Is it OK for male Dr. to ask female patient to undress in front of him?

LydiaNN · Jan 10, 2006

I don't know about any hard and fast rules, but it just doesn't feel right for the doctor not to leave. In my experience, even female doctors typically give their female patients privacy to dress and undress. I think I probably would have asked if I could please have some privacy. If your friend isn't comfortable bringing this up with the doctor, maybe she can speak to a female in the practice and share her concerns.

Nurse Ratched, RN · Jan 10, 2006

Many male providers may choose to have a chaperone with them when examining a female pt's tender bits (or anywhere near them.) This is strictly a protection against accusations of inappropriate conduct by having a witness. Not all providers do this; a lot probably depends on their past experiences, comfort level with that pt, and just personal judgement. It's not a law or rule to my knowledge - just good practice depending on the situation .

As far as the dressing and undressing, it sounds like this was just an efficiency thing for the doc - better to stay in and not get snagged by someone if he steps out. It kinda sounds like this doc has been practicing forever, doesn't have any concerns about accusations of inappropriateness, and want to speed things along. It may be a function of how long this pt has "doctored" with him.

echinacea · Jan 10, 2006

Thanks for the quick replies. Very informative. :specs:

gypsyatheart · Jan 10, 2006

Many male providers may choose to have a chaperone with them when examining a female pt's tender bits (or anywhere near them.) This is strictly a protection against accusations of inappropriate conduct by having a witness. Not all providers do this; a lot probably depends on their past experiences, comfort level with that pt, and just personal judgement. It's not a law or rule to my knowledge - just good practice depending on the situation .
As far as the dressing and undressing, it sounds like this was just an efficiency thing for the doc - better to stay in and not get snagged by someone if he steps out. It kinda sounds like this doc has been practicing forever, doesn't have any concerns about accusations of inappropriateness, and want to speed things along. It may be a function of how long this pt has "doctored" with him.

I agree, excellent post. Seeing how the pain was in her leg and he wasn't examining "private parts", he probably opted to stay in the room knowing if he left he would get caught up w/other business. Plus, he must feel comfortable w/your friend. I don't get the sense of any "wrongdoing" from his actions.

fergus51 · Jan 10, 2006

It wouldn't bother me as a patient.

ShayRN · Jan 10, 2006

I wouldn't think twice about a doc sitting there in this situation.

sun_chica · Jan 10, 2006

It doesn't seem like a big deal, he was checking her legs. She had a gown covering her as she drops her pants... she's totally covered.

if she's uncomfortable, she should speak up.

Just think of the times you've been told to undress, & you sit there for five minutes or so, waiting (prob b/c the doc was stopped in the hallway for another pt). I agree w/ the above posts, prob an time efficiency thing:)

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Jan 10, 2006

Yep, no hard core rules on this one...just a thing MD's vote to do for safety of both pt and themselves (Lawsuit protection)...us RN's can also do this if we wish...which many of us either don't have time for, or forget.

Yeah, I think I would rather my MD be there for quick evaluation instead of them leaving and coming back 15 or so minutes later when I am freezing in that lovely sheet and gown! LOL!

Bipley · Jan 10, 2006

Yep, no hard core rules on this one...just a thing MD's vote to do for safety of both pt and themselves (Lawsuit protection)...us RN's can also do this if we wish...which many of us either don't have time for, or forget.
Yeah, I think I would rather my MD be there for quick evaluation instead of them leaving and coming back 15 or so minutes later when I am freezing in that lovely sheet and gown! LOL!

Agreed. I had something similar happen to me. Got a dog bite on my knee. By the time I got back into town it was infected. Knowing my doc well I knew I could swing by his office for some abxs. Turns out he wasn't busy at all that day and told me he wanted to see it. I was really in a hurry and asked if I could just get an Rx and be on my way. He said no. Went into the room and wearing jeans I couldn't raise the leg. He handed me a sheet and read my chart while I took my jeans off.

I think a lot of it depends on the relationship between the patient and doc. I am quite positive if I went there for something where I had to take off my bra or underwear he would have never EVER done that. But under the circumstances I was in a rush and bottom line, I was outta there in five minutes.

grannynurse FNP student · Jan 10, 2006

When I go to see my PCP, I am asked by a female member of his staff, to remove my top and bra, given a patient gown and left alone. If he needed to examine me, he had a female staff member present, when I was younger. He has been my PCP for twenty-six years and he no longer feels nor do I, it necessary to have someone present. The excuse that he would get delayed by stepping out of the room, is a pretty lame. My PCP has a large and active practice. He has never gotten delayed when he has left my room and returned. It really depends on the age of the patient. Under 60, a pgysician should step out of the room and should have a female staff member present, just in case.

Grannynurse:balloons:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2006

She already had a gown on, was in the middle of an exam, so it doesn't sound too inappropriate to me.

Now if he walked in with her fully dressed and said "get undressed", that's another thing. But slipping pants off while in an exam and while wearing a gown doesn't seem inappropriate.

Probably for his own liability he might have had another female present. But during routine exams that's not always done, during pelvic/gyn exams it is.