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.

[birdgardner]

I don't mean that trauma nurses don't care, but that they don't have an emotional response to nudity any more, so they have to remind themselves that it matters to the patient.

It can be very easy to think, "It's not a big deal to me, so why does it matter so much to you?"

[StephensRn]

I've worked in trauma for many years at numerous facilities. Many

trauma patients are brought in simply because they are by mech. Due

to the damage to the vehicle. By all means the OP should complain.

The most notable aspect that I've noticed about regarding the

treatment of trauma patients is that the female patients are quickly

covered up with blankets by female nurses yet male patients are left

there lying naked. Double standard, absolutely!

[58flyer]

I've worked in trauma for many years at numerous facilities. Many

trauma patients are brought in simply because they are by mech. Due

to the damage to the vehicle. By all means the OP should complain.

The most notable aspect that I've noticed about regarding the

treatment of trauma patients is that the female patients are quickly

covered up with blankets by female nurses yet male patients are left

there lying naked. Double standard, absolutely!

That's certainly the truth! I worked police security for many years in a level 1 trauma center in a major city. I noticed the trend that the female patients are given greater concern for their dignity than male patients. I even covered several patients myself when I could see no reason for them to be left exposed.

There are a whole lot more people who can see the patient than the actual team treating them. There are non-medical personnel around such as secretaries, patient services reps, housekeeping, security, drug reps, other patients and families, you name it. These people have no need to see an exposed patient but are often in a position to do so.

I see this as a competence issue. If the treatment team can screw up with the most basic care concerns, what else are they going to screw up? It's like if someone wants to borrow your car but can't figure out how to put the key in the ignition and start it up, are you going to trust them to take it out onto the highway? I doubt it. Why should any patient trust anybody who can't even demonstrate the basic fundamentals?

To the OP, make a PITA of yourself until you get results. If these people treated you this way it is a sure bet they have done it and are continuing to do it to other patients as well.

I would look too at getting your bill reduced. If you didn't get full service, you shouldn't pay full price. They short changed you in the exam room, short change them at the cash register. It's too bad to put this in terms of money, but let's face reality, they are in this business to make a living. Sometimes $$ is the only thing that will get their attention.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I agree that he should make his concerns known to the hospital and staff, but wouldn't go so far as to say they were definitely in the wrong. Many times someone with chest pain comes in and the priority for the family is a warm blanket, but we know it's just going to be stripped off for the EKG and exam, and be cold by the time we're finished.

They may have been in a situation like that, but I don't know why he couldn't have a towel to cover up...probably just an explanation would make him feel better. Maybe the linen was outside the room, and it will take a complaint to get a blanket warmer in trauma.

Write the letter, you may do some good.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

To be the devil's advocate here, it doesn't sound like they "saved" the guy. It sounds like they did a trauma assessment because there was significant damage to the motor vehicle, but that the patient was NOT significantly hurt and has no grounds for being particularly grateful. Maybe the OP wouldn't mind giving us an idea of the severity of his injury?

Now let's talk emotional trauma - the patient is shaken up from the accident, strapped to a board and immobilized, stripped naked, catheter stuck up his urethra without a by your leave, maybe gets a rectal exam, no one covers him when he asks, he's powerless - the aftereffects of that could be lasting and a whole lot worse for him than the physical effects of the accident.

You trauma nurses have seen it all and done it all and it means nothing to you any more, but it means a LOT to the patient. He should have had at least a towel over his loins right away, and no one should be telling him "just get over it."

I've been a EMT for a relatively short time and in nursing I'm still a student and you can tell me I don't know the real world yet - but anyone who says that is losing sight of what is real for the patients.

I'm definately feeling it for the poor guy, the trauma team did him wrong there. Putting myself in his shoes I would have been mortified and angry at not having my modesty respected. The trauma team does have their priorities, so seeing it from both sides, they guy had an accident significant enough for the EMS to activate the trauma system and was having a "mild headache" would could be a subdural hematoma about to kill him....you never know.

But I agree 100% sometimes we forget the humanity of the patient and he becomes "a trauma". I agree with the above that when it's a male patient staff seems less concerned about exposure.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

I have a friend who was, in his words, "blown up in Iraq." When he talks about waking up in a military hospital, the thing he brings up more than his injuries is how he was naked and nobody would cover him, even when he asked.

Maybe this sort of thing bothers patients more than we realize.

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

For me as the patient, I have never experienced this exact thing. However, I feel like I would be ok with it. I may be a bit embarrassed, but I realize that these things are needed. I think I would also be ok with it because every part of my body is examined twice a year, even in my genital area. Due to my disorder it is needed so....at this point it is no big deal to have a medical professional look down there.

But since I have never experienced this exact situation I do not know exactly how I would feel at the time obviously

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

In trauma training we learn that the pt needs to be covered with a warm blanket ASAP to prevent hypothermia in the event of shock etc. Unfortunately a lot of us seem to forget this too often.

As far as the point made earlier that a cover could hide injuries, I don't agree. This is what 1:1 nursing care is for and why vital signs are checked extremely often.

There is no need to keep a pt naked after the initial exam.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I'm definately feeling it for the poor guy, the trauma team did him wrong there. Putting myself in his shoes I would have been mortified and angry at not having my modesty respected. The trauma team does have their priorities, so seeing it from both sides, they guy had an accident significant enough for the EMS to activate the trauma system and was having a "mild headache" would could be a subdural hematoma about to kill him....you never know.

But I agree 100% sometimes we forget the humanity of the patient and he becomes "a trauma". I agree with the above that when it's a male patient staff seems less concerned about exposure.

Our ER staff has actually talked about this . . . if we come in as a patient to the ER, please keep us covered up and pull the curtain when doing invasive things. Oh, and for me, cover up my feet. I just have a thing about my feet being uncovered. So, at least put some socks on my feet.

We do tend to depersonalize people - my class talked about this last week. We call them "The COPD'er in 305" or even "305".

Part of it is HIPAA . . . I realize that. However . . part of it is not.

steph

[TCRNCOB61]

My son was in a MVA last Jan 22, 2007. They brought him in full Trauma alert. (Fx. both hips, head injury-sunroof fell on his head, and many lacs.) They had cut all his clothes off in the field just to get him out of the truck.

I was working at the hospital on a different floor when they brought him in and when I got to the trauma bay he was covered with a sheet and stayed that way. I really don't know if and if so how long he had been uncovered. He does not remember anything for 12 days so he is of no help. I do know they missed a few lacs. that should have been stitched up on his legs, 2 of them down to the bone that did not get noticed until the next day and then was to late to close. I don't know if this was because of that sheet. I know they needed to save his life and I am so forever GREATFULL for the best staff in our ER for taking care of my son.

I for one can see the need to have the pt. as uncovered as possible so as to not miss anything. I do understand the need to cover certain areas (I don't think I needed to see my son's foley!)(He was 26 years old at the time)

ER NURSES ROCK!! Keep up the great work you do. I will stick with OB.

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

medic motto:

"make 'em naked"

dont know if anyone else said that, but wanted to mention. thats what we are taught, military taught here, and in my area where i do volunteer medic, same thing.

sorry to hear what you went thru, but spread the word- refuse!! you can always refuse!!

-H-

[leslie :-D]

medic motto:

"make 'em naked"

dont know if anyone else said that, but wanted to mention. thats what we are taught, military taught here, and in my area where i do volunteer medic, same thing.

sorry to hear what you went thru, but spread the word- refuse!! you can always refuse!!

-H-

nothing wrong in "make 'em naked".

something wrong in "keep 'em naked".

traumatic injury affects the psych as much as the body.

leslie