Health Care Providers: How do you deal with patient nudity?
People like to say that nudity doesn't bother health care providers, but it obviously does. Even though providers are used to it, they're affected by the patent's discomfort of it, often unintentionally compounding the patient's discomfort.
Most of my doctors are matter of fact about it. I uncover what they need to examine as directed, then cover it back up. This sometimes comes off like some creepy “peek a boo” game. Bad as that is, my present physician leaves the room while I undress completely and put on a fresh gown. He reenters, throws the gown here and there examining everything everywhere anyways, discusses what he has to say, then leaves while I dress. Personally, I find that even more creepy. Likewise, my dermatologist has me undress to my underwear, gropes around inside that, then has me remain in my underwear for the rest of the appointment.
I wound up in ER last year in extreme pain. After they hooked me up in a hurry, they left me to change into a gown on my own. Bad move. Don't have drugged up patients in a lot of pain dress themselves. I was so tangled up that later for a CAT scan that I became frustrated, got up, stripped completely in front of the nurse, slowly and carefully reorganized everything, then put the gown back on.
The point is, I don't mind being naked. I'm a lot more comfortable naked than I am when the providers play these games. I don't like playing peek-a-boo, being examined half dressed, or sitting around in my underwear. It makes me feel uncomfortable and that likely makes you feel uncomfortable.
So question... If you're going to have to examine me that completely anyway, would you mind if I asked you to simply let me undress completely and stay that way for the duration of the exam? Or would that make you too uncomfortable?