Ask the surgical prep nurse what you can leave on. I have had two foot surgeries, one broken bones, requiring a plate and screws in the foot, the other foot a serious cancerous melanoma requiring amputaion. I have learned to ask what clothing needs to be removed even for quarterly skin check ups and lymph node checks. There is also a concern of germs that might be carried into surgery room if you are wearing anything but sanitary cap, booties and hospital gown risking a staff infection to the surgery room and others in he hospital. I for one am glad hospitals are strict about what goes into the operating room.
Shed your undies and get over it. From looking at some people I have seen walking into hospitals they should be hosed off and santized at the front door like a car wash for the protection of everyone inside the hospital.
It's up to the doctor, not the nurse. I wore underwear for surgery on my hand and specified that did not want to do the surgery if there was any possibility of catheterization.
Like I said elsewhere, it's up to the doctor, not the nurse. You sound very anal about germs.
Women tend to be allowed to wear underwear (due to biological aspects-eg periods) whereas men are rarely allowed to wear underwear. For my surgery, I had to sit in a waiting room with other patients and all women were allowed underwear (not bras not, just knickers) but men weren't allowed anything underneath.
talk with your doctor, he make's the final decision. Also be aware of the fact that its your legal right to deny consent for whatever your not comfortable with. I personally think your rights and privacy is being invaided when asked to disrobe. Generally the few times I've gone in to the hospital I automatically refuse to disrobe,and politely remind all concerned of the ACLU, my rights to denying of consent, and the federal laws in place that give the patient the right to his,or her own autonomy, and self determination. I also carry a medical power of attorney which stipulates all of my wishes. This may not necessarily stop some paternalistic dr. but it sure gives you a leg up when you sue him. I've pre-arranged with my dr. about my wearing my undershorts, for my lapriscopic surgery, and he's given me the green light. Again he may do something while I'm under, but EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED, so check your medical records! If everyone were adamant about there wishes maybe these perves in the medical field will start to back down. I wear a shirt that says dr's. and nurses can suck my foley, and I mean it!!!
Most states have laws covering this and in the patients favor as are the laws regarding any photos or video taping of a patients surgery. Surgeons and OR staff get their way about having patients lying completely nude for many minutes in the OR before any preparations are administered to the patient. The OR staff figure they have the right to tell you that you HAVE to remove all underclothing before entering the operating room. IF your surgery is not within the area covered by any underclothing, either shirt or underwear, then NO you do not legally have to comply with the OR staff's orders. Actually the OR staff cannot give orders to any patient as they are under the direction of the attending surgeon(s). I am an Operating Room Tech/Physicians Assistant. The group I am associated with gives patients directions before they enter the hospital as to what clothing may be worn for their particular surgery. We do recommend that the patient wear clean, white, and preferably all cotton underclothing. Under no circumstances will we tell a patient they can wear underclothing and then remove the underclothing after anesthesia is administered. We have found that our Ortho patients are much happier and relaxed with using this method. We are currently in a trial run of asking the patients to change into a new type of operating room safe clothing, "OR Togs", which is a paper material and is blue in color. This clothing comes in two sizes to fit all and include a pair of briefs and a bra type top to accommodate both sexes and is sterile as delivered to the patient in the package. This has been wonderful moral booster within our practice.
The surgical prep nurse is not the one to be asking these type questions--you surgeon is. As far as germs are concerned, even if you remove all the clothing that you wore into the hospital you still have a large amount of germs, bacterium, and other "stuff" on your body. If a hospital employee uses the age old trick about telling you that the hospital gown is sterile ask that employee if they have ever been to the facility where they wash these hospital gowns and "sterilze" them. These laundry facilities, either hospital owned or contracted, are far from being sterile. Only the area upon which you are to have your surgery is to be washed with Betadine HCL to disinfect that portion of your body. The sterile sheets they place on all other parts of your body are the preventive measure to assure that there is no spreading of germs, etc.
I know someone who got her wisdom teeth removed by a professional orthodontist/dentist and she could stay fully clothed despite getting general anaesthetic. I suppose it depends on the surgery and country.
Hello Ferretgirl01,
I am also a survivor of sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse, and the weirdest thing happened to me while under anesthesia for a tonsillectomy when I was 15 years old, I went into the OR with my underwear still on, and woke up with them missing and never returned!! I asked my mom about it but just like the sexual abuse and assault, was looked at as if I was crazy and said it must've been "proper procedure practices". Any thoughts or comments? Thanks ahead of time!
My daughter just had her 4 wisdom teeth removed and had to remove all clothing including underwear.
A patient should be totally nude for any surgery for several reasons: chance of infection with clothes or underwear on, most surgeries a patient gets a catheter to help keep BP and urine output normal, some material in clothes can cause sparks which can be deadly with medical gases, emergencies happen, and a naked body is easier to work on. There are several people in the OR and enough witnesses to avert any hanky panky. Also if you do not want students doing procedures on you while you are under, specify that in your consent form. Over 40 years of medical service, I have seen a lot of nudity, and it did not faze me then or now. Thank, Gary RN
The issue is: How does this make the patient FEEL, before and AFTER the surgery. The patient could not care less how their forced nudity makes you feel, fazed or not.