It was a warm day, like most days are in our part of the world. We were taking ward rounds. The women in the antenatal ward were looking very uncomfortable despite the ceiling fans going at top speed.
"Why are they so uncomfortable?" I wondered aloud.
"Because they are wearing hospital gowns over their own clothes" the Associate Professor said.
"Huh?" I said.
"Sir, they are wearing the hospital gowns made of hick white cloth over their own gowns, because we are taking ward round."
"Why?"
"Because the nurse has told them to wear the hospital gowns when the doctors take rounds."
"That so?" I asked the nurse.
"Yes" she said.
I looked around the ward. All patients except our unit patients were wearing their own colorful gowns. No other unit doctors were taking ward round.
"Perhaps the nurse does not have enough gowns. So these patients may be removing their hospital gowns after our round and giving them to the patients of other units when their doctors come for round" I said.
"We have given hospital gowns to all the patients" the nurse said. "They keep them nicely folded. They wear them only when the doctors come for round."
"But why wear their own clothes? The hospital gowns are clean and not at all torn as they used to be some time ago" I said.
"They are made of very thick cloth. They feel very warm wearing those gowns."
"Ah!" I said. Just then doctors of another unit came along for taking a round of their patients. I watched them and said, "but look. Patients of that unit are not wearing hospital gowns."
"That must be because doctors of that unit do not wear doctor coats during ward rounds" someone said.
I looked at the doctors in street clothes and said, "perhaps Dr House of the famous TV serial 'House MD' is their role model."
"Why are they so uncomfortable?" I wondered aloud.
"Because they are wearing hospital gowns over their own clothes" the Associate Professor said.
"Huh?" I said.
"Sir, they are wearing the hospital gowns made of hick white cloth over their own gowns, because we are taking ward round."
"Why?"
"Because the nurse has told them to wear the hospital gowns when the doctors take rounds."
"That so?" I asked the nurse.
"Yes" she said.
I looked around the ward. All patients except our unit patients were wearing their own colorful gowns. No other unit doctors were taking ward round.
"Perhaps the nurse does not have enough gowns. So these patients may be removing their hospital gowns after our round and giving them to the patients of other units when their doctors come for round" I said.
"We have given hospital gowns to all the patients" the nurse said. "They keep them nicely folded. They wear them only when the doctors come for round."
"But why wear their own clothes? The hospital gowns are clean and not at all torn as they used to be some time ago" I said.
"They are made of very thick cloth. They feel very warm wearing those gowns."
"Ah!" I said. Just then doctors of another unit came along for taking a round of their patients. I watched them and said, "but look. Patients of that unit are not wearing hospital gowns."
"That must be because doctors of that unit do not wear doctor coats during ward rounds" someone said.
I looked at the doctors in street clothes and said, "perhaps Dr House of the famous TV serial 'House MD' is their role model."
