AIBU to think you should get dressed for a medical appointment

[Ducksbehindthesofa]

Following on from the PJs on a plane post earlier today, curious to hear the consensus on this.

I had the misfortune of winding up in A&E on New Year's Day and was amazed by the number of people in grubby nightwear, dressing gowns, and slippers in the waiting room. There was an enormous amount of groaning, coughing, sniffing and sneezing going on by most of the wearers, so I guess there was a lot of the winter lurgy going on.

And last week, whilst at my GP practice (small village surgery where nobody would live more than a few minutes away), there was a woman in the waiting room wearing a dressing gown and Ugg boots, accessorised with a washing-up bowl on her knee. She did have some make-up on though, so a point was added for effort.

It's just yeuch, isn't it? If you're well enough to drag yourself to a doctor or hospital, you're well enough to at least throw some clothes on.

And I know it's none of my business and it doesn't matter one jot to me really, but I don't have to like it!

Well, it depends if you are so poorly you can not even manage to get dressed then fine! Maybe they are so poorly they should be going to A&E ???But on the whole I’d expect outdoor clothing but definitely not make up.

Let’s laugh at the women who was so sick she had to take a washing bowl out with her. She should have focused on the outfit yeah?

I don't know. There were times when a gp would come to your house if you were too ill to go to the surgery.
Sitting in the waiting room with a sick bowl sounds unpleasant for the person who is ill.

God this place is embarrassing lately.

I thought you meant dress suitably for the surgery. I do that , I was nursing and you had people coming in for X rays, blood tests etc. you have a limited amount of time for each patient. I always wear short sleeve if I need blood pressure check or blood test. I have had to go to the ED with chest pain, cardiac ambulance,yes, I chucked on a track suit. People go to my local Tesco in their pjs. I did my weekly shop today. Woman parked (badly) in the parent/child spot,no child in the car, and sauntered into the shop in her pjs.

It sounds unpleasant for everyone in the waiting area to be fair.

I happen to be working with people with debilitating chronic condition and one of the most difficult tasks they cite is going to doctors appointments. And one of the most difficult thing they say about going is having to get ready and look presentable. So I often advice them to make as many adjustments as they need to make sure it is as easy as possible which includes attending in PJs if needs be. I guess, count yourself lucky that you never felt so unwell that you had to attend a surgery wearing a dressing gown with sick bowl on your lap...

Wow..So what should be uppermost in an ill person's mind is getting gussied up in best bib and tucker to go to A&E? I really must remember to put my make up on and suit when my next disc collapses and I am ambulanced in..OK noted.

While generally id agree we shouldn’t be bopping around in our jammies, I’d withhold judgement regarding medical appointments and a&e I think 😅 id be a hypocrite anyway, I’ve been to a&e in pyjama bottoms before, they were the only thing loose/inoffensive/flimsy enough to get over a busted ankle without fuss.

This could have been me when pregnant and had severe
hyper emesis. I’d got dressed to go to doctor then threw up all over myself so to not miss my appt quickly pulled on my pjs as was waiting for dh to come back from dropping ds off so he could take me to gp, didn’t have energy to go upstairs for other clothes. Was absolutely already embarrassed at how shit I looked so attempted to look normal by putting some makeup on. If I’d known how much was being judged by total stranger I’d have been even more ashamed

er, if you have a heart attack or stroke and get taken to a and e they don’t ask if they can get you dressed first if you are in pjs!

you get taken in whatever you are wearing!

I’m sorry that when ds was so unwell the gp phoned an ambulance from the surgery that you had to see him in his pyjamas @Ducksbehindthesofa i will endeavour to do better.

ffs.

Absolutely! Remember you’ll be judged for how you look!

You get there in whatever you’re wearing
I got taken in with a top that said “hard, fast and no cuddling after” and a pair of on bottoms

I think A&E is an exception - I used to spend a lot of time in A&E with my poorly Nan who sometimes we had to rush there in the middle of then night and getting her dressed just wasn’t a priority, she always had her nightdress and dressing gown on though so was covered.

for a routine medical appointment yes you should be dressed

You are criticising ill and sick people for not dressing up?

They're the places I would expect people to be in their PJs! Years ago, I had a miscarriage and was haemorrhaging badly. I was taken to A&E by ambulance in my PJs! I was in no state to get dressed.

I see the opposite issue where I am. Just got back from the GP with DD. Woman in the waiting room wearing see-through leopard print flares (could see everything), a tiny crop top with so much cleavage I thought she was going to pop out at any minute and accessorised to the high heavens with more makeup on than I own altogether.

Im all for dressing how you want, but it looked like she just walked out of Coachella. There's a time and place, GP surgery where everyone already wants to vomit isnt it.

Did see a few PJ people but a bit on the fence about it. You dont know if theyre not well enough to get dressed and cant determine that everytime you see someone in them. PJs in the supermarket should be illegal lmao and wasnt allowed in my local Tesco since around 2014.

There’s a difference between being taken by ambulance and making your own way there though - ambulance is whatever you’re wearing but if I was going under my own steam I’d at least change into a clean lounge suit or something.

Did you think people had jumped on the bus in their PJs to get to A+E OP?

They're taken in quickly by their spouse or neighbour or ambulance and left to fester in the waiting room. Erm, I mean triaged.

It wouldn't cross my mind to judge anyone for what they wear in a&e, I would just hope they get to go home ok that night. Not everyone does.

Generally I would agree with you but I was brought into hospital via ambulance after ringing 999 last week after having an adrenal crisis (potentially fatal rare condition) and I was literally in my pjs and dressing gown when they carted me in and there wasn’t much I could do about it! Dh came along later with some clothes etc. So sometimes it really can’t be helped.

I have been to A&E twice in agony with acute pancreatitis but pulled some clothes on despite feeling like I was dying.

So, don’t over dress, or under dress. Perhaps you could publish a dress code for the doctor surgery?

Or, just let people wear whatever the hell they want.

Well, she was clearly well enough to put her make up on!