If you go unconscious to A&E, do they always remove your clothes?
Posted by TheSmallestCelestial@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 170 comments
Hi all! A condition ive had for a long time has recently gotten more severe, feeling faint very often, and its reasonable to prepare for the possibility that i may pass out and go to A&E unconscious
Im fine with doctors removing my clothes if thats what they need to do, id rather live with brief nudity than die with modesty as that line in The Pitt goes, but im a very anxious gal, and it makes me feel more secure to know what to expect
Ive collapsed in the street before, so this is really a likely scenario for me, so if anyone knows id like to know \^_\^
imfaffingabout@reddit
Treat it as a bump but my mother always said to wear nice underwear in case I pass out and I can’t have doctors seeing ugly undies💀
Exverius@reddit
My mum still wears a thong to this day (she’s in her late 50s) for this exact reason. ‘You don’t want the paramedics seeing you in granny panties’!
Glad someone else’s mum is just as insane
shin-chan@reddit
That's hilarious. I'm mid 30s and I wouldn't be caught dead in a thong.
TSC-99@reddit
I agree. So uncomfortable.
Tiny_Cauliflower_618@reddit
Only if you don't wear them daily. I went through a phase where I wore them daily and genuinely didn't notice, but you'd need to pay me for me to wear one now 😂
thecatsothermother@reddit
Top tip; if wearing large incontinence pads, thongs do the job surprisingly well. Source; my severely incontinent friend who wears big pads with thongs.
Tiny_Cauliflower_618@reddit
Ooooooh actually, yes I can see how that would work. Better engineering around the waist! The bigger the pants, the more I find they sag at the back.
Cow_Launcher@reddit
"Mum wears a thong to this day and she's in her 50s! LOL old, right?"
Fuck me widthways.
thecatsothermother@reddit
52 this month, wearing granny knickers once passed my 30's because substance over style where it counts, right?
Cow_Launcher@reddit
Wear whatever you want, to be honest. I'm absolutely not here to judge you.
My complaint was that the person I was responding to thought that their mother was "insane" for wearing a thong in her late 50s.
thecatsothermother@reddit
I was making the point that I'm early 50's but don't have the same opinion as the person you were replying to. Maybe I should have addressed my comment to them? I must have missed the class where "under 50= wearing incomplete knickers."
Cow_Launcher@reddit
Yes, that probably would've made more sense, given that the whole point of my original response was to roll my eyes at people who judge others for their choices.
Divewench@reddit
I'm 60 on 19th May. I will never give up my thongs.
Embarrassed_Emu7973@reddit
That’s hilarious I love her
SinsOfTheAether@reddit
me too. is she single?
kstaruk@reddit
My granny always packed spare knickers in her bag when she was flying "in case the plane was hijacked". My aunt was mortified when security emptied her bag at the scanners when she forgot to correctly declare her insulin
hu6Bi5To@reddit
I thought that was a common one. I always put at least one pair of spare underwear (and socks) in my hand luggage in case my hold luggage goes missing. Give me time at the other end to figure something out.
thecatsothermother@reddit
My cabin bag had 3 days undies, socks, and a T shirt and trous JIC my main luggage went walkies, plus a week of meds and some spare cash.
Cow_Launcher@reddit
Absolutely!
In fact, put spare knickers, socks, your passport and some cash in your jacket/fleece pocket, because if something happens to the aircraft on landing, you need to leave your hand luggage behind and go.
People who drag their bags behind them during an evacuation kill their fellow passengers.
Daveddozey@reddit
You’ll leave your jacket too
I always have my passport, phone, keys and cards in my trouser pocket (or hand in the case of phone). Everything else is easy to replace.
Cow_Launcher@reddit
I was working on the basis that you might be wearing your jacket, (aircraft get chilly. Their insulation is thin as possible and at 38,000', it's -50C outside...).
But yes, you make a good point. For what it's worth, I always fly in combats, so I didn't really think my response through!
EmmaInFrance@reddit
Many, many years ago, when I was 20, I went to A&E commando!
I had tiny pieces of glass in my hand from doing the dishes, after someone had already broken a glass plate in the sink but hadn't cleaned it up properly.
My parents weren't taking it seriously, at first, so I went to bed. But then my hand swelled up like a balloon, so my father begrudgingly dropped me off at A&E.
When he told me that he'd take me, "as long as we leave right now, this minute", I had to very quickly pull on some tight stretch denim jeans and my Metallica T shirt, and stick my feet in my trainers.
My father was almost certainly the person who broke the plate and didn't clean ip properly.
He was also more worried about missing drinking tome down the pub than me.
I went no contact with him when I was 25, so about 30 years ago, and don't regret it one bit!
I can't remember how I got home, by the way, I imagine that either he, or my mum, came to pick me up after I called them from the payphone?
Oh well, at least it taught me to listen to my kids, take their concerns seriously and always try to be there for them!
chaoticchemicals@reddit
My husband didn't want to take me to A&E last weekend. As a consequence I'm now an in patient and have been since Thursday, and won't be getting out until Thursday because the infection was so bad. Turning up three days earlier would have helped massively
EmmaInFrance@reddit
My ex-husband's partner has been similarly reluctant after his hand was badly bitten by a dog on Saturday.
She was telling him that he didn't need to go and he didn't need stitches.
My 17 yr old (who was with him this weekend) told me that the bites were deep enough that you could see the fat and he had some possible nerve damage!
He did go, eventually, his neighbour took him. He has had the wounds dressed and been given antibiotics.
He's going back tomorrow for day surgery, to have it all properly cleaned and stitched under anaesthetic, and to look for and treat any nerve damage.
He was supposed to go back for that today but she also refused to take him for that today!
I don't kniw what he sees in her, honestly. She's the sane age as my mum and he's gone deep into antivax and conspiracy theory nonsense since meeting her!
I even offered to drive him, at one point.
If you can't show up for your partner in an emergency like that, then why are you with them at all?
GrumpyOik@reddit
I work in a microbiology lab. Bites are nasty and should not be ignored. Cat bites are particularly bad because of long narrow canine teeth which can act as hyperdermic needles forcing bacteria into deep airless tissue.
Human bites can be particularly unpleasant.
thecatsothermother@reddit
Because human bites are more lolely to have human-specific pathogens. However, many non human bites (cats, dogs) contain bacteria who will happily necrotise your flesh as long as you are warm and living.
EmmaInFrance@reddit
Yes! I've known this for a long time.
He went back and had his hand properly treated by the surgeon today.
He does have a 'little infection' according to our son and he's been prescribed antibiotics.
That infection could have been deadly, due to septicaemia, if left untreated.
And he certainly could have lost some movement in his hand, due to the nerve damage, and not being stitched up properly.
thecatsothermother@reddit
My Dad got bitten by the cat, because he woke him suddenly. He ignored my mother (registered RN at the time) suggesting he see a GP. He presented at a pharmacist (drugstore) 5 days later who treated him then sent him (outpatient) to the hospital. He was told 24 hours later and he'd have been an inpatient if he'd waited longer.
Pay attention, peeps, if you're bitter by anything other than a black widow that's bigger, see your local friendly pharmacist for treatment or advice before it gets worse!
TheSaladLeaf@reddit
Oh man, that's crap! I hope you feel better soon. Also, that's not OK husband behaviour, I hope he has apologised?
chaoticchemicals@reddit
He did.. his reasons were mainly to keep his immuno compromised wife away from infection, he also didn't fancy a long wait. As it was a nearby collapsed at home Thursday and called myself an ambulance. Twice last week I've been told off by Drs !
Cow_Launcher@reddit
Please encourage him to post pictures here of his bare-bones bachelor pad, okay?
Quiet_surprise79@reddit
I'm positive I would have followed this advice in my 20s. I'm too tired to care now. They can see me in whichever pants hide my unkempt bush
Past-Anything9789@reddit
Same - it going to be medical professionals looking at your body. They aren't seeing it as anything else than many interconnected systems.
I used to be very embarrassed by having to undress, but after going through a dodgy pregnancy and emergency C-section, I couldn't care less now.
resident_queerdo@reddit
As a paramedic you see so many things... No one gives a shit about anyone's undies. Unless they're telling you something (extremely filthy or whatnot), you don't even think about it.
Legit_Vampire@reddit
My sentiments exactly looking at someone's underwear is the last thing on your mind when you work in emergency care
DrMoneybeard@reddit
I think this advice is good for not wearing disgusting dirty and raggedy undies (looking at at you, ex-husband) but yeah I don’t need to look cute at the hospital, idgaf.
imfaffingabout@reddit
Same here. I actually had to get an emergency lady parts procedure. I was wearing pants with a hole and had a bush. Hope doctors had a good time lol
ParsnipFlendercroft@reddit
I'm confused. You were having a lady parts procedure - but with your pants still on?
SpaceTimeCapsule89@reddit
I think you skipped past the emergency part. She was obviously clothed when the emergency happened
_cake_tease@reddit
Some sensible Bridget Jones style ones then.
carlou1719@reddit
I figure if I'm having my clothes cut off, I've probably got bigger problems than my underwear
I_sew_and_grow@reddit
They just need to stay up, but not go further up.
I'm confident they'll have seen far worse than my worst pants.
snowdrop0901@reddit
Mine always said to make sure they are clean "incase you get hit by a bus" zero clue why a bus but same vibe
OMGItsCheezWTF@reddit
The first thing they teach bus drivers is that if you run someone over you must dash out of the cab and inspect their underwear. If they are not nice crisp undies then they are only allowed to ring 111, not 999.
shin-chan@reddit
I would say that underwear being "crisp" is exactly the type of thing we want to avoid.
horfus@reddit
This joke should win and award
oldskoollondon@reddit
Same.
Ever since I was way too young to even consider death, I was told 'Clean undies incase you get hit by a bus!'
NarwhalPrestigious63@reddit
That's the one I always heard. But I guarantee you that if I'm getting hit by a bus, my underwear is going to very quickly not be clean any more!
mad119@reddit
Can’t guarantee they’ll stay clean after the bus though
horfus@reddit
There must be skidmarks most times.
Dismal_Fox_22@reddit
I promise as an A&E nurse, if someone is poorly enough that I need to remove or even see their underwear I’m so focused on their health that I don’t even see what their underwear looks like. It’s a barrier to making someone safe, it’s removed without judgement.
Sanguine_Rosey@reddit
My husband has epilepsy (will never be fully controlled) and that's the one thing he makes me laugh over he always has to have clean and nice underwear (can't be faded or of there is a sign of a hole its binned im not allowed to sew it) and the same with his socks 😆 he always comments if Dr's have to bring him out of seizure he at least wants them to not see bad underwear
legendarymel@reddit
Honestly, chances are if they’re seeing my undies, they’re already ruined or about to be so I’d rather it wasn’t my nicest underwear lol
HauntingTheVoid@reddit
I think the bra is more important. I cut my hand open on the way to the pool last year and they weren't happy with my heart rate (pain and adrenaline) so I had to take my shirt off for the ECG and there was me in my fancy cut out bikini top which barely fit and left nothing to the imagination. Pretty sure the male nurse enjoyed me trying to shove them back in there though 😅
ASpookyBitch@reddit
I mean, I’d rather be wearing my crap undies then I don’t care if they got cut up
Pigflap_Batterbox@reddit
Same here - always wear your nice pants, 'cos you never know if you'll be hit by a car.
Of course, the unsaid part is you'll likely shit yourself after being hit by the car, so there you go.
DollySheep32@reddit
My mother instilled in me to always wear matching a matching bra and pants just in case of this scenario
Expresso_Presso@reddit
I had clean undies on but I still shit myself.
Whoppa-seagull@reddit
That’s lovely to hear that old one. Mums always said that years ago, good advice too.
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
I have also been told this qwq
Bear0417@reddit
I think I would be embarrassed even 😆… like I’m unconscious wearing sexy underwear how embarrassing
MesoamericanMorrigan@reddit
My experience of A and E as an autistic woman with EDS, POTS, MCAS etc is they will expose your naked body even if you tell them no several times, you don’t want forced assistance with giving a urine sample so naturally they won’t care if you’re unconscious
thecatsothermother@reddit
Unless there is a reason to (not an extrematy) not usually, but I assume the sort of body part implied, not unless there are "complications."
spiderplant94@reddit
I'm an A&E nurse: usually yes, but it depends why you're unconcious.
Car crash - yes Found unconcious in the street - yes Mysteriously ill and unresponsive - yes Covered in bodily fluids - yes Friend brings you in because you're pissed - probably not
Electronic-Bus-5350@reddit
Yeah nurses or nursing assistants would usually put you in a gown so your still covered
greenparkland@reddit
Slightly different but a few years ago now I had to have an operation to fix an injury I had on my left leg above the knee. Before my operation I changed into the standard hospital gown and that weird paper hospital underwear.
When I can around from my operation my underwear had been removed. I was a bit out of it so I never asked why even thought my girlfriend mentioned it to the nurses they never gave a full explanation. I assumed they removed it when they bandaged me up but it seemed a bit unnecessary to me.
FakeNordicAlien@reddit
TL;DR - unless you’re extremely ill or badly injured, you’re probably not getting taken to hospital at all.
It really depends on your situation. Assuming you get admitted, it’s not the first (or second) thing they do unless you’re wet and have hypothermia, or your clothes are at risk of injuring you (like if you’re in tight trousers and have a broken leg that’s swelling) or they need access to an injury.
If you have a condition that makes you pass out for a short period of time and then come around spontaneously, or there’s an easy treatment (like sugar for diabetic hypos), chances are you won’t be admitted at all, and might even recover before an ambulance gets there. As overpacked as hospitals are, you’re unlikely to get admitted unless there’s something specific that needs to be done for you that can’t be done at home. If the paramedics decide you need to be taken to hospital, you still may not actually get admitted, but be held in the waiting area and then sent home if you seem OK.
Without knowing specifics of your condition it’s hard to guess either way, but my experience with paramedics - both first-hand and as a carer for a mother who had them called out quite a bit in the last few years of her life - is that once the ambulance gets called to your situation, unless it’s a clear emergency (like a stroke or heart attack) it typically takes 45 minutes to an hour for them to run initial tests and decide whether to take you in at all (and which hospital to take you to, which takes quite a bit of liaising with other people; they don’t just decide on their own unless you’re in a very rural area with only one hospital) and most of the time they’ll decide you don’t need to be in hospital. They’ll likely see if they can wake you up, test your blood sugar with a finger prick, test your oxygenation and heart rate with one of those devices that goes on your finger, maybe run an ECG, look at your phone to see if you have any medical details on there. (I suggest putting info about your condition into the health page; on iPhone this is viewable even with the screen locked, though I’m not sure about Android.)
In the last seven or eight years I think we had them out maybe ten times, and only three of those times required hospital trips. The three that did were hypothermia (after getting dumped in a river in January), sepsis, and end-stage COPD with difficulty breathing - which did result in a hospital admission and eventually death five weeks later. Ambulance calls that did not require hospitalisation were several accidental falls (one that included broken ribs), a few episodes of dizziness and fainting, suspected heart attacks that turned out to not be heart attacks, diabetic hypos that caused fainting. Each time they were clear that it was good that we called them, because it might have been something that required a hospital trip, but ultimately it was treatable at home.
Passing out would normally not require a hospital trip unless it’s accompanied by something else, like indications of severe infection, severe heatstroke or dehydration, a head injury, a lot of blood loss, maybe something that shows up on an ECG. Most likely they’ll check you over, make sure you’ve got someone you know with you (call them if necessary), maybe suggest something to drink or eat, probably suggest a visit to your GP tomorrow.
Welshbuilder67@reddit
Medics will only remove enough clothing to determine an initial diagnosis, yes tops will come off to fit leads to check heart, bra as well if it’s in the way, in hospital this will be in a cubicle, paramedics will not remove underwear unless they have an often in the ambulance to maintain your modesty if they can
J8766557@reddit
A cpuple of years ago I was part of a panel that was interviewing people for healthcare roles. One question was if they could give an example of a time they had intervened to help someone retain their dignity. One applicant gave an example of how her elderly neighbour had a fall, and whilst they were waiting on the paramedics she noticed that the lady's nightgown had ridden up. She said she pulled it down, because she knew the lady would be embarrassed to seen like that, even although it wasn't the most important thing in that moment. It was a small act but she they way she described it came across well and we were all impressed at her senitivity and eloquence.
Then she added as an afterthought 'Honestly though I had to do it, her fanny was right out there'. Obviously the situation itself wasn't funny, but the way she innocently delivered that line cracked us all up. I managed to stop myself from laughing too loudly by clamping my hand over my mouth, but the women on the panel with me snorted with laughter and coffee came out her nose. The fact that the woman being interviewed looked and sounded a little like Philomena Cunk didn't help.
Thpfkt@reddit
A&E nurse here
The answer is - it depends!
If you are really unwell, likely - but we'll put you in a hospital gown and won't leave you there all naked, I promise.
If you just fainted and then regain consciousness, we likely won't cut your clothes off
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
This is good to know!
WordWizardx@reddit
In my (admittedly limited) experience, they only cut off clothes when they need access to parts of your body they can’t otherwise get to AND your clothes can’t just be moved aside. Like, they would cut off your jeans to get to a thigh wound but would just flip up a long skirt. So if you don’t want to run the risk of having your clothes ruined, wear very loose outfits :-D
Dismal_Fox_22@reddit
That’s not quite true. As part of a full assessment in a medical emergency would remove all clothing and redress in a hospital gown.
As the other nurse said if you faint and regain consciousness we’re not going to strip you off. It’s also unlikely that you’d be brought to A&E as an emergency patient for fainting. Even if you arrived in an ambulance you would be triaged and as having recently fainted is not a medical emergency unless there is something wrong with your vital signs, like a low heart rate, low blood pressure, low blood sugar or changes to an ECG, you’d be taken from the ambulance to sit in the waiting room with all the people maybe should have gone to their GP.
If however, someone were to come in unconscious, with no known cause, and we were unable to rouse them, this may be treated as an emergency and would trigger an ABCDE assessment. Once we were satisfied that Airway, Breathing, Circulation and Disability(consciousness level, pupillary reaction, blood glucose levels) were managed safely we would move on to Exposure. As part of this step we would strip, with as much dignity and privacy as possible, the patient to assess for wounds, rashes, swellings, bruises etc.
This is done because the wound or rash could be a symptom or a cause of what is making someone unconscious and would indicate how we move forward with treatment.
By this stage we would have likely removed clothing from the top half to perform a 12 lead ECG to rule out a cardiac cause for the unconsciousness. We may also have decided to place a urethral catheter if we are questioning something like sepsis being the cause. Monitoring the output of urine accurately is really important.
Rest assured though that nursing staff and medical staff, even in emergencies, respect patients their dignity and their privacy. We do these things because they are medically necessary not for shits and giggles. After 20 years in nursing I can honestly say I don’t even notice genitals. They are about as interesting to me as elbows. I’m not judging or sizing up or commenting, I’m just doing my job.
And for all the mums out there. I have never ever even noticed if someone had their matching set on, or if there were holes in the pants. They are removed or cut off without a second thought. My priority is on saving a life, not inspecting M&S’s finest.
Thpfkt@reddit
If it reassures you we are also so hyper focused on making sure a patient is okay or providing life saving care that there isn't even a thought about what that person is wearing/not wearing/how they look etc going through our brains. If you asked me what any of my trauma patients were wearing when I've had to treat them or remove clothing I couldn't give you an answer - I don't remember!
Jesssca@reddit
Unless she’s wet herself
scotsmanaajk@reddit
Same here. We do ‘trauma naked’ if required but still maintain dignity with a gown asap. Like you say, it just depends!
louse_yer_pints@reddit
Think the main reason they would strip you would be to look to see why you passed out. Maybe a medical alert bracelet to give A&E doctors a heads up would keep your clothes on.
snapper1971@reddit
If your clothing is soiled or damaged by the cause of the need for A&E/Resus, they may have to remove it or cut it off. The staff last time I was in resus were amazing with my clothing. I was wearing a tee-shirt that had no monetary value but enormous sentimental value. They asked me if it was special and I said 'yes but if if it's in the way, cut it off and bin it' - they carefully removed it and after I was out of emergency surgery, they gave it back to me. My undies were past saving (GI bleeds can leave nasty stains lol).
SoggyWotsits@reddit
If they need to do an ECG, then the to half would make sense. I’m not medically trained though so it’s only a guess!
laeriel_c@reddit
Only if they're suspecting trauma as the cause (injuries) usually. If you're fully passed out and not responsive though, chances are they will put you in a gown
exhausted-pangolin@reddit
Mate I once had a doctor put a rigid sigmoidoscope up my rear passage, see the inflammation from my disease, and say "nurse come look at this" and invited in some nurses in training to have a look.
If I can deal with that, you can deal with brief nudity. You got this!
Ok_Young1709@reddit
Even if they did, they literally don't care what they see. They see people all day every day, we are all boring to them now. I wouldn't worry about it.
I think the most drama they get is from horse riders. Can't cut off the boots 😂 I actually got them to remove my jodhpurs last time as I liked them and didn't want them to cut them. They thought I was mental.
displaceddoonhamer@reddit
Your spot on about horse riders…some of them would rather endure a good dose of pain rather than have us cut off the boots! The other similar group are motorcyclists who are very protective of leathers.
Ok_Young1709@reddit
Well we are already in pain, what's a bit more? 😂
RNEngHyp@reddit
Healthcare worker (now retired) - we really don't care what undies you're wearing. But if you're unconscious, yes, you're going to be changed into something appropriate for quick access and easy cares. We've seen it all before and after the first time you've consciously realised that, you'll be less bothered. It gets less weird, the more you get used to having to bare your body to medics. Unfortunately had to get used to that myself.
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
That’s fair, its less that I care about doctors or nurses or paramedics seeing me naked, because i don’t have any issues with that at all, it’s mostly just the anticipation and uncertainty of what might happen, if i know that yhey will or wont i feel less anxious
InnocentaMN@reddit
It’s incredibly unlikely. POTS faints, if that’s what it is, are very quick.
MostFortune1093@reddit
Do you have pots by any chance? If so I think you would likely regain consciousness before getting to the hospital. Maybe getting a medical alert bracelet would help.
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
Currently in the part of the process where they’re trying to figure out if its POTS or CFS or fibromyalgia or anything else, so i only have a temporary chronic pain dx, im planning to get a medical alert bracelet though, i just wanted to wait to know for certain what to put on it
InnocentaMN@reddit
You really don’t need a medical alert bracelet for any of those conditions.
Acrobatic-Rabbit2660@reddit
I have both fibromyalgia and POTS and it’s the POTS that cause me to blackout. If I sit from lying or stand up my bp drops like a stone and my vision goes black and I hit the deck where I am. I do regain consciousness quite quickly though. I have a full time carer but I wear an alert bracelet aswell just in case. I would definitely suggest getting one.
Seafaring_Slug@reddit
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you couldn't get diagnosed with pots if you had orthostatic hypotension
Acrobatic-Rabbit2660@reddit
I don’t know. I just know what the cardiologist diagnosed
Seafaring_Slug@reddit
Ah, fair enough!
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
I just don’t want to jump to conclusions I guess, im very willing to believe its POTS but there are some things that make me think it could be something else
boo23boo@reddit
I take it you’re aware of the potential for EDS as well? All these conditions have similar symptoms and can be linked.
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
Yes I am, its so confusing how many are so similar qwq
boo23boo@reddit
I have WDS and Fibromyalgia. I regularly faint. But I also have in my PEEP at work not to call an ambulance unless I agree, and to wait for me to wake up. Unless I’m actually injured as well from falling, I won’t go to a&e. Not just for fainting. It’s normal (for me), I know the cause and I’m not in danger once in conscious again.
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
I should look inyo getting that sorted out
InnocentaMN@reddit
Vast numbers of people have POTS without having EDS.
Elegant_Pain_6787@reddit
You wont collapse from fibromyalgia or cfs.
DrChonk@reddit
That is untrue - though passing out isn't one of the most common symptoms, extreme dizziness, severe fatigue, heart rate fluctuations, and any number of common symptoms can lead to loss of consciousness. I have both conditions and have collapsed from the pain, dizziness, and fatigue all combining to cause fainting. Both of these conditions are also extremely widely variable in symptoms person to person, and even day to day for a person living with these conditions.
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
That’s not true, CFS can have an impact on your heart, and can cause muscle weakness after over exhaustion, fibro is similar but without the heart aspect
InnocentaMN@reddit
If it’s POTS, you might pass out but you won’t stay passed out. You’d be awake again long before you get to A&E! So it’s very unlikely they’d need to cut off your clothes.
I’m a longterm POTS patient and a mod at r/POTS.
Talinia@reddit
You can put medical info on the emergency info part of your phone lock screen. Can't say for certain if it'd actually get checked, but that is something you could do anytime without having to update an engraved bracelet if your diagnosis changes
MostFortune1093@reddit
I'm not a doctor but I think if you keep passing out you probably have pots. Of course it's possible that you have something else as well. I developed MCAS and POTS at the same time. I hope you get answers soon😊
DenM0ther@reddit
Why would they need to cut your clothes off bc you became unconscious? Im not seeing the connection
KoraLily@reddit
It depends on how serious it is.
If you're not waking up anytime soon then yes.
Also if you're a woman they will check for tampons/cups to reduce the risk of TSS
dreadwitch@reddit
I took myself to A&E a few weeks ago and passed out as I got there, when I came round I was in a cubicle fully clothed. They would only remove clothing if they needed to get to a part of your body covered by clothes.
losingfocus2015@reddit
tbh if they start cutting your clothes in an emergency, no one cares about your undies because there is a much bigger fish to fry
Jacktheforkie@reddit
It depends on what they have to do, NHS workers typically won’t do unnecessary things, undressing an unconscious human is likely not the easiest task, especially if the patient is an adult as they’re heavier, when you dress yourself you are able to move around to assist the process
Suspicious_Flower_0@reddit
Remember the trousers from the 90s with pop buttons down the side?
Singlehandedly bring back that fashion, but for all your clothes
ellebee100@reddit
Adidas poppers!! Those were the days! Always had the fear of people tugging on them for a laugh.
claireauriga@reddit
Or people realising you had the knock-off ones with two stripes instead of three.
YoungGazz@reddit
I wish I only had the fear and not the repeated experience. 😒
Evening-Manner9709@reddit
SirGranular@reddit
You can keep your hat on!
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
Yessss you’re a genius
renlok@reddit
Its part of the booking in process, give us your name and date of birth now remove all your clothes.
marmighty@reddit
Depends. Why are you unconscious? What level of monitoring do you need? Are we sticking lines in your arms? Are we sticking lines in your neck? Are we actively resuscitating you? Someone who comes in passed out drunk is far less likely to need their clothes lopping off than someone who is unconscious after being hit by a car, for example. Moreover I think I've chopped off more conscious people's clothing than unconscious.
eccdo@reddit
Hello, paramedic here. Been to many medical collapses, and I’ve never cut the clothes off of my patients, it’s not necessary unless I’m considering trauma to be the primary reason for their unconsciousness. However, it’s likely that I would cut clothing off to access what I need such as arms to jumpers etc for the blood pressure cuff or to cannulate, if it was too difficult to roll the clothing out the way to prevent damaging it. If I’m worried my patient is peri-arrest then I will cut off their top/bra to place defibrillation pads.
“Trauma naked” is exactly that, we only get patients naked for a trauma assessment if we believe it’s necessary and there’s evidence to support doing so. A medical collapse is unlikely to justify this.
When we get you to A&E it’s likely that the hospital staff will start to remove your clothes, but this is generally in a dignified fashion.
REMEMBER, we’re health care professionals - we see people naked daily/often. It literally doesn’t bother us in the slightest… we’ve seen it all!
smallbirthday@reddit
Have to say, this is also a slight fear of mine given that I'm trans and what I look like with clothes on (male) won't match up with the bits down there (female). I've heard horror stories about trans patients being left to die while paramedics laughed at their bodies. Real stories, unfortunately. Do you ever consider that this might happen on the job for you? And do you get any training on it?
eccdo@reddit
You say real stories? Do you have any factual evidence of this? I say with confidence that this is extremely unlikely to happen in the UK with any ambulance crews. Yes, some ambulance service staff might not necessarily agree with your sexuality / gender identity etc - however, it’s basically negligible that this would interfere with their professional practice. I’ve never heard of any stories of paramedics not providing emergency care merely due to this, and any allegation suggestive of it would be intensely investigated by the ambulance trust, and more daunting for a paramedic - the HCPC.
Personally, I don’t care who you are, what you look like, what age you are, what body parts you do/don’t have, what your sexuality, race, and everything else is - my job is to provide emergency care and stabilise you to get you to hospital, and I’ll do this to the best of my ability whilst fiercely protecting your rights, dignity, and equality. You’ll find this is the case with any ambulance service personnel.
If you google the ‘HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics’, these highlight their expectations of paramedics, with section 1 surrounding promoting and protecting our patients. If you don’t know who the HCPC are, they’re the folk who can permanently ban a paramedic from ever working again - if they receive evidence that one of their paramedics has not followed their standards.
Head on over to r/ParamedicsUK , you can ask this question again and get a lot of answers/opinions from ambulance staff, which will very likely echo my own.
DM me if you need more info / advice.
neotekka@reddit
No. Not just for a faint. Chill.
elhazelenby@reddit
Generally yes if you don't come around or also if you are still conscious but aren't responsive.
Last time it happened a week ago. I was still awake but having multiple seizures (which is normal for me but I was also very drunk) and I came out of a seizure and stopped them from undressing me at one point because I got scared I was going to get raped as I have been raped before but I let them continue after they decided to just be pissy about it. Not even just "we have to take your clothes off so we can help you" , literally just a cold "you can just go home if you want if you're not gonna cooperate" as if I wasn't having SEIZURES. Seizures often make me feel confused or scared of what's going on afterwards.
Sometimes paramedics or doctors will even cut them off too which really annoys me. I've lost a couple of really important clothes from that and I couldn't replace one of them (it was a jacket that belonged to my mum who died 3 years ago).
CaterpillarLake@reddit
No they are very unlikely to remove your clothes.
If you are literally flatlining then yeah they’d rip open your shirt to attach the defibrillators. They’d have no reason to remove anything else unless you were being rushed into emergency surgery. In which case your nudity or your clothing will be the last thing anyone will be worrying about. Also if you wake up from nearly dying, you also will not be worrying about your clothes anymore. They don’t keep you naked though, they would put a gown on you while you are still under anaesthetic and you’d wake up covered.
And don’t be worrying about that old saying of make sure you’re wearing clean underwear… if you get hit by a bus you’re gonna lose control of your bladder and bowels anyway so your lovely clean underwear won’t be clean anymore. Also you’d be covered in tar and blood and bits of bus.
Seriously though - if you pass out, they are unlikely to undress you anymore than pull your arm out your sleeve so they can attach a blood pressure cuff and insert a canula. They don’t have time to mess around taking all your clothes off! Why would they even need to.
PootMcGroot@reddit
An ECG for unexplained unconsciousness and A&E is not unusual to check for a heart event, and that will require removing a top and bra, but will be done with dignity and privacy.
CaterpillarLake@reddit
I’ve had an ecg many many times in A&E and they never removed any of my clothing. They just lift the top up and then pull the neck down to position the pads above and below the breasts. They don’t need to remove the bra. Same for bottoms - they can put the pads on ankles by just sliding the bottoms of the trousers up a bit. They really don’t have time to be undressing an unconscious person unless it’s essential (to go in the MRI or into surgery)
Penjing2493@reddit
Trauma, or seriously unwell and genuinely no idea why get all their clothes cut off.
Need to see and get to all of the potential injuries and/or spot that weird rash that might explain why you're unconscious.
Taken_Abroad_Book@reddit
Although I was conscious when I entered A&E in January, I passed out while there once my blood loss hit a critical level.
They didn't remove anything apart from my jacket, but, the atertial bleed was from tonsil surgery site so all I needed was a bare chest for those ECG pads for surgery.
littleocean8@reddit
I have arrived at a&e unconscious and woken up in a gown! Didn’t realise my clothes had been cut off me until I asked for my jumper because I was cold and it was shredded. It was a nice jumper too ☹️
Obviously they did what they needed to do it was just a shame
Traditional-Type881@reddit
I think it's standard. Visits to the A&E normally consist of the doctor asking me to take off my clothes and then giving me a routine check for skin, prostate, and testicular cancer. After that, another doctor will normally come in and ask the first doctor "Who the hell are you?". At that point, you can expect the first doctor to then jump out of the window and run down the street. The second doctor will then ask you to put all your clothes back on and then proceed with your eye exam. The usual stuff.
I_will_never_reply@reddit
When President Ronald Reagan was shot, they had no idea. All they knew was he was spitting blood and in pain / trouble breathing. They assumed an agent had hurt him bundling him into the car but they inspected him all over and eventually found the small hole from the bullet in his armpit where it went into his chest. Unless the team see a good reason for you to be unconscious, they'll need to check as much as possible
Pigflap_Batterbox@reddit
I had awful food poisoning and passed out after soiling myself and passing out, and my clothes were removed so they could clean me once they got me in.
Another time I had a head injury after a fall, and although both my trousers and shirt were fairly bloody and I was in and out of consciousness they didn't take my clothes off.
Basically - they also don't care. They are there to take care of your body and wellbeing. Someone more qualified at assessing things than you or I will debag or not depending on how it goes.
Remember, these people view bodies as things to fix and repair - there's nothing naughty, sexy, judgey or anything. They'll do it or not, and they don't care if you're tiny, chunky, huage (huge in West Mids) or whatever.
Kent_Tog@reddit
Everyone stand back! I'm a Doctor!
ukbot-nicolabot@reddit
A top level comment (one that is not a reply) should be a good faith and genuine attempt to answer the question
TheSmallestCelestial@reddit (OP)
Thats funny:)
_KatNap@reddit
As somebody that did get taken to A&E whilst unconscious not that long ago, probably yes. I got taken in an ambulance in clothes, and a while after admission, my family got given my pyjamas which were all cut up from being removed. Woke up over a week later with nothing but a hospital gown!
But I'm not a doctor so my guess is it depends on a case by case basis. If you're totally unconscious, or in a life or death scenario and they need to work fast, I'd guess yes. I had exactly the same feelings about undressing for doctors, but when in hospital you get used to the feeling of being naked very quickly, especially when you can't move and have to go lying down on a bed. Doctors see body parts and bodily fluids every day, and the doctors. My nurse was extremely nice, and always respectful and it makes you feel a lot more at ease. They understand it can be awkward. No one ever made a big deal of it and it soon became very normal to ask for help with things like dressing or cleaning yourself.
Neither_Process_7847@reddit
Was dressed when memory came back in A&E following my first ever seizure, so it depends. They'll take what they need off to get to what they need to access, no more and no less.
Pedantichrist@reddit
Trauma? Likely we will strip you.
Arrested? We will cut off your clothes to expose your chest.
Slipped into unconsciousness, had a hypo or a seizure, and respond quickly to treatment and regain consciousness? Maybe not.
Whatever happens we don’t leave you naked, although you’ll be toppled whilst wet do CPR if you arrest.
TheEnglishDominant2@reddit
Yeah been done to me 3 times in my life.
Hemlock-In-Her-Hair@reddit
If you're incredibly unwell and can't answer their questions or help them they'll do whatever they need to do. And if the stuff is proving problematic they'll cut it. Especially to put up a line.
DollySheep32@reddit
In my experience if you're being resuscitated via defibrillator your bra may be cut away to expose the places the sticky pads have to go. If you show up to A&E with a gaping chest wound, they're definitely cutting off your bra.
Danglyweed@reddit
I was taken into a&e conscious but fairly delirious (sepsis) the nurse stripped me down without even closing the curtain. But I've had two assisted births at that hospital and lots of breast scans so i think half the hospital has seen my worst bits by now, so now i dont give a shiny shit anymore.
redseaaquamarine@reddit
After giving birth, I lost all sense of embarrassment. I even had a medical student observing.
Temporary-Zebra97@reddit
I was cut out of my biking leathers at A&E, wasn't impressed seeing as they were only 2 weeks old.
I did beg the nurse not to but she was very no nonsense.
Whoppa-seagull@reddit
Normally I think they loosen anything around the neck & loosen anything tight around the waist.
DrBooz@reddit
We’d usually remove top half to be able to gain access for monitoring / ECG / examining but we’d cover with a hospital gown.
Unlikely we’d remove bottom half unless you soil yourself or prolonged low consciousness where you need a urinary catheter.
If any concern about trauma, we’d strip you naked but keep you covered as much as possible. Helps to rule out any concealed injuries.
RainbowWarrior73@reddit
I was taken to hospital under blue lights, and when I came to, I was naked. At that point, though, I was simply grateful that the people around me were treating me, the last thing on my mind was what I was or wasn’t wearing. I suppose what I’m saying is that in serious or life-threatening medical situations, other priorities quickly take over your thoughts.
FluffAndTumble91919@reddit
If somebody is unconscious one of the first things they'll do is take bloods and do an ECG. The ECG needs 10 stickers, 6 of which go around your ribcage. Two go on your ankles, so if you're wearing tights they will need to come off too.
Nobody has a desire to see you naked, but we're probably whipping those clothes off and putting you in a hospital gown, because all those IV lines/ catheters/ ecg cables get caught up in normal clothes extremely quickly.
flipflopcuntflaps@reddit
And then I woke up in the hospital (shit)
Glittering_Win_5085@reddit
get a medical alert bracelet
-info-sec-@reddit
Tbh, if I come across you, I'm going to be checking you out. I'm checking your breathing, if your breathing but asleep, your just that. Your clothes won't be coming off and I'll be keeping you warm until the ambulance arrives.
In the ambulance, you'll be covered in a blanket, still with your clothes on. If they can't bring you around, you'll still be asleep. You'll likely be awake by now, but feeling weird. Off to hospital you go..
Now, at hospital, your awake, your on the bed recovering. If you are on oxygen etc, you'll be kept on it. Eventually, you'll come off and be able to sit up walk around etc. If your asleep, you'll be clothes until the get around to stripping you and putting some nice hospital stuff on you. You'll body will need to wee and poop, so that needs to be prepped for...
Don't worry about being naked, the curtains will be shut and they've seen it all before... What do you have that they don't? 🤷
Etheria_system@reddit
I’m guessing you have POTS? Get a medical alert bracelet, make sure people who you are with regularly know what your condition is and how to explain it to paramedics quickly and accurately, keep your salt and hydration levels up and if you’re not already, push for better medication. Since I’ve gone on Ivabradine, i very rarely pass out anymore.
ceciem2100@reddit
Doctors, nurses and paramedics are trained to preserve your dignity, when possible/safe/reasonable they cover as much of you as possible with whatever blankets/clothes. Honestly I've gone via ambulance countless times, you will be okay, you'll be treated with respect.
ExpressTruth76@reddit
Stripper velcro based clothing
PootMcGroot@reddit
They will very likely remove your upper clothes and bra, as doing an ECG/EKG with sticky pads is pretty standard to check if your unconsciousness is a result of a heart event.
So your best bet is to wear separate skirts/trousers and blouses, and nice underwear. But at the end of the day, they'll do what they have to do. They've seen everything before, and will do everything to protect your dignity - in a typical A&E, that will be one person and likely female, with curtains drawn. But that depends what state you arrive in and assistance needed and the staff available.
But the the main thing: if you're still unconscious, you won't remember, and they've done it a thousand times before. If you are conscious, you'll be in control.
Local_Beautiful3303@reddit
A&E will remove your clothes to look for injuries if you arrive unconscious. If you uave a condition that causes you to lose consciousness it might be prudent to invest in a piece of Medical Alert Jewellery e.g. a bracelet or necklace that has your condition engraved on it.
Not only will it save your clothing from being cut off but will also save time for those providing emergency care.
CarfireOnTheHighway@reddit
Get yourself a fall risk medical alert bracelet with the reason why on it - that way they’d have to evaluate reasons less, reducing the amount they’d have to take your clothes off. It could still happen due to injury of course but it’s way less likely unless completely necessary at that point.
GetCapeFly@reddit
If you’re unconscious, they’re going to figure out why as quickly as possible to save your life. That means no clothes and direct access to the chest, neck and arms.
becca413g@reddit
Not always. I’ve woken up in resus in my own clothes covered in my own waste before now. Depends on how far they get in their investigations. If they do undress you they should cover you with a gown and sheets. It’s important to remember they are focused on establishing what’s caused your unconsciousness for me that was already known so they didn’t need to check for significant head injuries or spinal problems which might necessitate being undressed to be examined or scanned. They don’t just automatically strip people, they just take off what is needed to do their job of taking care of you and trying to resolve the cause of you being unconscious.
Serious_Badger_4145@reddit
Unlikely in this situation unless they have to send you for an mri (as long as you regain consciousness pretty quick that is)
Clothes are removed for access. So in a car accident you may remove clothes to get at an injury or check for internal bleeding. But if your head is the concern its unlikely
This is actually a really long time to stay unconscious tbh. in all likelihood you'd regain consciousness on the street or in the ambulance
Belle_TainSummer@reddit
Yes. They got to do a check of your body to see if you have a wound or injury somewhere non-obvious. If you are unconscious, you cannot tell them where the hurt is. They do a fingertip top-to-toe check.
RadiantTown9154@reddit
If there’s no apparent cause for collapse they have to Assess the body for trauma/rashes/discoloration/mottling/ etc
Outside-Sherbet-9448@reddit
It depends on what you're wearing and the circumstances of why you lose consciousness - i.e. how urgently do the paramedics need to get access to skin, if at all, to either make an assessment or administer life saving treatment.
It's a bit of an impossible question.
Tall_Stick5608@reddit
It makes sense to be in a hospital gown when having tests / procedures and that’s why your clothes will be removed otherwise they would be removed to preserve evidence for the police. No need to be anxious these are professionals doing their job and following procedure
Jexii-x@reddit
I don’t know the answer, I’d expect it’d be unlikely straight away, but have you thought of wearing a medical card that explains your condition, situation and wishes?
ResplendentBear@reddit
I've been with someone who passed out in A&E and no one seemed to start undressing them. I've also been admitted to hospital myself from A&E and no one tried to change my clothes at any time, other than for CT scans.
I think you're fine.
L-0-T-H-0-S@reddit
Wear a medical alert bracelet explaining your condition, otherwise - yes - the primarily procedure is to access you, which often means removing clothing from certain areas - mainly chest and torso.
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