When patients wear backless gowns, they take on the "sick role" and become dependent' : exploring the perspectives of healthcare professionals

Cogan, Nicola and Morton, Liza and Johnstone, Johannah and Fleck, Victoria and Butler, Stephen and Emmanouil (Manos), Georgiadis (2023) When patients wear backless gowns, they take on the "sick role" and become dependent' : exploring the perspectives of healthcare professionals. Preprint / Working Paper. PsyArXiv, Charlottesville, VA. (https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/9kv3g)

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Abstract

The tenets of dignity, safety and privacy are potentially challenged when patients arerequired to remove their own clothes and wear the hospital gown for medical procedures.The current study aimed to explore healthcare workers’ views (n = 3371) on the utility of thehospital gown and its perceived impact on patient wellbeing using a cross-sectional onlinesurvey with closed and open-ended questions. Findings suggested that the gown was oftenused when it was not medically necessary and that it was perceived to negatively impact onpatient wellbeing (leaving patients feeling uncomfortable, vulnerable, cold, exposed and self-conscious). The majority of healthcare workers suggested alternatives and/or modificationsto the hospital gown in order for it to be more patient centred. Barriers and practicalchallenges in promoting patients wearing their own clothing were identified withrecommendations for improving choice, quality, safety and dignity in patent clothing acrossdiverse healthcare settings

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