I was in a doctor's exam room. The exam requires me to be in my underwear. Suddenly, the assistant who is aslo in the room, a 50 year-old lady, asked me:"What do you do for a living?" Afterwards I felt a little weird. Do you think the quesion is rude or at least weird to ask in that situation?
2007-04-18 17:56:05 · 27 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I'm a med student and that's actually a question that we have to ask on a checklist we're taught. So she possibly wasn't trying to be rude, although I must admit that some people just don't know how to tactfully speak. If it makes you feel any better, I had to ask a 70 year old man if he ever did drugs. Now imagine how weird that was lol!
2007-04-18 18:05:41 · answer #1 · answered by LIBERAL 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It was just small talk to get your mind off the exam. "What do you do for a living?" gets you to talk about your job or lack of, then the next thing you know you will be engrossed in a conversation and the nervousness you felt about the exam will have lessened. It also allows you to view the assistants and doctors as a person rather than "that stranger in a white coat that's going to see me in my underwear". When I have to go for pap smears (which I HATE) I always request this one particular nurse because we talk so much that the exam is over in no time.
2007-04-18 18:35:45 · answer #2 · answered by kgee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is ethical for a doctor who is preforming that kind of exam to have a female in the room with him. She was making small talk to you in hopes that you would feel more comfortable and it makes the exam go by quicker if you ask me. I wouldn't think it rude but nice of her to try to make the situation comfortable. How would you have felt if they didn't say anything to you just poked and prodded on you??? Like a science experiment I'd say lol.
2007-04-18 18:04:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Doctors have said strange things to me before. Once i went in to have my annual pap smear and it just happened to be Halloween. all of the nurses and doctor were in their costumes to celebrate Halloween. they do it every year. Well my doctor is a trekky and he was dressed as Captain Kirk. So you might say I am the only person to have a pap smear by Captain Kirk. Also my Mom was having her yearly breast exam once and the doctor was making small talk and then all of a sudden paused and said "That is so Beatiful!" My mom was probably in her early 50's then and she gasped at her shock. His face turned bright red and he said "Your necklace! I meant your necklace!" I think doctors and nurses kind of get so used to people in various states of undress that they forget how some things might sound. I know I had to work in like a rest home and give baths and after awhile you do not react the same, you kind of get to the point of "you've seen one you've seen them all"
2007-04-18 18:17:34 · answer #4 · answered by treedy82 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, she is beyond the age to be embarrased to ask a question, she can ask according to what she observes without worrying if you or someone else thinks she's attracted to you. She may have noted that you have a well proportioned body or in reverse, that your body was lacking definition indicating a need for excercise. And she simply doesn't care how you read her inquiry, she just wants to know! A younger nurse would be head tripping ("will he think I'm hitting on him?")So- again, No, I think she merely wanted to know.
2007-04-18 18:23:49 · answer #5 · answered by Faerie loue 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most people are given a gown in a doctor's office so that they are covered. The nurse/ asst. should have taken your history as far as your job before the doctor started examining you.
2007-04-19 08:03:37 · answer #6 · answered by Patti C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe she's just trying to be friendly...but i cant deny that is a really awkward question to be asked in a situation like that...she' not being rude,nor does the question...it's just the situation that make it a bit weird...
2007-04-18 18:02:49 · answer #7 · answered by jad_hamizan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the assistant was probably embarassed or thought you were so was trying to diffuse the situation by making small talk. Or she may have thought you had agreat boky and were a model!
2007-04-18 21:53:20 · answer #8 · answered by taylor p 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, i think she was just trying to be light in what might be an uncomfortable situation for you. She's used to it, but she was just trying to help you out. Now what MIGHT have been a rude question is "Do you go to a gym?" or "What do you think of lipo-suction?" lol
2007-04-18 18:21:40 · answer #9 · answered by * 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She was probably just trying to make small talk. It is a little awkward for you though. I don't think it was rude, but yes, I think she shouldn't have said that.
2007-04-18 18:05:57 · answer #10 · answered by tennisluver13 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋