Smear test etiquette - nurse didn’t leave me to get undressed

[Darrae]

In any medical or beauty setting I’ve been in where I’ve had to be undressed from the waist down, the person has always said they’ll ’pop out’ and come back when I’m suitably naked with a bit of paper towel over me to cover my modesty. This just seems to be the done thing. Even when pregnant and needing internal scans, I had to get changed behind a screen.

I went for my smear last week. Got a very chatty nurse who just sort of hung around. She pulled the curtain round the bed area in her room but had came to my side of the curtain and just continued to stand there chatting. I didn’t want to start stripping off if she was about to say she’d come back in a second but after delaying a bit I realised she had no intention of doing that whole routine and she wasn’t going anywhere 🙈 I had to just awkwardly take my clothes off and get up on the bed half naked infront of her 🤦🏻‍♀️ Is this what people do? Have I lived a sheltered life up til now with people being so dignified about it? 🤣

Side note before anyone comments: it was by no means the end of the world, please go for them - I’ve had a dodgy one in the past and needed treatment.

Very odd! I've only has this once after having a mammogram in my early 40's. She was a health care assistant and we weren't in deep chat at all. She was just standing there, watching me wipe the gel off my boob after the ultrasound, then putting my bra and clothes on.
I have no health issues, no risks for fainting or being unable to dress myself! I wish I'd said at the time 'Is there a reason you are watching me get dressed' or similar.

That is odd! It’s a weird one, especially with a smear because there really is no dignity during it but I’ve just never been in the situation before where they haven’t left you to lie up on the bed alone. I’m sure that must be taught at uni when they all do it so don’t know why she didn’t bother 🙈

Don't you just need to take your knickers off?
If you wear a skirt then there's no undressing that needs to be done.

I had a smear two weeks ago, and she left me to get undressed, not that I was that bothered, as she was going to see more than she would just with me undressing.

A sheet of paper towel does not protect my dignity. I laughed out loud at it.

This happened to me and it was actually quite triggering due to past sexual assault. I contacted PALS who confirmed they are meant to leave the area for your dignity and the nurse was retrained. In theory I never need to go back there as it was not my local hospital - but I realised there would be young women going in for the first time who may feel very uncomfortable or other sexual assault victims who might find it triggering so I made the effort to contact PALS. I would encourage you to also contact your PALS if you feel comfortable doing so - it was a quick phone call and they were very nice.
I felt particularly uncomfortable in my situation as my nurse was quite masculine.

ive been the victim of SA and when the nurse goes to leave them room I always say “what’s the point you are about to be looking directly into the area I’m undressing” and they don’t leave.

seriously they are literally about to be less than a foot from your vagina. It’s a total waste of time

If it happens again ask for a moment..
Weather or not they get to see you in all your lower glory, some people lile abit of dignity.
Do they have self swaps in the Uk?

I think it's common decency to leave the room or at least go to the other side of the screen so you're separated from another person's gaze as they take their clothes off.

I went for a consultation for breast surgery in London last year and the doctor and his assistant just stood there watching me take my top and bra off - no screen or anywhere to put my clothes for that matter. It was so awkward. It was even more mortifying getting dressed again, bending over, scooping and adjusting myself in my bra.

It gave proceedings an air of unprofessionalism and displayed a total lack of consideration for the patient on their part.

I'm in my fifties and they were thirty-ish so I wonder if it's just not taught these days? Do people think its old fashioned?

Because watching you get undressed is against hospital regulations and not to mention kind of creepy. I also say to my nurses don’t bother leaving the room for the exact same reason as you ….but if someone is watching you get undressed that’s another thing.

Anything like this is fraught with embarrassment, indignity, anxiety.

We are taught from early days about private parts.

Suddenly being expected to be watched in the process of making ourselves vulnerable is unacceptable.

Yes, they are about to stare up close and stick their faces, hands and kit in.

So a bit more embarrassment we might as well accept?? NO.

Allowing privacy and dignity to prepare ourselves for an experience they do to women all day every day but which for us is hopefully a rare occurrence is essential.

I've always been asked to go round the curtain etc to get ready.

But I have my lecture prepared for any HCP who expects to be able to watch.

I think that’s it. If people are genuinely happy with people watching them get undressed because of what they’re about to see, then that’s fine. It is pointless in theory but it’s more how it makes you feel rather than what they can see.

To prove how much HCP don’t notice or remember seeing your bits though.. I was reassured when I went to the doctors less than 2 weeks later for a pill checkup, got the same nurse and she asked what’s happening about my next smear test. Eh you just did it 😅

I’ve never understood why HCPs do this - leave you alone to get undressed when they’re about to get up close to the very bits you’re exposing. But if it makes some women feel more dignified that’s reason enough, I suppose.

I can't recall what's happened for me, but I think they've probably waited on the other side of the curtain rather than watch me take my knickers off. I always wear a skirt so there's minimal undressing, but it's still a pretty undignified thing to have an audience for - shimmying out of your pants, carefully folding them (the only time I fold pants 🙃) and tucking them out of view.

Once you're stationary on the bed with the paper sheet over you all bets are off, but they should allow you privacy before and after.

Same... And the piece of tissue on top is delusional

Did she watch her??

I agree with you, I would really dislike this. I'd probably pop a letter in to the surgery offering feedback about it.

At my surgery they don't leave the room but they turn away and frown at their screen and type while you are wrestling yourself out of or into your tights.

I've never had an HCP actually just stand there waiting for me to get on with it.

I recently had a procedure and was offered a physician associate. Requested the doctor as it's something that can go wrong. This wasn't taken well and when I was dressed (also had doctor and nurse stay next to me as I undressed and dressed again) I saw the PA on her actual 'phone other side of the curtain. Really hoping that I don't make it onto the internet. So unprofessional

I think it's generally considered best practice for the nurse to leave you to undress in private. I'm actually not really bothered if they do or don't, personally, but it really does bother some people so standard practice is to leave you alone to get dressed and undressed.

Shouldn't they ask instead of standing their waiting? Isn't the whole thing up to a patient. It shouldn't matter if they're going to be seeing it anyway. Even a bra fitter will go outside whilst you put a bra on.

Women are still allowed a little bit of dignity, regardless of what's happening to them once they've undressed.

A physician associate is no more likely to put you 'on the internet' than any other medical professional.

Just don't ever wear a jumpsuit...

In my practice, they don't leave the whole room but do close the curtain round you and either tap away at the computer at the other end of the room or busy themselves getting some stuff from drawers etc. Then ask if you're ready before opening the curtain again.

It is about dignity.

The other medical professionals did not have their phones out in the room when the poster was in a state of undress.

Not so much the qualification, more the having her ‘phone out and messaging on it whilst I was behind a gappy curtain with no pants on. She jumped when she saw me and put it away immediately so assume it was not expected behaviour.