Can we have patient modesty ?
Posted , 14 users are following.
I'm male, in 50s. Went for a urological procedure and had to take everything off and don gown. So far, so good. Lay on examination table, told doctor was coming and had gown pushed up to neck so am bare from shoulders down to everyone on my team- included 3 women- and everyone else in the large operating theatre- at least another half dozen women plus some blokes.
Doctor didn't come and I said to one of the women on my team that it was uncomfortable to have about nine women looking at my exposed genitals.. Oh we've seen it all before is the stock answer. Well it hasn't reduced your interest is what you think because they were looking at me very openly and obviously I thought.
So, what' importance is put on helping out patients who aren't used to casual baring of private parts in publlc ?v Why can't we have some screening or al least draping. Better things for NHS to spend money on? Medical staff- male & female- seem very casual about modesty. Perhaps they should try lying on a slab nude while the room looks at them !
1 like, 82 replies
peggy50854 charlie14064
Posted
bob120 peggy50854
Posted
Peggy, I don't really understand the need for modesty in a medical situation. Doctors and nurses have seen it all. What is important is the outcome. Of all the concerns in the field of medicine, I can't think of any that would rank lower than modesty in my opinion.
Patient_Modesty peggy50854
Posted
Peggy50854,
?I am a woman and the founder of Medical Patient Modesty (http://www.patientmodesty.org), a non-profit organization that works to educate both female and male patients about their rights to modesty in medical settings. I wanted to address some of your opinions.
?1.) First of all, men who desire an all male team for intimate procedures are not big babies. They are courageous for standing up for their rights. MPM has helped numerous men to get their wishes for modesty. Check out our testimonials at http://patientmodesty.org/testimonials.aspx.
?2.) Numerous colonoscopy patients have worn colonoscopy shorts or boxer shorts backwards. I actually had no idea that this was possible until I came across an endoscopy clinic in Knoxville's web site about 5 years ago that shared that patients could protect their modesty during colonoscopy by wearing boxer shorts backwards. There is a company that allows you to get samples of colonoscopy shorts (https://www.primepacifichealth.com/examshorts/).
?3.) It is very true that many women have had their modesty violated during childbirth. This is why we have this article, Modesty During Chidbirth (http://patientmodesty.org/childbirthmodesty.aspx?). We have helped numerous women take steps to make sure they had maximum modesty for childbirth. You will notice we have an all female ob/gyn directory (http://patientmodesty.org/obgyndirectory.aspx?) that lists all female practices that can give women a guarantee their babies will be delivered by a female gyn.
Misty
Patient_Modesty bob120
Posted
While you may not think patient modesty is important, it is important to many patients. Each patient has the decision what can be done to their body. You are right that many doctors and nurses have seen a lot of private parts, but that does not change the fact that many patients do care about their modesty.
Misty
VBiker peggy50854
Posted
Peggy, I am guessing that you work in healthcare. Though I am modest I personally have no qualms about colonoscopies and ask for no special accommodations beyond not being sedated (makes me ill). For me the procedure is painless to the point I wonder why anyone would be sedated for it.
There are other procedures of an intimate nature however such as cystoscopies where I prefer a male nurse do the prep or testicular ultrasound where I want a male sonographer. Unless you are saying you'd be OK with a male doing your mammogram and a male doing your transvaginal ultrasound (in the same manner of a male testicular ultrasound where you are exposed rather than covered up as they tend to do for women) you are not in a position to judge men for being modest.
I would also add that unless you have personally experienced male healthcare workers being sexually inappropriate with you, you again aren't going to understand why some men seek to avoid female caregivers.
Hopefully you do not assume a bullying posture when you are with male patients that request male staff or that otherwise expressing discomfort with you.
raffie charlie14064
Posted
Good Afternoon Gentlemen:
I just stopped in to see how your requests for same gender care are going.
Just remember, go into the situation with your eyes wide open.
Female nurses & techs will sometimes try embarrassing then humiliate you for asking for same gender care.
Stand strong, don't be embarrassed, feel uncomfortable, and don't apologize for asking.
Let them draw attention to themselves and the double standard. They know all about the double standard. They just think if they ignore it & don't talk about it that it will go away.
Every time a man stands up for himself and says he prefers same gender care, it causes the institution to stop and think that maybe they better rethink some of their policies.
Any man who stands up for himself in this situation and doesn't allow himself to be pushed or ordered around by female caregivers or give in to their perceived power they think they have over you, is more masculine.
It's your body therefore its your choice.
Stand firm, and watch them back down because they know under their own patient rights guidelines and their core values, that you have the right to the same gender care they freely give to their female patients.
They want men to continue to suffer their indignities in silence.
It's time for that to END.
Regards,
Raffie
bob120 raffie
Posted
Only for those who feel it's an indiginity. When I came into the ER with 1400 mls of urine backed up in my bladder all I wanted the female nurse to do was put in the cath and make the pain stop. After surgery female nurses had to disconnect the cath from the bag and extract blood clots through the cath tube using a large plastic syringe tool. There's no modesty available for that procedure.
raffie bob120
Posted
Hi Bob:
Same gender caregivers aren't everybody's cup of tea and I respect that.
For those guys that choose same gender they need to stand their ground & be persistent.
Regards,
Raffie.
donald16398 bob120
Posted
ian70032 charlie14064
Posted
Well Charlie I have been in the same situation and I'm afraid that's how it is.
I know I am just a normal man like any other and it dose not really bother me. But I do sympathise with you if you feel acute embarrassment and agree just because they are used to seeing naked patients they should be more aware.
raffie charlie14064
Posted
Good Afternoon:
It doesn't occur to most female medical staff that some men (not all), care about their exposure and to the extent that few men will ever acknowledge it let alone speak up at the time it happens, is what has allowed the American healthcare system to run their business model off an eons old stereotype they still think is valid when it should have gone by the same way the 8-track player did.
Regards,
Raffie
donald16398 charlie14064
Posted
donald16398
Posted
Modest hospital gowns that cover the backs and buttocks are available on the internet.
raffie donald16398
Posted
Some of the hospitals like Cleveland Clinic for one have realized that the gown is part of what will give the patient the best possible outcome so they have dumped the johnny except maybe in ICU and gone to a gown that better keeps things out of sight.
Raffie
mark44484 charlie14064
Posted
I'm sorry to disagree, but I just think this is a little childish. Medical professionals are concerned about taking care of your health and modesty is secondary. I would not want to be treated by a doctor or nurse who felt otherwise. At a urology clinic in particular, you should expect that part of your body to be the center of attention.
VBiker mark44484
Posted
In theory you are correct, and I too don't want a doctor or nurse whose first concern isn't my health. The problem is there are female nurses, medical assistants, CNA's etc who choose their specialty (urology for example) for all the wrong reasons and who do enjoy the view a bit too much. Based on a couple inappropriate experiences I now ask for male staff so as to just avoid such encounters altogether. If male staff isn't available I do not allow them any liberties in terms of exposing me more than is needed, for longer than is needed, or to more people than is needed. They shouldn't have to be reminded of such things but again, my health has not always been their primary concern.