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!

Of course not. I don't know either way, and neither do you. I am presuming that as they weren't triaged and then told to seek alternative services, they had a legit reason for being there. You're just coming across as judgemental tbh.

I've had that sort of scenario in A&E with one of my own. Non-blanching rash and fever, told to attend straight away when I called the GP (literally spoke to the GP receptionist and they actually transferred me to speak to the doctor, which I wasn't aware ever happened but must have been a timing thing). Was triaged at hospital and told to wait for the doctor. Perked up somewhat in the waiting room and was playing. Nice to know you would have judged, but we were there on medical advice for a legit reason.

I dont know for sure, but i think it is likely she was one of many wasting the precious time of the NHS services. It happens all the time. She may of needed to be there, I dont know, just certainly didnt seem that way to me, who was there, witnessing it.

Exactly I had to go to a and e in January. Already had make up on from earlier. I managed to pull some black tights on and soft dress with black dolly shoes. Too worried to notice anyone else in the waiting room. Scary horrible time.

Where’s that fabulous compassion?
”get a grip” about my very ill child? Nice..

My ds spent 14 hours in an and e and due to how the system works some of that was in the waiting/ reception area a few weeks ago in PJs.

He was wearing them when he collapsed and had a seizure and so was wearing them when the ambulance took him in.

he then wore them all night after he was admitted and I brought a clean pair the next day for him to change into.

He left that evening whilst still wearing the clean PJs too!

I think being in an and e in PJs is different to a GP surgery but I’d also assume someone was extremely ill if they hadn’t got dressed so wouldn’t judge.

I see where youre coming from, and i never said I did know for a fact she shouldn't of been there, it just really didnt seem that way to me at all. I guess youre just more inclined to judge such a scenario negatively when youre holding your unresponsive baby in a waiting room full of screaming laughing kids who's mothers biggest concern is what film is on TV.

And you’ve told me to “get a grip” about my child?

The nerve of a mother trying to feed and occupy her 2 well children while having to wait in A&E for her 3rd child to be seen.

Me too.

It's terrifying how well children can appear to be when they really, really aren't.

You edited your comment to mention your child being ill after I had already responded.

So take home point, every single person in A&E definitely has every need to be there and need seeing to as a matter of urgency. Sounds legit.

I saw the other thread too. I think this is a british issue. Never have i ever seen grown ups anywhere in the world to leave their house in their pj's. Really. I've lived in and visited a&e's in many european and non-european countries. Uk is the only place where i've seen this happen. School Gates, Tesco's, gp's...Why?!

The only other place ive seen pj's worn outside the house was a campus of an asian uni. It was pretty common there amongst students. But they were young. 18/19 and all living in the campus.

Think that poster seems to be very much. -no one matters but me!-

I think it would have been deeply weird if I had given even a moments thought to my outfit when waiting for the ambulance to arrive for my baby son. Following 999s instructions till they got there was my only focus. And then while the paramedics got him ready I got his medications in a bag.

You can stop pretending you didnt edit your comment after my response now, if you like.

I can maybe guess that one

She might well have suspected that medics would take her more seriously if she signalled concern about appearances / middle-class presentation. She might have been right if that's what she was thinking (or vaguely intuiting).

When you bring a sick child to hospital you want above all to be taken seriously by staff there, and people do have their biases. Getting you in the taxi first was the right move, though.

"well enough to drag yourself to the hospital" ?!
Most people needing to get to the hospital are feeling too unwell to worry about what they're wearing, let alone judge everyone else for what they're wearing too. YABU.

And you can continue to pretend you’re a nice person

I knew the prisses would show up at some point. Welcome!

Oh goody. Lay people can diagnose strangers with a casual glance now. We don't need Drs anymore!

You didnt know that?

I went to A&E with a suspected broken foot and I put on a T-shirt but I just wore my pajama bottoms.

I was admitted at new year and in the nightie I'd slept in. I wasn't capable of getting washed or dressed beforehand. I'd been ill prior to that and hadn't washed my hair for a couple of days either. I wasn't in any fit state to care.

Many people are in the same position; others just don't have nice stuff to impress strangers in A&E.

So if you’re an inpatient in hospital do you need to get dressed into formal clothes to hobble to the shop or get some fresh air?
Or is it only those suffering emergencies in the early hours who need to dress up for treatment?

Yeah! I got took to and a and pulled clothes on despite feeling and looking crap. They were gonna send an ambulance but I said no cos I hadn't got family sorted so had to get my poor dad to take me in car cos they told me not to drive. Or take public transport? When got there I got triaged quickly and took through quicker than people before me. Was a horrible scary time.