PATIENTS´ OPINIONS ON DRAPING AND DIGNITY IN A PHYSIOTHERAPY OUTPATIENT CLINIC

Taylor K.G.M.¹, Johnson G.M.¹, Little R.², Staufenburg A.², McDonald A.²

¹Centre for Health, Activity, and Rehabilitation Research, University of Otago, School of Physiotherapy, Dunedin, New Zealand, ²University of Otago, School of Physiotherapy, Enrolled in the Bachelor of Physiotherapy Programme at Time of Study, Dunedin, New Zealand

Background: The patient experience of dignity and draping issues to date has mostly focused on the hospital rather than the outpatient setting. It is likely these two therapeutic environments raise different issues from the patient perspective when undergoing a physiotherapy treatment. Dignity is a contributor to health care responsiveness, and draping in a clinical context is an important element of client-orientated issues. Both dignity and draping are inter-related dimensions in the protection of patients´ rights. The literature is lacking regarding dignity and draping in the outpatient physiotherapy area, and strongly recommends the need to investigate the application of patient views in this clinical setting.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate patients´ views regarding dignity and draping preferences when attending a musculoskeletal physiotherapy outpatient clinic.

Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on feedback from a focus group of 10 patients who had recently attended a musculoskeletal physiotherapy outpatient clinic for treatment. The custom designed questionnaire contained 14 items relating to privacy, draping, respect and communication issues. The questionnaire was then piloted over a seven week period to a new group of patients. In keeping with the patients involved in the focus group, these patients were also seeking physiotherapy treatment for a musculoskeletal problem at an outpatient clinic.

Results: Thirty one respondents (n=23 females, n=8 males) participated in the pilot study. The results of the questionnaire showed that the majority of males felt very confident about removing their clothing (87.5% n=7), for the females (26.1% n=6) felt confident. Also, female respondents considered the gender of their physiotherapist (87% n=21) and the physical privacy (73.9% n=17) to be important factors related to dignity. All male respondents (100%) expressed a preference for exposing a bare back, whereas females expressed mixed dressing preferences. For the lower body both males and female respondents preferred the option of sports shorts (87.5%; 81.8% n=18 respectively.

Conclusion(s): In a musculoskeletal physiotherapy setting, patients´ perspective on dignity and draping is seen in terms of; clear communication, the provision of a range of draping options, and privacy of physical space.

Implications: This study contributes to the appreciation of the patient perspective of privacy, dignity and communication, in the physiotherapy outpatient setting. There are also a number of practical implications arising from this investigation that serve to improve the patient experience when attending a musculoskeletal physiotherapy outpatient clinic.

Funding acknowledgements: No funding acknowledgment required

Topic: Professional issues

Ethics approval: Human Ethics (Health) Committee University of Otago New Zealand REF#: H14/064

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.