Why do Dr.s think it takes me 5 minutes to change clothes?

[SnuggleBuggles]

I really hate when they tell you to change into a gown or back into your regular clothes and they'll "give you a minute to do that" but then disappear for 5-10 minutes. One, I hate sitting there in a gown. Two, I can get ready in less than a minute.

I am so used to my midwives who just have a changing screen. The CNMs are the ones who get me from the waiting room so I am never left by a nurse to wait for someone else. When it is time to change the midwives just stay there and there is no wasted time. It just seems like a smarter set up all around, if you ask me.

ETA- I know it isn't a Dr./ midwife difference sort of thing. Just maybe a difference of more conventional practices vs less conventional.

Beth

[lizajane]

here is what i think is so weird... if they make you take off all their clothes BEFORE they come to see you and look at all your bits and pieces, WHY do they have to leave the room for you to take them off??? Just turn your back and check out the chart for a minute, for heavens sake. you are about to see us naked anyway!!!

[emmiem]

They are seeing a patient who is already undressed. My DH is an OB-GYN and he sees about three to four patients at one time in separate exam rooms. Some women do take long to undress although some don't. It is just a triage thing.
Michele

[Wife_and_mommy]

LOL, Liza. You know, I had an older midwife watch me get undr*ssed and it was unnerving even though she saw my bits. I'm just a modest soul. The d or m watching me undr*ss just adds to my horror.



here is what i think is so weird... if they make you take off all their clothes BEFORE they come to see you and look at all your bits and pieces, WHY do they have to leave the room for you to take them off??? Just turn your back and check out the chart for a minute, for heavens sake. you are about to see us naked anyway!!!

[SnuggleBuggles]

They are seeing a patient who is already undressed. My DH is an OB-GYN and he sees about three to four patients at one time in separate exam rooms. Some women do take long to undress although some don't. It is just a triage thing.
Michele

See, I always figured that's what they were doing or they were doing paperwork, returning phone calls or something. Wouldn't it be a bigger time saver to just get the appointment with one done sooner though? Maybe not.

Beth

[Corie]

here is what i think is so weird... if they make you take off all their clothes BEFORE they come to see you and look at all your bits and pieces, WHY do they have to leave the room for you to take them off??? Just turn your back and check out the chart for a minute, for heavens sake. you are about to see us naked anyway!!!


This is exactly what I told my OB/GYN. I told her that she didn't
need to leave the room while I got undressed since she was going
to see me naked anyway. :) I had both of my kids in there
watching me too.

[maestramommy]

This is exactly what I told my OB/GYN. I told her that she didn't
need to leave the room while I got undressed since she was going
to see me naked anyway. :) I had both of my kids in there
watching me too.

Yeah, but Corie, your kids like to do the running commentary during your exam:ROTFLMAO:That would kill any pangs of modesty I have :kisscheek:

[lizajane]

LOL, Liza. You know, I had an older midwife watch me get undr*ssed and it was unnerving even though she saw my bits. I'm just a modest soul. The d or m watching me undr*ss just adds to my horror.

well, i wouldn't want them to actively WATCH 'cause that is just creepy, not matter who it might be (except Sig Other). but to just turn their backs to prepare something or wash hands or whatever...

anyway. yes. i hate sitting there freezing to death while waiting and waiting and waiting.

[hez]

I got walked in on once, mid-change. Apparently the doc & nurse were a little off their rotation :ROTFLMAO: It was a bit embarassing, to say the least.

I take my palm pilot & play solitaire while I wait. Otherwise I get too darn impatient.

[SnuggleBuggles]

At least in some exam rooms they have magazines or something to do. Of course, you never know when the Dr. is going to be coming in so it's hard to decide whether you should just sit there waiting or get something out to do. I hate that part- the uncertainty of when they will arrive. I don't know why that bothers me. If I knew I would have 5 minutes then I might get off a phone call or something. I also feel like I should be a good little patient and be ready and waiting whenever they show up.

Beth

[SnuggleBuggles]

well, i wouldn't want them to actively WATCH 'cause that is just creepy, not matter who it might be (except Sig Other). but to just turn their backs to prepare something or wash hands or whatever...

anyway. yes. i hate sitting there freezing to death while waiting and waiting and waiting.

Exactly, just stay there and do something that will productively move the appt along.

[Aunt to sweet baby boy]

I was at the derm last week for a full body mole check and after he did the check and removed one mole the dr and nurse left, and the nurse was going to come back with samples of the acne med he is giving me. She came back so fast I only had a bra/skirt on. It must have been a minute later. I was very surprised, but not mad that I did not have to wait another 10 minutes for her to return.

[s7714]

I don't mind the wait since it's rare I have a quiet moment to sit down and browse through a magazine/book without a child climbing on me. I do however wish I didn't have to wear a ill fitting gown made of paper. I always end up ripping holes in the things on accident, so I sit there feeling embarrassed when the Dr. comes in and I'm trying to keep myself covered with shreds of paper.

[tylersmama]

That's one thing I love about my OB/GYN...real gowns! I *hate* the paper gowns!

[DrSally]

Yeah, I think they don't want to catch someone midchange. That would be embarrassing for everyone. On a related note, I undressed DS for his 1 year appt. I believe and he got weighed and measured, and the ped came back ONE HOUR later. DS was sitting naked and squirming the whole time! We had already been waiting in the waiting room for 1.5 hours.

[MommyMichelle07]

Not related to the OB issue, but I'm a Massage Therapist and have to deal with the same issues, just on the other side.

Some people take FOREVER to get undressed and under the covers and take even longer to get dressed and come out of the room after their massage. And, some people are ready on both ends quicker than I can get a drink, look over their paperwork, and wash my hands. I tend to give people around 5 minutes to get settled in before I enter the room to start the session. Many people make comments thinking it's far too long, but I've also gone back too early and heard plenty of "just a minute" when I knock.

It's just hard to know what time people need. Some toss their clothing on the floor in a big pile and jump on the table. Some fold it all neatly and stack or hang it and then they must write a letter or something because I have no clue what could possibly take 7 to 8 minutes to do before getting on the table.

[Sillygirl]

The primary care docs are all so time stressed that literally every minute counts. Some people have mobility issues and take a long time to get undressed. I'm sure your doctor has a standard amount of time where s/he sees other patients, returns phone calls, wrangles with insurance pinheads, looks at labs, etc.

I ALWAYS leave the room when patients are getting undressed. Everyone likes to hide their underwear under their clothes and I give them the time to do it. And yes, I'm returning calls and charting during that time.

[Ceepa]

I don't mind the wait since it's rare I have a quiet moment to sit down and browse through a magazine/book without a child climbing on me.

YES! I love having a few minutes to breathe and glance at a magazine.

The other day DH had the kids in the waiting room while I was waiting for the exam to start. I was actually relaxed and enjoying the quiet and then the door opened and they walked into the exam room. The nurse had kindly pointed the way for them and DH thought I wouldn't mind making it a family experience. lol

[dr mom]

The primary care docs are all so time stressed that literally every minute counts...And yes, I'm returning calls and charting during that time.

Yeah, that. :)

In my office, I see 3 patients an hour, plus have to respond to all phone calls, refills and referral requests, read and answer correspondance from specialists, oh and find time to chart on every patient encounter and then "code" the visit correctly so that the insurance company will pay for it. I do try VERY hard to be respectful of patient's time - I hate to be kept waiting, too, so I understand how frustrating it is to wait 30 minutes to be seen - but all it takes is one complicated patient to throw the whole schedule off. If my morning starts with a demented elderly patient on 20 medications...a depressed patient who has never before opened up about her depression...or a patient who is seriously ill and needs to be admitted to the hospital...well, then the schedule is screwed up for the rest of the morning, and I'm going to be working right through lunch to catch up.

So on behalf of overworked primary care docs everywhere, I will apologize now for all the times you have had to wait 45 minutes in a cold exam room with only a flimsy paper exam gown and a three-year-old copy of Car And Driver magazine for company. I hear you, and I feel your pain! ;)

[SnuggleBuggles]

Aww, I didn't mean to make anyone feel bad! I know Dr.s work extremely hard and they are extremely overworked much of the time! A big thank you for all you do!!



Beth

[sadie427]

I'm guilty of letting patients wait a while between when they get dressed and when I come back in the room, but I'm always using that time for that patient or another one. Often I'm talking to the pharmacist about the patient's medication, or getting their tests ordered.

[LarsMal]

Everyone likes to hide their underwear under their clothes and I give them the time to do it. And yes, I'm returning calls and charting during that time.

LOL! That's me! I have to fold my clothes and hide my underwear and bra in between my shirt and pants! I can do it pretty quickly, though!

When I was pg with DD, DS came to all appointments with me (so from about 10- 16months old). It never failed that the dr walked in while I was in my gown standing at the sink in the room rinsing his paci or getting him a snack or something to distract him. As I got bigger it got harder to keep things in the back hidden! One time my OB walked in and I was totally exposed!

We both just laughed and I told her modesty had gone out the window for me. She insisted once I was all done having kids, it would come back and I would once again be embarrassed for her to see all my bits! We'll see!!