic393]

I don't gown patients just because the hospital will eventually do it. That being said, i do carry johnny shirts for the odd occaion that we have to cun the patients clothes off. I find they make life real handy when you have to do a 12 lead.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

This strikes me as something some sort of freak would do, for rather shady reasons.

Your job is medical care. Disrobing a partient does not belong in the prehospital spectrum. End of story.

[JPINFV]

Blah, work IFT and you won't have this problem...

[strippel]

???

Got more important things to do.

I'll gladly help get clothes for my patient while on scene, so they won't be naked when they walk out of the house, or are ready to return from the hospital. But there is a very small time frame when I am feeling generous. If they are BS, they have about 10 seconds to gather belongings, maybe a few more if I am feeling kind. If they are sick, I am not waiting. That is what blankets are for.

As far as carrying gowns in the ambulance, and changing them eroute, Hell no! That is time you could actually be assessing, treating, or talking with your patient. Sounds pretty fishy to me.

At the hospital, even though not my job, I will gladly get them undressed, gowned, and hooked up to the monitor.

[hammerpcp]

That being said, i do carry johnny shirts for the odd occaion that we have to cun the patients clothes off.

Is this a new procedure I haven't heard of?

It's never occurred to me to do this, and I have never seen it done, and it seems inappropriate. Pt's that will be gowned in hospital are usually more critical, and thus, I will not be spending time on putting a gown on at the expense of assessment/treatment/or developing a rapport. And less critical pt's that don't need to be gowned.........well, they don't. This being said, I can see how having a gown on the rig might come in handy to cover a pt up. I usually just use a sheet for this purpose though, and it does the job fine since the pt is not going to be walking around.

[Cookie]

If we have to remove clothing to expose the patient, we cover with sheet or blanket. If at all possible we do not remove undergarments to preserve privacy and if we have to remove the undergarments we do it so no onlookers get a view or in the ambulance. We do not redress or put a gown on them.

[Ridryder 911]

I worked at one service several years ago in a very rural area, we carried gowns.. and sometimes placed them in them as well. The reason was simple though.. 1) we were not that busy.. 2) We also covered & worked in the E.R. as well, and had to take care of them as soon as we got there.. might as well do it..

R/r 911