5 Ways to Support Patient Modesty

Patient modesty, which refers to the practices used to protect the bodily privacy of patients, is becoming an increasingly important topic within the healthcare community. It’s not uncommon for patients to feel that their privacy or dignity has been overlooked by staff, considering how chaotic and fast-paced the hospital environment can be.

While healthcare providers are thoroughly trained to protect patient privacy under HIPAA regulations, they don’t often receive adequate guidance on how to accommodate a patient’s individual preferences for physical privacy. In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of modesty in healthcare settings and provide five tips for supporting patients’ dignity at your facility.

What Is Medical Patient Modesty? Meaning and Overview

”Modesty” is broadly defined as everything an individual does to avoid indecency with respect to their personal values, social norms, and cultural traditions. This is commonly expressed in the way that they dress, interact with others, or other actions they may take to avoid exposing their body in uncomfortable ways.

Medical modesty more specifically encompasses everything that healthcare staff do to respect a patient’s preferences for how they’re being seen at the hospital. This is a concept that’s been gaining more traction in recent years, since the hospital has historically been a place where many individuals feel their bodily privacy is invaded.

Patients are often undressed by staff in a room full of strangers without any say as to how this happens, especially during medical emergencies or surgeries. This can leave many individuals feeling as if their personal dignity and modesty have been compromised.

Examples of Modesty in Healthcare

To better understand this concept, let’s walk through a few basic examples of how staff can respect a patient’s physical privacy:

• Knock before entering. Knocking before entering any room ensures that patients aren’t unexpectedly exposed during vulnerable moments.

• Provide gowning and draping. Draping or covering patients when they need to undress for a medical procedure helps minimize unnecessary exposure and protects patient modesty during surgery.

• Ask for permission to touch. Staff should always ask patients for permission before placing their hands on them to carry out a procedure, test, or exam.

Why Is Medical Modesty Important?

The hospital is already a vulnerable place for patients who are dealing with emotionally and physically draining situations. If a patient’s modesty has been violated, this can leave them feeling even more upset, embarrassed, and ashamed.

Protecting the modesty of a patient is vital for preserving their dignity, building their trust in the healthcare team, and empowering them to engage in their own care. It’s also a fundamental way to show respect and build a more inclusive and positive space.

5 Ways to Support Patient Modesty

The healthcare environment poses some unique challenges when it comes to supporting modesty, since staff must delicately balance medical necessity with a patient’s preferences. As a facility leader, it’s important to implement thoughtful protocols that help staff address clinical needs without compromising patient dignity. Here are five ways that you can approach this sensitive topic with your patients and your team.

1. Foster Transparent and In-Depth Communication

When it comes to supporting the modesty of patients, teaching staff how to maintain transparent communication is essential. Healthcare providers are adept at educating patients about medical procedures, but these conversations often omit the specifics of bodily privacy.

Beyond explaining the steps and outcomes of a procedure, staff should also be trained to discuss how long a patient’s body may be exposed, how they will be positioned/touched, and who will be in the room. This ensures that patients have clear expectations going into a procedure and are given an opportunity to discuss any concerns they might have.

2. Accommodate Staff Gender Preferences

Many patients report feeling more comfortable receiving care from staff of the same gender, especially during physical exams or procedures. Accommodating these preferences is an important way to support both female and male patient modesty.

When possible, facilities should accommodate patients who voice gender preferences in their providers. When this is not logistically possible, consider having a chaperone of the patient’s preferred gender to be present during procedures (if this would make the patient feel more comfortable).

3. Incorporate Modesty Considerations Into Informed Consent

Medical emergencies pose some of the biggest challenges to preserving patient modesty. In these situations, staff must prioritize saving the patient, which may often leave them exposed in front of a large team of staff and providers.

However, incorporating modesty considerations into informed consent policies is one way to help patients feel more reassured and respected. Patients should be briefed on what may happen during a code and ways in which staff will try to maintain their modesty as much as possible.

Patients should also be asked about any modesty-related preferences that can be noted on their advance directives or intake forms. This can help prepare staff to honor their preferences in the event of an emergency.

4. Optimize the Environment for Privacy

Optimizing the physical layout of your facility is also an effective way to preserve the modesty of patients. Having moveable screens, curtains, or partitions can help maintain the privacy of patients who are receiving care in high-traffic areas.

Additionally, you should implement policies that limit the number of observers in a patient’s room at any given time. It’s common for groups of trainees and students to observe exams and procedures, especially at teaching hospitals. However, some patients may feel uncomfortable with this. So, ensure your staff are trained to obtain permission prior to letting students and trainees into their patients’ rooms.

5. Include Modesty as Part of Your Cultural Competence Training

Every patient has different cultural and religious beliefs that shape their own perceptions of modesty. While providing cultural competency training in healthcare is often required by law, it’s also important to make sure that your training includes topics related to modesty.

Some patients may have preferences that are unique to their culture, such as avoiding being touched by the opposite gender, or keeping their hair covered. Staff should be taught how to respectfully ask about these preferences and incorporate them into their plan of care.

Get More Tips to Support the Dignity of Your Patients and Staff

Respecting patient modesty is one of many fundamental practices that goes into building a safer, more inclusive care environment. Looking for more practical and actionable tips? Stay in the know by getting the latest healthcare industry news and insights from IntelyCare.