Trauma Naked?

[mark90]

I was in an MVA a month ago. Paramedics cut off my shirt, and strapped me on a backboard. When I got to the E.R, I was conscious, with no visible injuries, just a bit of a headache. Yet, I was almost immediately stripped completely naked. I laid there fully nude for what seemed like an eternity while I was examined. Then the nurse put a cup over my member and told me to pee. I wasn't able to, so they put a catheter in me.

I asked them to cover me several times, but the trauma team refused, even when i was given an ultra sound i was not covered up.

This just doesn't seem normal to me. Is this standard procedure or did I just get stuck with a bad trauma team.

Please help me figure this one out.

Thanks,

Mark.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

Sorry to hear about your having had a MVA and that you had your wishes for modesty denied you.

In nursing school we had it drummed into our heads to treat patients with dignity and to respect their right to modesty. I could understand why you felt traumatized. I don't believe the staff had any clue as to how this affected you at the time. I would definitely report this to an overseeing department at that facility.

I have never worked trauma, so others may have a different take all together.

[RN1982]

I'm sorry about your experience. It is kind of procedure to have your clothes cut off. They are after all looking for any injuries that you might have sustained in the accident. But yeah, they could have put a blanket over your private areas.

[JBudd, MSN]

Trauma patients do tend to get stripped naked, I've cut off every imaginable piece of clothing from people. However, we generally put warm blankets on over people except for whatever part we are assessing at that moment. It may have seemed like an eternity, but for the first few minutes, yes, we are checking for any obvious injuries. Shouldn't take that long though! Part of trauma protocol is keeping a potential shock victim warm.

The catheter is fairly normal, to see if there is blood, looking for internal damage. Also often send the urine for toxicology screen (alcohol, drugs). Again, fairly routine. Sometimes we wait if the mechanism of injury was not severe; but if they were ultraosounding you, it sounds like they had a high level of suspicion, and they needed to be able to visualize where to place the probe, can't do it through clothes.

Sorry you had such a bad experience, but if there were hidden injuries they missed from not being thorough, it would have been worse!

[BradleyRN]

They should have respected your wishes to have your privates covered. You were alert and oriented and have this right as a patient. It is easy to assess someone without their genitals being exposed...ive done it a million times to provide dignity and respect. Report them so their egos can get out of they way the next time someone wants to be covered.

[CHATSDALE]

it would have been courteous to give yo a blanket, they can assess pretty quick and they could have covered you if they were busy with someone else at that time

i hope you ae feeling better, just remember when you are a nurse to have compassion for your patients

[Batman24]

Clothes being cut away, catheters, rectal exams for suspected traumas are all pretty standard. You might not have been undressed as long as you thought as chances are these things were done fairly quickly. It always seems like forever when you are the patient. I would expect they covered you after cath was inserted. I always try and get the patient covered ASAP.

[mark90]

they inserted the catheter, then gave me the ultra sound afterward without covering me.

[RN1982]

I don't think it matters in what order they performed the procedures. You say that you asked to be covered and they didn't do it. It happens although they should have covered you up when you first asked. Sometimes making sure the patient is stable and free from injury takes priority.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

Cutting clothes off is policy and procedure. Also obtaining urine speciman by catheter if needed. We do a good job of keeping pt covered almost all the time. We consider this a necessity.

If you were alert and oriented with no suspicion of head trauma or injury then you have the right to refuse any part of exam, unless there is a law enforcement issue (in custody).

I think I would write a letter to the ER director and medical director of ER with these concerns. May be hospital CEO too.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Yes, it is procedure to be totally nude while being examined and have your clothes cut off, but I also think you had a not necessarily a bad team, but an incosiderate one. I think sometimes they get caught up in things and forget there's a human being there because they are so used to it. Our team puts a gown on the patient as soon as possible, and usually has a gown one when sent to CT scan.

[kat von b]

I work as a TA in a major trauma center and we always put a warm blanket over our pt's after cutting off their clothes. Yes they will be poked in some very uncomfortable places but we always try to cover them to make them feel as comfortable as possible in this very scary situation.

Like another poster said, I'd write a letter to the heads of the Dept. and hospital.

Sorry you had such a bad experience!!