RUDE?

[Lynne1Cat]

I've just been for my mammogram. The woman there was very pleasant and we were chatting, and I said: "Do you ever get fed-up of handling bosoms?" (the nurse has to hold them, move them about on the plate thing of the scanner, and pick them up again) I was feeling self-conscious, as I'm a G cup.

She replied, "That's rather rude". I apologised, said I didn't mean to cause offence. We carried on chatting about diets, mothers, nothing in particular.

WAS I being rude?

I don’t think it was in any way inappropriate. I was a HCP for over 40 years and patients have made all sorts of comments. However, I’m an adult and treat them with understanding and compassion and give them leeway because they’re stressed, embarrassed, awkward or whatever. I never acted as though I had a stick up my arse.

You weren’t rude at all! I always chatter too but never thought of that question 😂

Do you think she might have been asked that a couple of times a day for the previous 10 years?

Loving the smear test comment🤣

No I don’t think you were rude. Don’t we come out with all sorts of crap when we are nervous, anxious etc?

My best friend used to do mammograms and she loved it, she'd have laughed her head off and made a joke about it. She saw all sorts and did all sorts!

(until her manager bullied her and others out of their jobs and she's now retraining but that's a whole other story!)

I suppose the problem is that it's difficult to know how to respond to that without stepping into a minefield. Possible responses are:

• No, I'm fine with it. Which implies that she enjoys handling boobs.
• Yes, I am fed up with it. Which is not what you want to hear from someone with that job.

I suppose with time to think she could say "It's just part of the job" but that wouldn't necessarily occur to her quickly.

But I doubt that she was actually that bothered, particularly once you explained.

Strange, unless she meant rude as in "a bit naughty" saucy post card stylee ? and was joking?

Not a rude question at all. I get asked if I hate looking at teeth all day and my answer is that I love my job, especially the people. Sounds like you hit a raw nerve.

Personally I would have laughed if I were her, but she may have taken it offensively because she might think you’re taking the P out of her job.

Although these days you can say ‘I like your hair’ and some people will find some way to take offense from that. Try not to worry about it!

It probably came across as you were insulting her job. She does a lot more than just 'handling bosoms'

I think the question was a little rude in that it put her in an awkward position. There wasn't really a right answer and it isn't really any of your business what she thinks about handling boobs all day.

Ideally, though, she would have responded with a little humour and it would all have blown over instead of her making the interaction more awkward.

I would’ve made a similar comment to you as you were engaging in banter. She sounds really odd.

No you were not being rude and she may have said that tongue in cheek. Don't worry about it.

Reminds me of a conversation with a nurse at my baby's vaccinations.

Me: you must hate this part of your job, making babies cry
Nurse: no, don't really mind it
Me:

Itwasntme were you joking?

I think its a stressful situation and part of her job is to make you feel relaxed so she could have been gentler with a 'I think its important'

I try not to comment on people's jobs while they're doing them. People can be very sensitive about aspects of their job. (Not me, I hasten to add).

Also some people aren't in jobs that they want to be in so they may perceive criticisms/judgements where there are none.

She was probably gagging for some onevtonsay that and come back with that response.

She will probably be on here later with ‘how RUDE was this lady today!’

I don't think that's rude. It's exactly the sort of thing I'd expect someone to say when they're feeling awkward and a bit vunerable. A better response from her would have been something like, "It's just my job; I like being a nurse."

You weren't rude, OP.

You weren't rude at all but bear in mind that as a mammographer, she probably gets boob jokes all the time. It's probably wearing a little thin for her, especially when you consider the reasons mammograms are performed in the first place.

She has chosen that job, so I think the truthful answer would be “no, I love it”, but I’m guessing that might have freaked you out.

And she’s a radiographer not a nurse.

Maybe she was pissed off at you thinking she was a nurse

But no, you weren't rude and it was an odd reaction. I'm a fellow chatter in awkward situations, couldn't stop talking when I had my first smear despite internally saying to myself 'what the fuck are you rambling on about?? Just shut up!'

No, you were not rude!

You were asking about her job and she should have given you a friendly answer. Ffs.