Why oh why

leslie :-D · Aug 16, 2007

lol!

i had a pt who used to remove her johnny & diaper, get oob and start singing in yiddish....arms extended in air, chin up to ceiling, with such a somber look.

she was my bubbala.

leslie

MS._Jen_RN, ASN, RN · Aug 16, 2007

I suspect it's something similar to why toddlers do. Something doesn't feel good, so they take it off- no inhibitions. I think many of us harbor a nudist deep inside somewhere.:imbar: They are just tryin' to be comfortable.

I've noticed restrained patients will do it too. Possibly as a way to "get free".

~Jen

bigsyis · Aug 16, 2007

I've noticed restrained patients will do it too. Possibly as a way to "get free".
~Jen

I think you might be on to something there. I'm claustrophobic, and cannot imagine being restrained or tied down.:uhoh21: I sure do hope I behave myself as I get older, and if I do take my clothing off that I at least stay in my own room!

EmmaG, RN · Aug 16, 2007

Why do the majority of confused patients end up naked? You walk into the room, and there they are, sans clothes. I just don't get it

At least yours stay in the room after they strip. We've had 'em running through the parking lot (mid-day, at the height of visiting hours; no doubt a lot of PTSD related to that experience lol)

At night, they always gravitated to the supermarket across the street. I'd like to think that it was the bright, shining lights that attracted them, kinda like oversized moths in depends, but I suspect it was actually to try and score some palatable eats.

rnmomtobe2010 · Aug 16, 2007

OMG!! My husband told me he had once dressed his grandmother. That was when her miND

rnmomtobe2010 · Aug 16, 2007

OMG!! My husband told me he had once dressed his grandmother. That was when her mind first started to go. Hubby went to the back to help grandma and came back to find her in her birthday suit.!!!

rnmomtobe2010 · Aug 16, 2007

OMG!! My husband told me he had once dressed his grandmother. That was when her mind first started to go. Hubby went to the back to help grandpa and came back to find her in her birthday suit.!!!

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Aug 16, 2007

Isn't it amazing....they can be otherwise immobile, but boy those clothes can come off as fast as it takes me to turn my back....man, I don't miss those days.

loricatus · Aug 16, 2007

I really dunno. Must be for the same reason you find them picking at everthing they can get their hands on.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 17, 2007

Well, it is freeing. Maybe they think that if they remove their clothing, they can remove the clutter they are experiencing in their thought process.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 17, 2007

why do the majority of confused patients end up naked? you walk into the room, and there they are, sans clothes. i just don't get it

when i was a brand new nurse, about 30 years ago, i came in to work the night shift. i usually used the back elevator to get up to the 7th floor, and on this night, i was standing there waiting for the elevator to come. the doors opened, and there was a naked little old lady. as i stood there with my mouth hanging open, she darted off the elevator and ran into the cafeteria. (it was closed at that hour.) she ran through the cafeteria and kept right on running into the kitchen area in back. i opened the kitchen door, but couldn't see her. at that point, i called security and went upstairs to report after showing them which door she'd disappeared through.

after report, i was starting my rounds when two big, burly security guards brought us back our patient. she was still naked, but covered in flour!!! (as were the security guards from wrestling with her!) it seems she worked in the cafeteria, so she knew where things were but i have no idea what she was doing in the flour!