My doctor's nurse refused to take my blood pressure in both arms. She refused! She's black and I'm white. Why would she flat refuse to do it?

[sage2021]

I have blood pressure problems as she could tell by looking at my chart. He's been my doctor for many years and we always take my blood pressure in both arms. I even asked her flat out if she was refusing to do that. She said yes. This has never happened before. Why was she behaving so bad to me?

[crmoore]

I've only ever had my blood pressure taken in one arm. Not to say that taking them in both arms isn't helpful, perhaps it gives a more accurate reading. But the consensus among medical professionals seems to be that it isn't necessary.

You mentioned the difference in race, so I presume you may feel as though her potential dislike for white people may have been the cause, and that's possible, but it's also possible that she, too, thought your actions may have been based on your potential dislike for black people.

To be clear, I'm not saying you dislike black people. But in the same way you may be speculating that her actions were based on race, she may have felt similarly like you were making demands of her because as a white person you may feel entitled to command black people.

But I think the most reasonable answer is she simply didn't think taking it twice was necessary, as most medical personnel seem to.

That being said, I don't have all the fine details like tone, body language, and many other things that are difficult to convey over text.

[sage2021]

@crmoore I have had heard medical professionals say it is best to take a reading on both sides. My doctor finished her job and took it in the other arm as well.
I realize as years go on that a lot of patients get less done as the initial part of the visit.
For instance, they would automatically take your temperature, blood oxygen and blood pressure. Now, just the blood pressure in one arm. The best doctor I ever had that works at a very well know university hospital would take all her patients blood pressure in both arms as routine. She wouldn't let her assistants do it because she said they are too lazy. She taught me about the both arms thing.

[crmoore]

Yeah, like I said, it may give a mor accurate idea of the patients medical state. But even still, it seems most medical personnel don't do both.

[loveslongnails]

I don't know, but I'd report her to the head of operations. My blood pressure is significantly different, for whatever reason, from one side to the other. She has no business refusing to that. You owe it to the doctors, and other patients, to report this.

[SecretsofKB]

Nurse here! So this sounds like she had a case of "I know better than you" syndrome...

I'm sorry that she refused to take your BP on your other arm. From what I can tell from your story, I don't think she had a valid reason to refuse aside from her just not wanting to do it.

While I don't usually take BP on both arms (I will do it only if I get a reading that I don't like and want to double check... or if a physician orders it... or the patient asks), you asked and she should have just checked your other arm. Yes... I understand that nurses are busy... I am busy as shit when I am working... but it takes 30 seconds to take a BP if you're going slow. She should have just done the other side.

[mermaidcancermoon]

Not a race issue, she likely didn't think it was medically efficient... unless she had too many other patients to update.

There are many reasons they only take pressure in one arm. Two is not always necessary

[OlderAndWiser]

Some people never grew out of their teen phase and they are stuck in an oppositional-defiant mode.

[exitseven]

I like reading your stuff because i get do many handy expressions. I will probably use oppositional-defiant mode sometimes today.

[OlderAndWiser]

@exitseven I'm glad to be of assistance!

[HorggleThorp]

Probably because you’re white. Blacks are taught to hate white people, as per my boyfriend who is black. He explained this to me. Still, not all blacks will fall for this bullshi. t, but a lot of them do.

[FunkyMonkee]

Report her to the Dr.! EVERY time I go see one, they take mine at least once!!

[sage2021]

@FunkyMonkee I did report her to my doctor. I don't think he was very happy about it.
You have to ask to have blood pressure in both arms and you should ask to have your blood oxygen level taken too. For the first time in my life, my blood oxygen was under normal. Blood oxygen test is just that small gadget they clam on to your pointer finger. But it's important.
The reason I ask for blood pressure to be taken in both arms (which medical professionals say you should always have it done that way) us because mine is way
different in each arm. This has something to do with something wrong with my arteries and my clavicle bone. Not sure what, but I think ab operation fixes this problem.

Do you think she was cancelling this white woman?

[FunkyMonkee]

I have no idea.
SOMETIMES they take my BP in both my arms but, usually, just in one. I don't ask for it at all, they just "make" me do it..

[BobbieBoy666]

She is racist she hates Caucasian white skin people you can report her for this.

[Sixgunsound]

In the absence of any further data points, I’m not seeing how it would be any racial issue. There are people who are just assholes in every race.

[andreasderjuengere]

As the fully trained medic that you are, apparently: you should be aware that dual measuring of blood pressure, applied over extended periods of time, may cause 'Karen-Syndrome'.

As for the nurse: she receives her ''orders'' from her qualified boss. Don't blame HER :)

[sage2021]

@andreasderjuengere You are just a worthless POS 💩

[Anonymous]

I doubt it was a race thing. On that same token, her refusing is a bad thing and you need to have a chat with your doctor.

[Rocambole]

I never heard of taking blood pressure in both arms

[sage2021]

@Rocambole that doesn't mean you should refuse to take it on a patient that had uneven blood pressure in both arms by 10-20 points different than the other arm. It indicates a medical condition.
Still, just because you never heard of it doesn't mean you can refuse to do it.

[Agagagagaga]

Well then you clearly don’t work in healthcare. It’s not that uncommon.

[Rocambole]

No, I don't work in healthcare. I just said I never heard of it. Chill down.

[exitseven]

Don't make this a race thing. She was having a busy day.

[sage2021]

@exitseven OMG! YOU WERE THERE AND SAW HOW UT WENT DOWN OR DO YOU HAVE ESP?
I am not trying to make this a race thing. I am baffled by if it was or not. I came here to get a consensus - that's all. Are you just in a pissy mood or something? Cause you sure seem like it. You know me better than that.

[exitseven]

Sorry- I am just sick and tired of everything being made up about race. The truth is that I really don;t understand why the nurse just would not do what you asked, The thing I am curious about is when they take to two readings do they use the lowest one or do they take an average of the two?

[sage2021]

@exitseven that's the ex7 I know 🙂. Thanks!
To answer your question. Of the two they like to put down the lower of the two. I don't know why. But in my case, my blood pressure in the right arm might read 140/80 - my left arn might read 160/110. This indicates a problem. We write both numbers in my chart because of this.

[exitseven]

ok thanks 😊😊😊

[eagle1951]

USUALLY, THEY TAKE A bp in ARM in BOTH arms TO SEE IF THEY ARE CLOSE

[douride2]

I have never heard of using both arms. Also what is the relevance of I'm white she's black to do with the question?

[Staximus]

Because to the rest of the world, it sounds like unnecessary nonsense that she didn't need to do

[Debbie14217]

wow crazy... shoukd have asked another nurse

[Andres77]

Color is irrelevant. Complain to ur doctor.

[Andres77]

As long as he wants it then it doesn’t matter what she thinks

[boggboss]

Why would her race be important 😑

[sage2021]

@boggboss she is black and I am white. I didn't refuse her, she refused me and I think she hates white people. She wasn't very nice either.

[boggboss]

But why wpuld u assume race as the factor for not liking u when she could have just been a asshole

[sage2021]

@boggboss I didn't have a problem with her race, but she had a problem with mine. I don't know about where you live, but other races want to cancel white people, especially white men.
A lot of black people believe white people are racists and, white supremacists, homophobic, xenophobic, Hitler, white privileged, and so forth.
I am not racist, but I could tell by her body language and being such a snot face to me for no reason, it had to be that she is out to get white people. I guess you had to be there. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[boggboss]

This is the exact same shit I say to black people online just because someone was another race d9nt mean it was race that was the factor for them being a dick u have no clue if she would have acted the same with u being black u are simply assuming the reason

[sage2021]

@boggboss I am just trying to get a consequence here from my GaG people. I have never acted uppity to any black person and never will.
I must add that I was very sick while there and the whole visit took a toll on me. Just glad to get home to my white self!

[boggboss]

But thats it I never thought or assumed u have treated black people a type of way I'm not of the mind set that people have issues with other races from the get go just get annoyed when people black or white assume race is the reason someone was a asshole

[sage2021]

@boggboss so, should I have just asked her if she hates white people? I didn't assume it was a race issue, maybe more of a bitch issue!

[boggboss]

I would agree she sounds like a fucking idiot and a massive bitch as for if she was racist I'm not sure if asking would have gave u the answer but I just annoys me when race is put forward as the issue meh

[Anonymous]

The nurse was racist.

[BeMuse]

Incompetence. Spend your money elsewhere.

[joeldalton]

WTF? did you talk to your dr about it?

[sage2021]

@joeldalton. Yes, I did tell my doctor about it. He didn't say much to me about it; I think it's because he will talk to her about it. I think she hates white people. She wasn't very friendly at all and was obstinate towards me as well. Is this the new America I'm experiencing?

[joeldalton]

I wouldn't be surprised. That's why we need to call out racism by black people.

[KrakenAttackin]

Because she doesn't give a fuck about you.

[cloud9vortex1234]

Why both arms? Isn't 1 arm enough?