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Care Opinion

Hospital gowns

Posted By Munali

"Hospital gowns"

About: The Royal Victoria Infirmary / General surgery

(as the patient),

Went in to hospital as a day patient for a minor op on my ear, but with general anaesthetic. General experience very good.

But would have preferred not to wear a gown but my own clothes. Didn't feel confident to ask so wore the gown as instructed.

My feeling is: should only have to wear a gown if there is a very clear medical reason why. Would a hospital have the right to refuse treatment if you declined if they couldn't show you why you needed to? Could you wear your own gown bought for the purpose? I think it is demeaning to have to wear someone else's clothes as a condition of receiving medical treatment unless there is a crystal clear reason why.
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Responses

Response from The Royal Victoria Infirmary 3 years ago
The Royal Victoria Infirmary

Submitted on 26/03/2021 at 10:07
Published on nhs.uk at 20:55

Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback regarding your operation on your ear at the RVI. We are sorry that you found it to be demeaning to wear a gown for the operation, this is a protective layer that helps to reduce the possibility of contamination and infection during the operation.

If you would like this issues to be investigated please contact our Patient Relations Department on 0191 2231382 or nuth.patient.relations@nhs.net with your contact details and they will be able to coordinate with the Directorate to review your experience.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful

Update posted by Munali (the patient)

Thank you for your prompt response. I would rather reply in the public domain because the issue may be of interest to many. Furthermore, my overall experience was good: so I am not complaining. Rather, I am thinking how to make a good experience even better for others as well as myself.

Looking online I see my dissatisfaction with wearing hospital gowns is widespread. Among many examples is the recent article in The Hospitalist 'Exposing hospital gowns' (July 17 2020). It comments "Research has consistently shown that patients are vulnerable to dehumanization and loss of identity ... Hospital gowns strip autonomy from individuals humbly coming to the hospital for help. The gown has become a linchpin of change, initiating the dehumanizing process of 'person' to 'patient.'" This sums up my feelings exactly - I should not have to be dehumanised just because I need medical treatment in a hospital.

My suggestion for the best way forward is not for me to have a private chat with Patient Relations. Rather, I would prefer to see a public, patient-centred policy. Perhaps a good place to begin would be for the RVI/Newcastle Hospitals Trust to publish any existing policy on hospital gowns and patient clothing should it have one. If not, you could formulate and publish such a policy. I would be delighted to offer a draft as a basis for discussion.

Response from The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 3 years ago
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 13/04/2021 at 08:50
Published on Care Opinion at 08:50

Thank you once again for your feedback.

The Trust aims to ensure that all visitors to the organisation specifically, patients, relatives and carers are treated with dignity and respect at all times. Where possible, patient’s individual preferences for night and day wear will be taken into consideration. However to ensure the safety of patients, we do have to adhere to NICE Guidance in relation to theatre clothing requirements.

This guidance (https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng125/chapter/Recommendations#preoperative-phase) identifies the need for theatre wear to be appropriate for the procedure and clinical setting allowing for easy access whilst maintaining patient dignity. There is equipment used in theatre that cannot come into contact with metal meaning that clothing must have not metal elements. Furthermore, Infection Prevention and Control measures require clean, lint free clothing to be worn to reduce the risk of infection and skin preparation antiseptics may also be used which could come into contact with the theatre gown.

We would like to apologise if the reason for the wearing of the hospital gown was not communicated clearly with you at the time of your procedure. We will take the opportunity to review the information and preparation advice that we give to patients to ensure that patients know what to expect when they come to hospital.

Update posted by Munali (the patient)

Thank you for your detailed reply, and indeed your generous apology (though since I didn't ask about the reason for wearing a gown at the time please do not think that an apology was necessary).

Obviously 'theatre wear' as NICE calls it has to allow access to the surgical site - (and of course be clean). I particularly appreciated your details about not having metal on clothing, and the requirement that clothing be lint free. Where the surgical site is not an issue (as, in my case, on the head), then clean, lint free no-metal clothing that the patient brings in himself/herself might be an alternative to a hospital gown that works for everyone.

For many patients wearing a hospital gown will not be an issue, but for those for whom it is a matter of some importance this might be a way forward that " take[s] into account the patient's comfort and dignity" as your NICE reference puts it - do you not think?

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