Examination Gowns

Having just spent a few days in the hospital wearing only a gown, I do find it a bit silly since it doesn't cover your backside well. It's designed to provide easy access for the doctors and nurses, which is fine with me, but when a patient is walking around, more often than not the back to the gowns come open, at least partially.

It seems like this almost-naked situation leaves the patient not really covered, but they are supposed to be. So, the staff are always having to run around cinching up gowns that are falling open.

Personally, I'd rather be naked when in bed, and they can just pull down the sheets when they need to check me out. The gowns set up this false sense that modesty must be preserved, but it seemed to me that most patients didn't feel covered enough that they felt much beyond naked anyway. And, the staff are trying in vain to protect said modesty.

Might just be better to have patients be naked, unless they are having visitors and will be out of their room, then provide a robe or gown for those times.

Gowns that are open in the back makes sense in a hospital since the staff can change a patient's gown without the patient getting up from the hospital bed. As for exams, I have only been in the open back type gowns on a few occasions. I don't know if female patients get an front opening gown for exams, but maybe for gyn exams those would make sense.

The only time I remember wearing a gown with an opening in the back is for a medical procedure, whether it be for knee surgery or a colonoscopy, or when hospitalized because of a kidney stone. For the 1st two, I had no underwear on underneath. The gown for my surgery was so short, anyone who looked sideways at me at the level of the op table could easily have seen my genitalia. And naturally during colonoscopies, i become exposed. So do I consider myself naked with a gown on then ? Yes, when I'm exposed, i might as well be. When not exposed, then no.

For physicals, the gowns i've worn always have openings in the front. To answer the OP question, I would prefer not to use a gown at all, but to be wearing nothing but a jockstrap. Which is why i always leave the gown open. Gowns are a waste anyway & just get in the way. Once upon a time, I wasn't offered a gown, so I had gotten used to being in just briefs and was always comfortable with that. Because it offers the same amount of cover as a bathing suit anyway, and I've always trusted the doctors to be medical professionals, so I've always been comfortable with them.

I have only encountered ones with one opening. The nurse gives out instructions from a number of possibilities: everything off, gown on, opening in back; ditto, opening front; except underwear, with options for gown. I did attempt a backwards tie once, and gave up. I can think of getting instructions from a doctor, who wanted everything off, gown open in front, which he quickly knocked back and off for the exam.

Personally I'd rather be in a gown with nothing underneath it, as I think this is a more vulnerable position. However, in reality, I've always undressed to underwear (with no gown) or kept my clothes on for my physicals.