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!

I’d only go to A&E unless I was too poorly to get dressed or I was in an accident.

Of course it happens. Witnessing someone appearing one way doesn't mean you are aware of all of the facts though.

She may have had the make up on before she got sick.

Nah but it was pretty damn likely here tbh. There's just one woman on here that really wants to believe this woman's kids were on deaths door and she was only trying to feed her starving children god bless her, what a saint

This is a total oxymoron. I agree.

I'm just glad that actual doctors don't diagnose people by simply looking at them. My son wouldn't have stood a chance.

A&E - wouldn’t bat an eyelid.

GP Surgery - Yes you should wear clothes. I would assume anyone turning up to the GP surgery in PJs and a dressing gown has mental health issues.

I wouldn't be surprised by people in A&E in pyjamas, they could've rushed there urgently in the middle of the night and/or presumably are ill/injured enough to warrant A&E and therefore getting dressed might not be possible or a priority.

Similar with GP appointments for people who are clearly very unwell like the lady with a sick bowl.

You have no idea what's going on in other people's lives and what their capabilities are for a whole range of reasons. My mum has Parkinsons, my dad cares for her 24/7 and without his help it would either take her absolutely ages to get dressed and undressed or she simply wouldn't be able to.

OP I completely agree with you. You’re not talking about children or people who are genuinely in the middle of an emergency. But if you are attending a medical appointment, pyjamas are not appropriate. Put on a lounge set or some leggings, anything other than pjs for gods sake! As someone else posted, this is a very British thing.

I don't like seeing people shopping in pyjamas but I have been to the doctors once in a nightie and my winter coat. Dh took me as I felt really ill, I think he was a bit embarrassed but I couldn't have got dressed if my life had depended on it. Luckily because I had a nightie on the doctor could immediately see that I had cellulitis so prescribed quite strong antibiotics.
I had already spent 2 days in bed and managed to get an appt and then spent a further 3 days in bed. I wouldn't judge anyone in that position.

You would but according to stats, 40% of people attending a&E do not actually require emergency assistance

No, I have just gone back to read them now. I’m sorry the OP is going through that, it’s horrible. I took my dad to chemo /radiation treatment this week and I would never dream of judging the other people there for what they’re wearing or how they’re presenting themselves, it’s actually quite disgusting and extremely upsetting to think that someone who saw my dad would have these opinions and potentially come and post on mumsnet about it, hence my comment. You never know what someone is going through health wise by looking at them. So the ones coughing and spluttering who you assume just have a cold, should present themselves in a certain way but the people who are visibly more ill get a free pass? No. It’s simple, don’t judge anyone.

When I’ve rushed my baby to A&E during the night the last thing on my to do list is get us both ready for the day before I leave.

You want me to have wrestled my husband who weighs half as much again as I do into his jeans to get him to A%E in the very groggy aftermath of a seizure, (when he looked normal but had no short term memory) instead of him dressing in the elastic waisted pyjama bottoms he could get on easily?

Please keep your nasty judgemental attitude to yourself.

Yes I think just to say, it amazes me that people get really defensive when its suggested, the nerve of suggesting! That there are people in A+E who dont need to be there and never had any sniff of needing to be there.

You only need to frquent the place a few times to see this and have conversations with A+E staff

It is what it is, but we also have a failing primary care service so what can be done?

I had to go to A&E for a heart problem in the late evening. It was so sudden I went in what I would wear for bed, leggings and a t shirt. The paramedics said we needed to go now, so I went as I was. I sat in a hard backed chair for 12 hours, some people were chatty and some people weren't. A woman with a suspected stroke discharged herself at 7am because she needed to make sure her teen kids got to school and had no-one to help. Someone with a mental health condition kicked off and was asked to leave. We were a mix of people who had come themselves and others who had come by ambulance, but all of us had been triaged and told we should stay. Some were in pyjamas like me, and some weren't. Some were in obvious pain, and some weren't. I could not tell you what was wrong with anyone, all I knew was that doctors had decided we needed to stay and be monitored.

No one is ignorant to the fact that some people go to A&E when it’s actually unnecessary, but the point is, no one is in a position to decide who is and isn’t worthy of being there by glancing around the waiting room and assessing how ill people look. You have no idea what their medical history or reason for being there is.

Yes I was rushed through too as I was quite unwell by this point as i’d tried to manage it at home
so was admitted for 10 days. Once triaged I never go back to the waiting room when I go in with acute pancreatitis.

Well when I had to go to the doctor in my pyjamas it was because it was too painful to have anything tighter around my abdomen due to what we later discovered was an endometriosis flare up. So maybe people going to the doctor are ill and don’t need to pretend to be well for you.

then there is the thing that if you end up in surgery in emergency they are going to cut your clothes off. Leopard print flares or Chanel those scissors are coming out and you won't care. But otherwise just turn up in clean clothes.⁰

Why oh why have Mumsnet done away with the laughing emoji?
That’s hilarious 🤣

I was discharged several times from a &e before finally a relative who was a fairly eminent doctor elsewhere got on the phone and told the a&e staff what tests to do and bullied them somewhat till then agreed to do them. The a &e consultant then apologised to me profusely when they got the results because I could have died if the tests weren't done. I needed admitting for t
urgent treatment and was in hospital for a week

I don't make a big dramatic fuss when unwell and I was young and female and noone really listened to what I was saying they just made assumptions

To all those medical staff who saw me and (erroneously) discharged me I was "someone who didn't need to be there". If medical staff have time

I don't doubt some people dont need to be there, but noone can make that decision based on merely observing a stranger in a waiting room.

Everyone needs an A&E outfit that hits the right note between 'made an effort' and not too 'try hard'. I tend to go for plain colours, clean lines and natural breathable fabrics. If I think I'm going to be in and out with a junior doctor, then I go for a flat heel and a natural lip. If I think I might see a consultant then I elevate with some chunky jewelry and a classic tote. I've not been to A&E since the 90s though, so I'm worried I might look bit dated..? Might start a thread in S&B.

I didnt mention any of that and wasnt really talking about people 'spotting' who was ill or not

Im also thinking about my service user group who for a myriad of reasons often go to A+E with friends/associates, they sit there as described by some of the other posters laughing and joking, ordering in food etc and then just go home when they're bored. They'll often use the hospital equipment, eithr crutches or wheelchairs that they find elsewhere to come it. Its hard for security or busy nurses to challenge.