Curious if this is common or has just been my limited experience.
Being that I have been a patient so much, I think I tend to bring that with me into my clinicals and my schooling as a nurse, one of the biggest things I always do is to ensure my patients privacy. There has been SO MANY times in my "patient life" that my privacy seemed irrelevant, I had Dr's and some nurses that had the whole "seen one seen them all" mentality and didn't think about my dignity or privacy, so for me, no matter what I am doing, I ensure my patients privacy.
I have noticed at my clinicals that the Dr's mainly, seem oblivious to this. Now mind you, my experience in the nurse role and hospital clinicals is very limited. Only being doing them twice a week for 3 weeks now. But besides just a few incidence with a nurse, every time I have been in the room with a Dr. he (so far it has been he's) has found no need to shut a door or pull a curtain. I was in assisting an invasive procedure where part of this woman was exposed, behind the Dr I shut the door and pulled the curtain. The dr. needed something else so he left the room, came back in, did not shut the door all the way or pull the curtain. I nonchalantly walked over and did this again. During the procedure another Doc came in to talk to him about another patient and his issues (saying how the pt was on drugs and lying blah blah blah) I would have been more then happy to eavesdrop on the incoming patient ( I won't lie), but I didn't feel this appropriate at this moment. It was in front of me, another student nurse, a nurse, and the patient. Regardless, that Dr also didn't shut the door or pull the curtain back. I had to quietly do it again, so that Doc leaves and you guess it. I am sitting here thinking, what gives, the woman getting the procedure always seemed tense and looked towards the door during all this as well.
Is this pretty common? I am simply curious. It is not a big deal to me to continue to shut the door and pull the curtain, I will continue to do it, I remember what it is like to be on the other end. Some patients could care less but I will always error in one the side of maintaining privacy even if they don't care out of respect for passer byers as well.
Anyway, so I was just wondering what others notice. If what I have seen is a small few or if this is pretty common. Hopefully I made sense, I should be in bed. lol
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
QUOTE Mi Vida Loca.l . .My husband isn't modest at all and I am extremely modest about most things, for example, I was pushing out a baby and the Doctor through my blanket up and I quickly put it back down to my knees mortified. I always here "When your pushing out a baby, you don't care who sees" . . .
Wow- I thought I was the only one! I figured some sort of instinct must kick in at that point based on what pretty much every woman did while delivering. . . but noooo. . . I was very aware and remember thinking the whole business somewhat embarassing. . . good thing my daughter was born quickly. :)
Specializes in Dialysis, Family & Pediatic Office.
i've been a patient longer than i've been a nurse and like you patient privacy is extremely important to me. i've always loved the movie "the doctor" starring william hurt where a surgeon who treats his patients like objects becomes sick and learns what it's like to be "the patient". by the end of the movie he makes all of his medical students "become patients" and while they are staying in the hospital with a variety of diseases they go through all of the procedures that any patient would have to go through with that illness. personally i think that every med student should have to do this before they offically become doctor's - it would be one lesson that they would never forget and hopefully change the way they would treat their own patients.
I just tell them to close the door/curtain. Why would someone advocate doing it three times then adding a glare? That's very passive agressive, and trust me the doc won't even notice/register it.
Just say - "I am sure Mrs Smith would like some privacy, could you close the curtain/door".
I just tell them to close the door/curtain. Why would someone advocate doing it three times then adding a glare? That's very passive agressive, and trust me the doc won't even notice/register it.
Just say - "I am sure Mrs Smith would like some privacy, could you close the curtain/door".
That's what I would do and say as well. Polite and to the point.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I just tell them to close the door/curtain. Why would someone advocate doing it three times then adding a glare? That's very passive agressive, and trust me the doc won't even notice/register it.
Just say - "I am sure Mrs Smith would like some privacy, could you close the curtain/door".
I normally would be more then happy to be more assertive, but at the moment I am a very new student and figure I need to pick and choose my battles. I already had snapped at the Dr. a bit during the procedure which was probably inappropriate in itself but it was a reflex and well he was freaking me out. LOL I figured in this scenario it was best for me to just pull the curtain and shut the door and not make a fuss about it. There is no doubt in my mind that politely calling this particular Dr. out like that would not have gone well. Again though, if I wasn't a student, I would have had more of a backbone probably about the situation. Not that I would allow myself to get walked all over or anything because I am a student, but I wouldn't just make waves unless I had good reason and in this case I think what I did was probably appropriate. At least I hope it was.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I just tell them to close the door/curtain. Why would someone advocate doing it three times then adding a glare? That's very passive agressive, and trust me the doc won't even notice/register it.
Just say - "I am sure Mrs Smith would like some privacy, could you close the curtain/door".
Hyperbole. Tongue in cheek. Wouldn't really do that. I guess the little smiley face I included after that phrase was ineffective at conveying that.
Good for you for providing your patient with some degree of privacy. On a somewhat similar note, ever notice how MD's seem to ignore contact precautions? Makes the student-nurse-cna's-etc look a little silly wearing thier gowns (which they should).
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Good for you for providing your patient with some degree of privacy. On a somewhat similar note, ever notice how MD's seem to ignore contact precautions? Makes the student-nurse-cna's-etc look a little silly wearing thier gowns (which they should).
After reading this, I did notice that, also thinking back, I am almost certain the Dr. didn't wear gloves when he was doing this, he was doing a Thoracentesis. I can't say with 100% certainity but I am almost positive.
I just don't understand the reluctance to enforce rules and/or decency. We are all members of the healthcare team. If a doctor or a cleaner doesn't put on the isolation gown I have the same discussion with them.
Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.
I think of Physicians as scientists of a sort. My husband is a physics nerd and when he gets focused on something everything fades to the background. I believe that MD's aren't necessarily trying to be rude to the patient, but are focused very intently on the procedure.
I don't agree with the doc who wandered in and started discussing another patient, that was a breach in HIPPA.
MD's are a wierd breed to me, and I often assume a certain level of peculiarity to arise from them.
In the end you were fabulous in advocating for your patient and keeping her booty covered
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nursel56
7,122 Posts
Wow- I thought I was the only one! I figured some sort of instinct must kick in at that point based on what pretty much every woman did while delivering. . . but noooo. . .
I was very aware and remember thinking the whole business somewhat embarassing. . . good thing my daughter was born quickly. :)