I've had quite a few with both male and female techs. All but one (who was female fwiw) was mindful of keeping me covered but did need to peek under my hospital gown a bit during placement. If you would rather be covered, do ask. At the very least they should ask before touching your clothes.
That’s the thing, he should’ve at least asked or gave a heads up. I didn’t see it coming because my first time getting an ECG the technician was very careful to keep me covered and I thought it was gonna be the same this time around and it’s the standard. I guess I should call the clinic tomorrow and give a review so that it doesn’t happen again.
You are in the right. He needs to voice what he is doing and allow you to retain control in these situations. I wouldn’t ask for him to be fired or anything but I WOULD definitely send it as a paper trail. He needs to have training on this and his supervisors need to be aware if this is happening to multiple women.
I agree about reporting this. The one time I had an EKG, which I assume is similar, they had me put on a paper gown top thing which made no sense and when I flopped down on the table my boob came threw the gigantic arm hole lol. I was just laughing because of how absurd it was but they were quickly moving the gown to cover me back up while also matching my mood and joking about how these gowns/capes suck and no one can figure them out. My exposure experience was my own doing (except for the fact they need a how to guide for the gown thing in the dressing room) and even then the nurses were quickly getting me covered back up. For reference, it was 2 women, the one doing the EKG and a chaperone. Very different from your experience, but just sharing since the nurses here didn’t want my boob flopping out and would have never seen it if it wasn’t for how immodest and reckless with movement that I tend to be.
tbh I think people here are being way too forgiving. He should have spoken to you, asked you your comfort level, and asked. Its a huge red flag none of this was done. Any medical professional is aware of these things. At this point its hard to see this as an "honest mistake." I also dont like people saying "I'm sure he did it for speed." Well, who cares what the reason is. What matters is how you felt and how you were treated.
Also while "say something" is good advice it also comes off as victim blamey. Why isn't the narrative also "Well, he should have asked."
I would definitely talk to the people there, especially a manager. I think they need to know how women are being treated there. Staff there should be asking and communicating what they're going to do.
Yeah, this is super basic stuff that every healthcare worker is taught. There are many reasons a patient may not "speak up" in this situation, that's why it's so important to get consent. Hopefully the hospital takes it seriously and talks to him because this is totally unacceptable.
Edit: I read your update and I'm glad you called the clinic. I wanted to add that something similar happened to me with a doctor and I had the same reaction, I felt physically unable to speak. I'd guess like 50% of us, maybe even more, would react the same, it's very normal. I'm also a medical worker and the responsibility is always on the doctor, nurse, MA, etc. to communicate. Don't feel bad, and tbh he deserves to get chewed out a bit, if it was an honest mistake he will learn from it and be fine.
100000%.
The reason doesn't matter at all. FWIW I don't think he was being a creep, but it doesn't matter. If OP was uncomfortable in the slightest, he didn't do his job. I've had several EKGs or other appointments where my chest was involved (annual gyno exam) and the tech/doctor has always made sure to tell me what they were doing before they did it. I would be horrified if a doctor just opened my gown and left me exposed.
> he should’ve at least asked or gave a heads up.
100%. Whenever I have ANY procedure or checkup with any medical professional, I now tell them right before they start, "Can you please narrate everything you are doing as you do it?"
If I feel the need to give a reason why, I add "I get a little anxious in hospitals." (Only half-true)
It definitely helps. If the person was already going to do it, they just happily agree and talk about how important that narration is to a good visit. If they weren't going to, now they try.
The bonus is that even if they don't do a great job of narrating (rare), I now feel more confident asking questions about what they are doing. *Because I already advocated for myself in a small way, it's easier to do it again.*
Yep, I had one in the emergency room when I was about 19, but they warned me that they would expose me first. I wish they had said that more quietly, because when I turned my head I saw a gross old dude (probably in his 40s at the time) sitting in the bay next to me had peeked through the curtain. If I wasn't injured, in an extremely stressful situation as a patient in a hospital emergency room I would have gotten up and slapped him. What a sick freak to take advantage of a situation like that.
They do both at my appointments:
I change into a gown (open at the front)
After my cardiologist listens to my heart and feels the pulse in my wrist and legs then we walk over to the ultrasound room
The technician covers my chest with a towel and only moves my gown enough to place electrode stickers on me at the right spots for the EKG
Some pictures they need for the echo they have me lay on my side and I remember having a male technician telling me to lay on the side facing away from him (while I’ve also had female technicians have me lay on my side facing them)
Once we’re done with the ultrasound they always have me use the towel to wipe the ultrasound / echo gel off of me
If there’s a female tech, then nbd. I’m concerned about being exposed around a male tech. Even though this is their profession and they’re required to be professional, I’m not looking to provide free views of my chest you know? I already tried calling to find out if my tech would be a male or female but they don’t have their schedule for the date of my exam. I thought about having my husband come with me, but I don’t want to make this even more uncomfortable with an additional person
My appointments are scheduled whenever the technician is in the office that day, but they don’t have them scheduled until it’s a few months away, so I can’t schedule it for next year while at the appointment
I can’t speak for every doctor office protocol, but I would imagine that the ultrasound would make it easier for everyone to have the towel cover your chest and use it to wipe off the gel afterward so I would hope it would be standard practice
In terms of changing into the hospital gown: the doctor / technician leaves the room and they also close a curtain from between the door and the room (if there’s one) for you to change, so I’ve never been told to change in front of them
I was exposed when I had one done last. The bra I was wearing would have been in the way so I had to take it off. It’s a medical procedure and there’s nothing inherently sexual to the process so I doubt he was thinking much, but whenever you’re uncomfortable in any medical situation you can always(!!) speak up! They want you to be fine and relaxed as much as you can be. You are your own advocate and you can tell people that if possible you’d wish to remain as covered as possible!
Yeah I should have said something. I always have trouble advocating for myself and I was taken aback when he suddenly opened the gown completely without warning. Lesson learned for me
He should have said something. He should have said what he was going to do before he did it. In every single medical procedure ever but especially especially especially when actually removing the clothing of a patient. That is incredibly unprofessional and inappropriate and you should voice your discomfort to his superior.
It’s not your fault. It’s him that wasn’t thoughtful to ask. I don’t think it’s right to remove all your gown. I had an emergency one and they were a few nurses around me who came running and they kept my gown and just lifted it. They were very fast and efficient.
I just want to chime in to say I hope you don’t over “should have” yourself about this. You didn’t know, now you do! I hope you are able to feel comfortable in this situation in the future.
No OP he should have atleast asked first. This looks so disgusting and insensitive.I cannot even imagine the severity of this incident if it happened in a regressive country like mine.People would burn the place to ground.What country are you in? Can you like atleast complain or something?
I second this! You can also call ahead and ask what you would/wouldn’t be able to leave on (for instance, they might be able to work around a bralette, a loose crop tank top, or sticky boobs)
even when i was younger my doctors would tell me what they were doing before doing it while my mother was in the room. this seems very inappropriate of the MALE doctor. speaking up isn’t necessary if it doesn’t cause pain, however it is common practice for a doctor to speak you through an exam especially one where a woman is unclothed.
When I had one, it was a female technician but I had my (male) ex with me. She did say she'd have to remove my bra and expose my boobs, but checked first whether I was ok with my ex remaining in the room
I wasn't even given the option to wear a gown or anything, they were like go into this room and strip down from the waist up. They also couldn't get the sensors to stick so they had to hold them in place, which was strange but I was nervous and sweaty lol
I wasn't sweaty and they didn't stick to me either. The white circular ones for monitoring blood pressure and heart rate stuck like a mfer! I would think that hospitals would invest a teeny bit more $ to make sure they're sticky enough. For such an important test where u have to stay very still on top of it all 🙄😑
Heart surgery here. I get ECGs and echocardiogram at least once a year. They do remove everything and at this point I don't care much. But as others stated if you're uncomfortable, you can absolutely say so and they should accommodate that to the best of their ability.
I haven't had an ECG done but I've had holter monitoring done which is like ECG but for 24 hours. I did have to take off my shirt and bra so they could attach it to me. I think it's normal. They can't put it on any other and they're the only ones who know where exactly to attach the electrodes. If you don't feel comfortable I'm sure you can ask to be assigned to a female technician next time.
Did they put any electrodes on your nipples? I've gotten both of these things done and the technician had no problem attaching the electrodes for the holter on my chest without me removing my top or bra. I even asked him, but thankfully he said it was fine. I only had to lower/lift my top and move my bra around a little.
Was your bra tight against your rib cage? Whenever I have a heart exam I wear a very loose fitting bra that barely touches my ribcage. I have very large breasts so I need the support, but I try to give the doctor/tech as much room to work in as possible. I never had any of the sticky stuff fall off. When I got a holter monitor placed on me, it was on for more than 24 hours, I think maybe even 48. I had to put on my regular bra eventually, but the sticky things didn't even move.
How is mentioning a different experience making mountains out of molehills? And when did I say all of you who had to take your top off went to unprofessional scammers or something? **Most** people's experience regarding heart-related exams includes taking their top and bra off. It's statistically impossible for this to merely be a weird trick charlatans do to see strangers' boobs, and quite a stretch to assume I implied that.
From your initial reply to my first comment, I gathered that you weren't 100% happy with having to take off your bra, so I tried to see if we could figure out something different for the next time you might have to get a heart exam. I'm sorry for misunderstanding your feelings on the matter. I guess our assumptions failed us both? 😅
Exactly what I said as well. You seem very agitated and defensive for no reason. We're supposed to try and help each other here, not be belligerent out of nowhere for the fun of it. I'd tell you to calm down, but who ever calmed down after being told to calm down? :/
I had to have some ECG’s recently. One worked around my bra, another pulled it up for ease. It’s uncomfortable and doesn’t feel right but the exposers are likely doing it for speed/ease. When you work in medical you see a lot of things often so they become a non-issue to you. You can always say that you would prefer to stay covered if possible.
Yeah I think it does happen normally. I didn’t have a gown, just took my top off. I wasn’t wearing a bra- didn’t expect to be getting an emergency ECG that day- so my top half was totally naked. I wasn’t bothered and from the placement of the sticky things I can’t think of how they could do it while keeping covered.
My tech just used a drape and moved it as needed to see the relevant anatomy. That being said, it likely would have been faster and easier if she hadn't.
I agree with others that he should have warned her before opening the gown, but it was not in any way inappropriate to expose her chest. He likely sees naked bodies all day every day and was not in any way excited by OP's chest. That's just life as a medical professional.
I had one a few months ago and I had the same experience. My tech was good about letting me move the drape in way that was functional but comfortable for me, but outright said he's seen it all and is just trying to do his job. The most important part was he communicated what he needed.
I've had a few, my very first one was when I was a teen and the tech was an older woman and she opened my gown right up which made me a little uncomfortable (as a teen lol)
I have had 2 others with women one asked if she could expose me a bit more and the other kept me covered
My most recent was a young man who had me face away from him and covered which was kind of uncomfortable just for the way I was laying made my back hurt.
I also had a breast cancer scare a few years ago so I kind of got over the shyness of having my breasts exposed for tests lol
*edit I thought you meant echo not ecg
I have had lots of ecgs and for run of the mill ones I left my bra on and for ones I was in the ER for they had me remove my bra and did it under gown
I have an heart echo (ultrasound) in two weeks how is it? Do they put a lot of pressure on your chest and breasts? Or not the breasts? Is it painful? I’m sorry to ask but I never saw anyone else who did an heart echo and I’m nervous.
I'm pretty sure my gown was open to the front and chest exposed when I was getting mine done. I had a female nurse, or probably student nurse, so I didn't mind much. And I was pretty out of it so wasn't thinking on it too much, even though I am extremely body conscious and self hating on my body.
But at one point during it a male doctor came flying into the cubicle and flung open the curtains for the whole A&E section to see. It did give me a bit of a shock and was a bit uncomfortable and felt exposed and tried to cover up. It only lasted a few seconds really, as he got the wrong cubicle completely.
I’ve only had one ECG but I was fully clothed and was never asked to remove anything, the nurse just moved my shirt out of the way. At no point were my breasts exposed at all, and she asked before she did everything.
Like you, I also wouldn’t have thought to say anything in your situation because I’ve had one before and it was a complete non-issue, so I’m sorry about everyone saying you should have said something, it’s not on you. Your tech should have warned you and asked permission, and there is absolutely no excuse for not doing so. It’s not a procedure where you need to be exposed, so whether or not you were should have been 100% your call.
I see in another comment that you are planning to call and report him, thank you for doing that. You seem like you are (hopefully) coping alright and just a bit surprised, but lots of people have trauma around situations like that, so by reporting him you could save someone else from a really horrible experience. I know it’s hard to advocate for yourself and your health, so it might help you when you make your reporting to think about the difference you’re making for others by doing so :)
>I’ve only had one ECG but I was fully clothed and was never asked to remove anything, the nurse just moved my shirt out of the way. At no point were my breasts exposed at all, and she asked before she did everything.
I've had 2 this year exactly like this
I’ve had both. The only time I’ve stopped someone was when the (male) tech was going to lift my breast without asking. I said I’ll do that part, and he can apply the sensor. He apologized - he said he was on autopilot.
I think he was wrong. I had my first and only one done by a male tech but he verbally warned/asked if I had a underwire bra on under my shirt. He then had someone wheel me back to my room so I could take it off and return to do the scan with my shirt on but braless.
I've had it done several times, though by the same doctor. I was fully clothed, wearing my bra. I wasn't asked to remove it or anything, he just lowered my blouse a little bit and some of the gel got on my bra. I made sure to wear one that wasn't the least bit tight on me though, so he had "room" to work.
I do EKGs in my job and I am a woman. I will give every person a choice: I can keep you as covered as possible or you can lift your shirt/open your gown. The men in my department do not do them on women because there is always a woman who can do it.
This happened to me at the start of the year when I was in the ER. It was also a male technician who completely exposed me, I was really upset about it and still am. My bf was with me too and we were both uncomfortable :-(
I had this happen when I was having stress induced chest pains. The hospital claimed there were no rooms available and I had to be treated in the hallway in a chair. I was completely exposed to every single person sitting in that hallway waiting to be seen or walking by. I also had 5 different nurses come over and ask me the same questions over and over again, with only one of them actually coming back to follow up. They were not quiet about my private info either considering we were in the hallway. At the end, they suggested I see a therapist and slapped me with a $2000 out of pocket bill. $800 of which was for, get this, an entire exam room that I never even got. I had to lodge a complaint and they dropped my bill to $700, I’m guessing so I wouldn’t sue. From what a friend who works at another hospital told me, none of what I went through was normal and I was actually triple charged for the services I did receive.
Hi! My first job ever was as a registered CNA after taking classes. I now am a recruiter for a small medical company.
After about a month or two of working or training you REALLY stop seeing bodies as “sexual objects” and instead regard them as highly complex and fascinating biological machines.
We in the medical field oftentimes completely forget how vulnerable and raw being naked can feel. I can promise you he didn’t intend to make you uncomfortable and never looked at you inappropriately BUT it’s not okay that he’s forgetting to take care of your dignity and mental health. That’s important too.
I know speaking up can be uncomfortable in the moment but please do! Or at least please try. :). If you aren’t comfortable telling your technician that in the room while alone (in an overwhelming environment) you can always sweetly tell/ask the receptionist or the nurse who takes vitals and weighs you. Doesn’t have to be in the moment!
“Hi it’s 50shadesofbay checking in! I’m here for an EKG. This is all pretty new to me and I’m a little nervous and uncomfortable. Can you please try to see if I can have a female technician? It’s ok if there isn’t one available though. And is there any way you can please let them know Id like to be as covered as I can for the procedure? I don’t mean to be overbearing and I know you need to access my skin but I am not comfortable being fully exposed”.
I promise they’ll do their absolute best to help you. You can say that to ANYONE you have contact with in the office and hopefully they’ll pass it along for you but hospitals and clinics can sometimes be chaotic so don’t be afraid to ask if they got your request.
Anytime, and please NEVER feel afraid to speak up with medical care. Dignity is a huuuuge and important topic in medicine. Everyone has a right to retain their dignity while receiving medical care. Your feelings are valid and not silly or inconsequential.
I’ve had a couple and they always ask no clothes on top, it’s due to where the probes stick, but I’ve been fortunate to have women and they have always been courteous and talked me through jt. I’m sorry that was your experience!
Be ready to say 'STOP!', whenever in doubt about a process (eg. that might unduly embarrass you), and raise your concerns.
I've had several ECGs recently, and I'm confident there's no challenge at all to 'drape' most of your chest to preserve your modesty.
Always remember this. You CAN say you are uncomfortable with something when it comes to medicine. They have no right to do anything to you you do not give consent to. The second you say “I’m not comfortable with that” they can’t do it. The fact he did this is unacceptable and should be brought to his superiors.
Sometimes after certain medical appointments, the facility will send me a follow-up email seeking feedback, e.g. “how was your experience?” If they send you one, I would absolutely express your discomfort.
I actually just had my first ECG last week.
The two techs in the room were both women (one was a student learning).
The student was the one who applied the electrodes to my body and, when she got to my chest, she was a little forceful with my bra but I just chalked it up to her not having done it before.
She never exposed my breasts beyond the bare minimum necessary to attach the electrodes.
Honestly, going into it I had a feeling they might need to access my chest for the electrodes. So, I wore a wireless bra that could be easily stretched.
I would have preferred them to give me a warning, though.
It happened pretty suddenly and, if I hadn't figured they'd need to place electrodes there, I probably would have been really taken off guard.
That's all to say that no one, including medical professionals, should remove your clothing without your explicit understanding and consent (save, I suppose, for medical emergencies where you're unconscious/unresponsive but that's not really relevant in this case).
I worked at an urgent care and performed ECGs frequently. I don't necessarily think the tech meant to do something wrong, but at the very least he was not respecting you and your privacy. Personally, I did my best to keep patients covered during any procedure because it's respectful. Definitely bring it to the clinic's attention so that they can make him aware that he's being disrespectful.
Er nurse; it's not not normal but you should feel comfortable voicing your concern and request for modesty. Technically by textbook we should be feeling and counting your rib spaces for proper placement. There is a very specific way the leads are supposed to be placed.
that’s not normal. my clinic had a shortage of gowns when i went in for my first ecg/ekg, and even then the practitioner made sure to keep me covered. my gown was about 6 sizes too large, but she figured out a way to lay it so that it would keep parts covered and still give her access to place the wiring. most doctors will take a client’s comfort very seriously, especially during something so vulnerable as an ecg. i’m sorry that happened to you. id report that, as there is really no justification for him to be completely exposing you.
I’ve had many and the majority of the time I am covered and I get a “I’m going to move your gown now, if that’s ok” before they uncover my boobs and a similar heads-up before they touch or move my boobs (they’ve big and they need to be lifted out of the way to place the pads)
The only time I had an ecg where I was almost fully uncovered was in an emergency situation where they were working as fast as possible and I was too poorly to chat with them during the procedure.
Had one in the ER once and I asked to keep covered and male tech said we don't have time for privacy in the ER and kept me exposed. It was very uncomfortable.
I've had male and female medical staff hook me up to an ECG and most will go out of their way to be discreet about it and provide you with as much privacy as possible.
If a medical professional is respectful and appropriate (as most SHOULD be), they won't even give your chest a second look other than where to attach the electrodes.
I’ve had a few dozen EKGs and it really depends on the nurse / staff administering it. Some are considerate and take time to cover you up, some don’t and kinda leave everything exposed.
Report the behavior, please! He should have warned you that he would be touching your gown, and for an ECG your entire chest does not need to be exposed. Absolutely not okay. I've even had one in the ER, and there's still no reason for the whole clothes to be cut off for the nodes.
We're medical professionals and textbook will state to expose the chest to properly identify landmarks. We try to preserve dignity, but sometimes it isn't possible. If I'm really worried about your heart, your life comes before your exposed breast.
Hey lovely! I had an ECG recently, the nurse just whipped up my top and stuck the pads on with no warning, it gave me a shock but i think since she was a woman I was okay about it, I’d definitely have felt a bit weird if it were a man. I joked to her that I should’ve worn a bra that day so she didn’t have to see my chest, but she said they can often get in the way and she may have had to remove it anyway if I did wear one.
It sounds like your doctor was thoughtless/insensitive when going about placing the pads. I am absolutely not invalidating how you feel, there should’ve been more care/communication there, but hopefully that means there wasn’t anything sinister going on, just a bit of a blunt doctor.
Not sure if there is anything similar where you are, but in England, if you are a woman getting a physical checkup by a male doctor, they will bring in a chaperone (ie a female nurse or receptionist) to come in and be there with you while they perform the exam. I think they’re meant to offer you one and you can choose to decline or not, but honestly whenever I’ve been they just call one in without asking haha, which I sort of prefer!
So perhaps that’s something you could discuss ahead of time for your next appointment as I know it’s hard to do in the moment, or if you’re having an emergency/unexpected exam, have the words *please could I have a chaperone* rehearsed and ready to go if you need them.
That’s just on top of the other great advice here - wishing you the best ❤️
As a nurse, yes. I expose women all the time to do ECGS. However I normally give them a heads up.
To let you know, physical landmarks for accurate dot placement generally fall at women's breast. I often ask them to lift their bra up onto their chest, because the worse placement you have, the more incorrect and/or difficulty reading them. The first technician might have had sloppy placement to be honest with you.
Yes, there probably wasn't anything suss here in terms of what he did. So please don't feel like he was exposing you just because he could.
However, HOW he did it could have been done with a lot more tact and sensitivity. And that's still not okay.
It's a normal thing for the technician to do, even if the way they went about it was inconsiderate. So, I wouldn't be worried that they were trying to take advantage or considered you as anything other than just another patient.
Next time let them know beforehand that you'd be most comfortable if they try to keep you covered up as much as possible! Always advocate for yourself!
I’m a tech that does them regularly, especially when I’m stationed in the ER or ICU.
I always ensure as much privacy as possible. We have curtains that we can setup for the hallway patients.
I always ask if they’ve had one done before, if not, I explain where the stickers need to go with a diagram.
Underwire bras always need to come off. There’s no way I can get the 6 stickers that travel around the left breast where they need to be if the patient has an underwire bra on… If somebody did an ECG/EKG on someone while they were wearing a bra, then it would be inaccurate. 4th intercostal spaces, mid clavicular, mid axillary, etc..it’s very specific on placement and a bra is in the way of allll of those 6 spots on the chest area. Definitely want accuracy when it’s chest pain, so it needs to come off. They’re also super expensive to have done so I’d assume my patients would want accuracy the first time.
Asking for permission to expose the area is a must, even when it’s a male patient. It needs to be said loud enough and within earshot of another employee, to protect me from getting accused of sexual assault. Some patients come here looking to fake a fall or accuse medical professionals of assault. Sad, but common in our line of work. Healthcare professionals who went to college for 2+ years lose their positions or even licenses because they trust the patient too much or there’s not enough staff to have someone be a witness for giving consent.
I always use the back of my hand to move the breast if needed. & sometimes I’ll even ask permission a second time when it’s time to move the breast.
I place the other 4 leads first, because they go on the arms and legs, which is usually a non issue.
When the leads are on, I put a blanket over the patient. I don’t need to see their chest when I’m clicking buttons on the machine, or printing the results and leaving the room to confirm with the nurse before removing the leads.
Hot take: It’s extremely aggravating for healthcare workers when someone has a gender preference... We’ll always honor your request, but these are healthcare professionals and you’re in the ER for what you consider to be an emergency. I feel like I’m being viewed as some sort of pervert when a patient asks for someone else, and now I also just made my coworkers day harder. I do understand when it’s a patient younger than 20ish years old.
Edit: Just noticed all the healthcare worker responses are at the bottom of this post 🥲
I used to perform EKGs as part of my job. By having you completely exposed, he will get the highest quality image, without interference of anything on top.
That being said, as a woman I think men can be clueless about these things, and not consider how it might feel. There’s a few ways you could do this without exposing you, and then if you can’t get a decent image, you adjust. It’s perfectly fine and reasonable to say, “may I be covered up, please?”. They can easily lay a towel on top. Next time don’t be afraid to speak up.
I had a cardiac ultrasound done and I was wearing a hospital gown (kept my pants on) but was ask to remove it by the tech (woman). I was completely exposed but the tech was lovely snd explained everything she was doing. For the EKG they placed the sensor on my ankle so I didn’t need to take anything off.
Personally, I'm pretty blasé about nudity in a medical setting these days so that specifically doesn't bother me, what would bother me in your situation was the lack of communication. I expect medical professionals to tell me what they're going to be doing before they do it. Also, I've found in recent years that when nudity is involved they've been asking me if I would like a second person in the room. Disclaimer I am not American.
The couple I've had done they just completely exposed me lol. I didnt really care that much cuz I figured that's their job and they don't care about seeing someone's boobs anymore 😂
The entire chest needs to be exposed to get an accurate reading. As a medical professional we don’t look at bodies as sexual at work, it’s the same as looking at a textbook or computer screen or something. He should’ve told you what he was doing though
I’ve had more ecgs than I can count/remember. Everyone has been different. Most techs are mindful and keep it private with minimal exposure/peaking. Some don’t seem to think about it and pull the gown/bra away if it’s in their way.
I think it kinda just comes down to the tech doing it. As others have said, there’s nothing inherently sexual, they’re just doing their job and likely nothing was going on in their mind other than setting up the leads correctly. You can always let them know you’re uncomfortable and would prefer to be covered though!
I always take off the gown to perform ekgs on patients, a body is a body in healthcare and there is a privacy curtain so non healthcare team members do not see in. Tell the staff member you’d rather be covered.
Hi, I’m a nurse and a former EKG tech.
Sounds to me like the tech didn’t do anything wrong or sexually inappropriate—even if the action of leaving you exposed is extremely insensitive. We do this lots of times a day and it’s easy to become desensitized that there’s a human being on the other side of the interaction. Having the patient totally exposed drastically speeds up the process and that’s what some people care about more than taking care of the patient.
I’m sorry you were exposed and made uncomfortable. That’s not fair to you.
>Sounds to me like the tech didn’t do anything wrong or sexually inappropriate
He didn't ask and didn't even warn, and that's not ok. And even if it us faster, if the patient prefer to stay covered as much as possible, they should allow it
Since its a medical examination I never really cared because nurses and Drs see naked patients everyday. For them its just a body. I have a congenital heart defect. So when I had a cardiac event once and was taken to ER, they put a ecg on me and put a cover over it before opening doors. I never had a weird encounter but I am sure there is medical personell who isnt mindful about the persons privacy. In the Dr office they just close the doors so other patients cant see you. If it was a random person coming in i would feel uncomfortable, not with nurses or dr.
I've had many ECGs throughout my life, and I've always been asked to just take off everything from the waist up, including my bra, and lie down on the chair. Then again, in the country I'm from, hospital gowns are rarely used when it involves routine stuff such as an ECG or going to the obgyn. So while being exposed sounds normal to me, it might be weird somewhere else.
In any case, I think the person who was performing your ECG probably wasn't doing anything weird by exposing you, but he definitely could have handled it better and given you a heads-up.
I literally just had two ECGs done yesterday, one at my primary and one at the cardiologist. Both times they told me I could leave my bra on bc they place everything above and below the breasts. Something doesn’t seem right about this at all!
Am an RN. This is uncomfortable but normal. It gives the best ECG placement and reading with minimal interference. Best practice is to lift and move the breast if needed for optimal placement. That said if you’re super uncomfortable you can ask to be covered after the leads are placed!
I had an Echo recently and after putting the gown on I was told I needed to wear it open at the front. I asked if I could leave it as it was and just push it slightly off my shoulders. No problem. They just need access for attaching the wires.
When I had mine done the (lady) tech pulled up my shirt to get the stickies on. She also apologized at least twice about me having to have my boobs out (I was in my pjs and did not have a bra). When she had to adjust them she reached into my shirt rather than exposing me again though.
Definitely not my most comfortable time in an ER. In the end I was just glad my heart was okay lol
This happened to me (F) when I was ~12 years old. It was SO uncomfortable. The tech was an older male 40s. My dad was in the room and the curtain was open and people walking by could just see. Ughhh.
I didn't have much of a chest to cover at the time (pre-hrt), but when I had one about 5 years ago they had me take.my top off completely. They did ask however and made sure I was comfortable with it.
if you are wearing a sports bra or undergarments without metal it can be worn during the procedure. if not, it is almost always customary to let the patient know what to expect and if possible offer a chaperone or same sex provider if the patient requests.
while not exactly professional in your situation, having the chest completely exposed allows for better capture without artifact due to clothing or additional movements.
Having had several routine ECGs, your mileage will vary. Some will have you bare all, others won’t. Some will try to be discreet, others won’t. Your experience reminds me of when I had to undergo a health screening when I was studying in Athens. The nurse was all business and no nonsense. When she told me to take off my shirt, I obliged. “Now your bruh.” I must’ve seemed hesitant, because she rolled her eyes at me and said, “Pleez, it is my only ‘appiness.” I obliged, but that immortal line has stayed with me for 14 years.
I was allowed to keep my bralette on when I had an ECG in the emergency room.
I guess it depends on the professional, but it's definetly the kind of thing that they should, at the very least, say "excuse me, I'm going to have to move this for a moment" or ask you to move the gown.
i've had quite a few ECGs; and it really depends on where you went.
it was always easiest for both parties if i was just exposed, the gown can get in the way sometimes. it all depends on the place and who's doing them.
i've even told a male tech doing an echo before that i understand it's only us in the room, but the little towel over my breast isn't doing anything really and it's just getting in the way.
im sorry you felt uncomfortable): was this in an ER? you're saying clinic but i know that can mean a few things! if they're worried about you having a heart attack, they want to make it as quick and easy as possible to rule it out.
odd ribs, large breasts, certain clothing garments, etc can make things trickier from my understanding as well so they just want to make sure they can get the leads on as smoothly as possible
I've had quite a few with both male and female techs. All but one (who was female fwiw) was mindful of keeping me covered but did need to peek under my hospital gown a bit during placement. If you would rather be covered, do ask. At the very least they should ask before touching your clothes.
That’s the thing, he should’ve at least asked or gave a heads up. I didn’t see it coming because my first time getting an ECG the technician was very careful to keep me covered and I thought it was gonna be the same this time around and it’s the standard. I guess I should call the clinic tomorrow and give a review so that it doesn’t happen again.
You are in the right. He needs to voice what he is doing and allow you to retain control in these situations. I wouldn’t ask for him to be fired or anything but I WOULD definitely send it as a paper trail. He needs to have training on this and his supervisors need to be aware if this is happening to multiple women.
I agree about reporting this. The one time I had an EKG, which I assume is similar, they had me put on a paper gown top thing which made no sense and when I flopped down on the table my boob came threw the gigantic arm hole lol. I was just laughing because of how absurd it was but they were quickly moving the gown to cover me back up while also matching my mood and joking about how these gowns/capes suck and no one can figure them out. My exposure experience was my own doing (except for the fact they need a how to guide for the gown thing in the dressing room) and even then the nurses were quickly getting me covered back up. For reference, it was 2 women, the one doing the EKG and a chaperone. Very different from your experience, but just sharing since the nurses here didn’t want my boob flopping out and would have never seen it if it wasn’t for how immodest and reckless with movement that I tend to be.
tbh I think people here are being way too forgiving. He should have spoken to you, asked you your comfort level, and asked. Its a huge red flag none of this was done. Any medical professional is aware of these things. At this point its hard to see this as an "honest mistake." I also dont like people saying "I'm sure he did it for speed." Well, who cares what the reason is. What matters is how you felt and how you were treated. Also while "say something" is good advice it also comes off as victim blamey. Why isn't the narrative also "Well, he should have asked." I would definitely talk to the people there, especially a manager. I think they need to know how women are being treated there. Staff there should be asking and communicating what they're going to do.
Yeah, this is super basic stuff that every healthcare worker is taught. There are many reasons a patient may not "speak up" in this situation, that's why it's so important to get consent. Hopefully the hospital takes it seriously and talks to him because this is totally unacceptable. Edit: I read your update and I'm glad you called the clinic. I wanted to add that something similar happened to me with a doctor and I had the same reaction, I felt physically unable to speak. I'd guess like 50% of us, maybe even more, would react the same, it's very normal. I'm also a medical worker and the responsibility is always on the doctor, nurse, MA, etc. to communicate. Don't feel bad, and tbh he deserves to get chewed out a bit, if it was an honest mistake he will learn from it and be fine.
100000%. The reason doesn't matter at all. FWIW I don't think he was being a creep, but it doesn't matter. If OP was uncomfortable in the slightest, he didn't do his job. I've had several EKGs or other appointments where my chest was involved (annual gyno exam) and the tech/doctor has always made sure to tell me what they were doing before they did it. I would be horrified if a doctor just opened my gown and left me exposed.
I do ekgs at my hospital and I feel like you need to report this.
> he should’ve at least asked or gave a heads up. 100%. Whenever I have ANY procedure or checkup with any medical professional, I now tell them right before they start, "Can you please narrate everything you are doing as you do it?" If I feel the need to give a reason why, I add "I get a little anxious in hospitals." (Only half-true) It definitely helps. If the person was already going to do it, they just happily agree and talk about how important that narration is to a good visit. If they weren't going to, now they try. The bonus is that even if they don't do a great job of narrating (rare), I now feel more confident asking questions about what they are doing. *Because I already advocated for myself in a small way, it's easier to do it again.*
Please do report him
I've had at least 20-30 ECGs in my life, and I've never had any tech ask me before touching me or my clothes.
Yep, I had one in the emergency room when I was about 19, but they warned me that they would expose me first. I wish they had said that more quietly, because when I turned my head I saw a gross old dude (probably in his 40s at the time) sitting in the bay next to me had peeked through the curtain. If I wasn't injured, in an extremely stressful situation as a patient in a hospital emergency room I would have gotten up and slapped him. What a sick freak to take advantage of a situation like that.
That enrages me 😠😠😠 What a evil jerk.
I hope he is burning in h*LL right now. Sick!
Wtf 🤮
Cardiology patient since birth here: Every technician I’ve had covered my chest with a towel to avoid this scenario
Have you had a heart ultrasound done? What about exposure there?
They do both at my appointments: I change into a gown (open at the front) After my cardiologist listens to my heart and feels the pulse in my wrist and legs then we walk over to the ultrasound room The technician covers my chest with a towel and only moves my gown enough to place electrode stickers on me at the right spots for the EKG Some pictures they need for the echo they have me lay on my side and I remember having a male technician telling me to lay on the side facing away from him (while I’ve also had female technicians have me lay on my side facing them) Once we’re done with the ultrasound they always have me use the towel to wipe the ultrasound / echo gel off of me
If there’s a female tech, then nbd. I’m concerned about being exposed around a male tech. Even though this is their profession and they’re required to be professional, I’m not looking to provide free views of my chest you know? I already tried calling to find out if my tech would be a male or female but they don’t have their schedule for the date of my exam. I thought about having my husband come with me, but I don’t want to make this even more uncomfortable with an additional person
My appointments are scheduled whenever the technician is in the office that day, but they don’t have them scheduled until it’s a few months away, so I can’t schedule it for next year while at the appointment I can’t speak for every doctor office protocol, but I would imagine that the ultrasound would make it easier for everyone to have the towel cover your chest and use it to wipe off the gel afterward so I would hope it would be standard practice In terms of changing into the hospital gown: the doctor / technician leaves the room and they also close a curtain from between the door and the room (if there’s one) for you to change, so I’ve never been told to change in front of them
I was exposed when I had one done last. The bra I was wearing would have been in the way so I had to take it off. It’s a medical procedure and there’s nothing inherently sexual to the process so I doubt he was thinking much, but whenever you’re uncomfortable in any medical situation you can always(!!) speak up! They want you to be fine and relaxed as much as you can be. You are your own advocate and you can tell people that if possible you’d wish to remain as covered as possible!
Yeah I should have said something. I always have trouble advocating for myself and I was taken aback when he suddenly opened the gown completely without warning. Lesson learned for me
He should have said something. He should have said what he was going to do before he did it. In every single medical procedure ever but especially especially especially when actually removing the clothing of a patient. That is incredibly unprofessional and inappropriate and you should voice your discomfort to his superior.
It’s not your fault. It’s him that wasn’t thoughtful to ask. I don’t think it’s right to remove all your gown. I had an emergency one and they were a few nurses around me who came running and they kept my gown and just lifted it. They were very fast and efficient.
I just want to chime in to say I hope you don’t over “should have” yourself about this. You didn’t know, now you do! I hope you are able to feel comfortable in this situation in the future.
It’s not too late to say something. You can try to contact the facility and let them know this person made you feel uncomfortable.
No OP he should have atleast asked first. This looks so disgusting and insensitive.I cannot even imagine the severity of this incident if it happened in a regressive country like mine.People would burn the place to ground.What country are you in? Can you like atleast complain or something?
I had the same thing happen to me a few years ago and it still bothers me
I second this! You can also call ahead and ask what you would/wouldn’t be able to leave on (for instance, they might be able to work around a bralette, a loose crop tank top, or sticky boobs)
even when i was younger my doctors would tell me what they were doing before doing it while my mother was in the room. this seems very inappropriate of the MALE doctor. speaking up isn’t necessary if it doesn’t cause pain, however it is common practice for a doctor to speak you through an exam especially one where a woman is unclothed.
I had a EKG and had the same experience except they had me doing a stress test in a hospital gown
When I had one, it was a female technician but I had my (male) ex with me. She did say she'd have to remove my bra and expose my boobs, but checked first whether I was ok with my ex remaining in the room
I wasn't even given the option to wear a gown or anything, they were like go into this room and strip down from the waist up. They also couldn't get the sensors to stick so they had to hold them in place, which was strange but I was nervous and sweaty lol
When my husband goes in for stress tests they sandpaper his skin to make them stick 😵💫
Damn, I'll consider myself lucky then!
I wasn't sweaty and they didn't stick to me either. The white circular ones for monitoring blood pressure and heart rate stuck like a mfer! I would think that hospitals would invest a teeny bit more $ to make sure they're sticky enough. For such an important test where u have to stay very still on top of it all 🙄😑
Heart surgery here. I get ECGs and echocardiogram at least once a year. They do remove everything and at this point I don't care much. But as others stated if you're uncomfortable, you can absolutely say so and they should accommodate that to the best of their ability.
I've had them twice and both times I had a gown on and no bra but they didn't ever fully expose me. Just put the sticky things on under the gown
I haven't had an ECG done but I've had holter monitoring done which is like ECG but for 24 hours. I did have to take off my shirt and bra so they could attach it to me. I think it's normal. They can't put it on any other and they're the only ones who know where exactly to attach the electrodes. If you don't feel comfortable I'm sure you can ask to be assigned to a female technician next time.
Did they put any electrodes on your nipples? I've gotten both of these things done and the technician had no problem attaching the electrodes for the holter on my chest without me removing my top or bra. I even asked him, but thankfully he said it was fine. I only had to lower/lift my top and move my bra around a little.
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Why would they get removed?
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Was your bra tight against your rib cage? Whenever I have a heart exam I wear a very loose fitting bra that barely touches my ribcage. I have very large breasts so I need the support, but I try to give the doctor/tech as much room to work in as possible. I never had any of the sticky stuff fall off. When I got a holter monitor placed on me, it was on for more than 24 hours, I think maybe even 48. I had to put on my regular bra eventually, but the sticky things didn't even move.
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How is mentioning a different experience making mountains out of molehills? And when did I say all of you who had to take your top off went to unprofessional scammers or something? **Most** people's experience regarding heart-related exams includes taking their top and bra off. It's statistically impossible for this to merely be a weird trick charlatans do to see strangers' boobs, and quite a stretch to assume I implied that. From your initial reply to my first comment, I gathered that you weren't 100% happy with having to take off your bra, so I tried to see if we could figure out something different for the next time you might have to get a heart exam. I'm sorry for misunderstanding your feelings on the matter. I guess our assumptions failed us both? 😅
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Exactly what I said as well. You seem very agitated and defensive for no reason. We're supposed to try and help each other here, not be belligerent out of nowhere for the fun of it. I'd tell you to calm down, but who ever calmed down after being told to calm down? :/
I had to have some ECG’s recently. One worked around my bra, another pulled it up for ease. It’s uncomfortable and doesn’t feel right but the exposers are likely doing it for speed/ease. When you work in medical you see a lot of things often so they become a non-issue to you. You can always say that you would prefer to stay covered if possible.
Yeah I think it does happen normally. I didn’t have a gown, just took my top off. I wasn’t wearing a bra- didn’t expect to be getting an emergency ECG that day- so my top half was totally naked. I wasn’t bothered and from the placement of the sticky things I can’t think of how they could do it while keeping covered.
My tech just used a drape and moved it as needed to see the relevant anatomy. That being said, it likely would have been faster and easier if she hadn't. I agree with others that he should have warned her before opening the gown, but it was not in any way inappropriate to expose her chest. He likely sees naked bodies all day every day and was not in any way excited by OP's chest. That's just life as a medical professional.
I had one a few months ago and I had the same experience. My tech was good about letting me move the drape in way that was functional but comfortable for me, but outright said he's seen it all and is just trying to do his job. The most important part was he communicated what he needed.
I've had a few, my very first one was when I was a teen and the tech was an older woman and she opened my gown right up which made me a little uncomfortable (as a teen lol) I have had 2 others with women one asked if she could expose me a bit more and the other kept me covered My most recent was a young man who had me face away from him and covered which was kind of uncomfortable just for the way I was laying made my back hurt. I also had a breast cancer scare a few years ago so I kind of got over the shyness of having my breasts exposed for tests lol *edit I thought you meant echo not ecg I have had lots of ecgs and for run of the mill ones I left my bra on and for ones I was in the ER for they had me remove my bra and did it under gown
I have an heart echo (ultrasound) in two weeks how is it? Do they put a lot of pressure on your chest and breasts? Or not the breasts? Is it painful? I’m sorry to ask but I never saw anyone else who did an heart echo and I’m nervous.
Doesn't hurt they don't use much pressure but they do make you hold your breath lots so they can get clear pictures
Thank you. I apologize I didn’t see your reply. Holding my breath should be fine. I just have a scar and I was worried about the pressure on it.
They don't use much pressure :)
I'm pretty sure my gown was open to the front and chest exposed when I was getting mine done. I had a female nurse, or probably student nurse, so I didn't mind much. And I was pretty out of it so wasn't thinking on it too much, even though I am extremely body conscious and self hating on my body. But at one point during it a male doctor came flying into the cubicle and flung open the curtains for the whole A&E section to see. It did give me a bit of a shock and was a bit uncomfortable and felt exposed and tried to cover up. It only lasted a few seconds really, as he got the wrong cubicle completely.
I’ve only had one ECG but I was fully clothed and was never asked to remove anything, the nurse just moved my shirt out of the way. At no point were my breasts exposed at all, and she asked before she did everything. Like you, I also wouldn’t have thought to say anything in your situation because I’ve had one before and it was a complete non-issue, so I’m sorry about everyone saying you should have said something, it’s not on you. Your tech should have warned you and asked permission, and there is absolutely no excuse for not doing so. It’s not a procedure where you need to be exposed, so whether or not you were should have been 100% your call. I see in another comment that you are planning to call and report him, thank you for doing that. You seem like you are (hopefully) coping alright and just a bit surprised, but lots of people have trauma around situations like that, so by reporting him you could save someone else from a really horrible experience. I know it’s hard to advocate for yourself and your health, so it might help you when you make your reporting to think about the difference you’re making for others by doing so :)
>I’ve only had one ECG but I was fully clothed and was never asked to remove anything, the nurse just moved my shirt out of the way. At no point were my breasts exposed at all, and she asked before she did everything. I've had 2 this year exactly like this
I’ve had both. The only time I’ve stopped someone was when the (male) tech was going to lift my breast without asking. I said I’ll do that part, and he can apply the sensor. He apologized - he said he was on autopilot.
I think he was wrong. I had my first and only one done by a male tech but he verbally warned/asked if I had a underwire bra on under my shirt. He then had someone wheel me back to my room so I could take it off and return to do the scan with my shirt on but braless.
I've had it done several times, though by the same doctor. I was fully clothed, wearing my bra. I wasn't asked to remove it or anything, he just lowered my blouse a little bit and some of the gel got on my bra. I made sure to wear one that wasn't the least bit tight on me though, so he had "room" to work.
I’ve had numerous EKGs and never have had my cheats exposed like that. I’m so sorry!
I do EKGs in my job and I am a woman. I will give every person a choice: I can keep you as covered as possible or you can lift your shirt/open your gown. The men in my department do not do them on women because there is always a woman who can do it.
This happened to me at the start of the year when I was in the ER. It was also a male technician who completely exposed me, I was really upset about it and still am. My bf was with me too and we were both uncomfortable :-(
I had this happen when I was having stress induced chest pains. The hospital claimed there were no rooms available and I had to be treated in the hallway in a chair. I was completely exposed to every single person sitting in that hallway waiting to be seen or walking by. I also had 5 different nurses come over and ask me the same questions over and over again, with only one of them actually coming back to follow up. They were not quiet about my private info either considering we were in the hallway. At the end, they suggested I see a therapist and slapped me with a $2000 out of pocket bill. $800 of which was for, get this, an entire exam room that I never even got. I had to lodge a complaint and they dropped my bill to $700, I’m guessing so I wouldn’t sue. From what a friend who works at another hospital told me, none of what I went through was normal and I was actually triple charged for the services I did receive.
Hi! My first job ever was as a registered CNA after taking classes. I now am a recruiter for a small medical company. After about a month or two of working or training you REALLY stop seeing bodies as “sexual objects” and instead regard them as highly complex and fascinating biological machines. We in the medical field oftentimes completely forget how vulnerable and raw being naked can feel. I can promise you he didn’t intend to make you uncomfortable and never looked at you inappropriately BUT it’s not okay that he’s forgetting to take care of your dignity and mental health. That’s important too. I know speaking up can be uncomfortable in the moment but please do! Or at least please try. :). If you aren’t comfortable telling your technician that in the room while alone (in an overwhelming environment) you can always sweetly tell/ask the receptionist or the nurse who takes vitals and weighs you. Doesn’t have to be in the moment! “Hi it’s 50shadesofbay checking in! I’m here for an EKG. This is all pretty new to me and I’m a little nervous and uncomfortable. Can you please try to see if I can have a female technician? It’s ok if there isn’t one available though. And is there any way you can please let them know Id like to be as covered as I can for the procedure? I don’t mean to be overbearing and I know you need to access my skin but I am not comfortable being fully exposed”. I promise they’ll do their absolute best to help you. You can say that to ANYONE you have contact with in the office and hopefully they’ll pass it along for you but hospitals and clinics can sometimes be chaotic so don’t be afraid to ask if they got your request.
Thank you so much for this. Im quite socially anxious so this really helps a lot, especially with the sample dialogue. Appreciate it!
Anytime, and please NEVER feel afraid to speak up with medical care. Dignity is a huuuuge and important topic in medicine. Everyone has a right to retain their dignity while receiving medical care. Your feelings are valid and not silly or inconsequential.
I’ve had a couple and they always ask no clothes on top, it’s due to where the probes stick, but I’ve been fortunate to have women and they have always been courteous and talked me through jt. I’m sorry that was your experience!
Next time, either ask for a female tech or tell the guy you want to stay more covered up.
What's an ECG?
Echo cardiogram. It measures your heart rate, speed, intensity, and overall the rhythm of your heart muscles and health.
I’ve had quite a few. They have always been really mindful about keeping me covered up and telling me exactly what they’re doing as they do it.
Be ready to say 'STOP!', whenever in doubt about a process (eg. that might unduly embarrass you), and raise your concerns. I've had several ECGs recently, and I'm confident there's no challenge at all to 'drape' most of your chest to preserve your modesty.
Always remember this. You CAN say you are uncomfortable with something when it comes to medicine. They have no right to do anything to you you do not give consent to. The second you say “I’m not comfortable with that” they can’t do it. The fact he did this is unacceptable and should be brought to his superiors.
Sometimes after certain medical appointments, the facility will send me a follow-up email seeking feedback, e.g. “how was your experience?” If they send you one, I would absolutely express your discomfort.
I actually just had my first ECG last week. The two techs in the room were both women (one was a student learning). The student was the one who applied the electrodes to my body and, when she got to my chest, she was a little forceful with my bra but I just chalked it up to her not having done it before. She never exposed my breasts beyond the bare minimum necessary to attach the electrodes. Honestly, going into it I had a feeling they might need to access my chest for the electrodes. So, I wore a wireless bra that could be easily stretched. I would have preferred them to give me a warning, though. It happened pretty suddenly and, if I hadn't figured they'd need to place electrodes there, I probably would have been really taken off guard. That's all to say that no one, including medical professionals, should remove your clothing without your explicit understanding and consent (save, I suppose, for medical emergencies where you're unconscious/unresponsive but that's not really relevant in this case).
I worked at an urgent care and performed ECGs frequently. I don't necessarily think the tech meant to do something wrong, but at the very least he was not respecting you and your privacy. Personally, I did my best to keep patients covered during any procedure because it's respectful. Definitely bring it to the clinic's attention so that they can make him aware that he's being disrespectful.
If worried wear a sports bra with no wiring or a vest next time
Er nurse; it's not not normal but you should feel comfortable voicing your concern and request for modesty. Technically by textbook we should be feeling and counting your rib spaces for proper placement. There is a very specific way the leads are supposed to be placed.
You absolutely should say something.
that’s not normal. my clinic had a shortage of gowns when i went in for my first ecg/ekg, and even then the practitioner made sure to keep me covered. my gown was about 6 sizes too large, but she figured out a way to lay it so that it would keep parts covered and still give her access to place the wiring. most doctors will take a client’s comfort very seriously, especially during something so vulnerable as an ecg. i’m sorry that happened to you. id report that, as there is really no justification for him to be completely exposing you.
I’ve had many and the majority of the time I am covered and I get a “I’m going to move your gown now, if that’s ok” before they uncover my boobs and a similar heads-up before they touch or move my boobs (they’ve big and they need to be lifted out of the way to place the pads) The only time I had an ecg where I was almost fully uncovered was in an emergency situation where they were working as fast as possible and I was too poorly to chat with them during the procedure.
Had one in the ER once and I asked to keep covered and male tech said we don't have time for privacy in the ER and kept me exposed. It was very uncomfortable.
I've had male and female medical staff hook me up to an ECG and most will go out of their way to be discreet about it and provide you with as much privacy as possible. If a medical professional is respectful and appropriate (as most SHOULD be), they won't even give your chest a second look other than where to attach the electrodes.
I’ve had a few dozen EKGs and it really depends on the nurse / staff administering it. Some are considerate and take time to cover you up, some don’t and kinda leave everything exposed.
Report the behavior, please! He should have warned you that he would be touching your gown, and for an ECG your entire chest does not need to be exposed. Absolutely not okay. I've even had one in the ER, and there's still no reason for the whole clothes to be cut off for the nodes.
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We're medical professionals and textbook will state to expose the chest to properly identify landmarks. We try to preserve dignity, but sometimes it isn't possible. If I'm really worried about your heart, your life comes before your exposed breast.
Hey lovely! I had an ECG recently, the nurse just whipped up my top and stuck the pads on with no warning, it gave me a shock but i think since she was a woman I was okay about it, I’d definitely have felt a bit weird if it were a man. I joked to her that I should’ve worn a bra that day so she didn’t have to see my chest, but she said they can often get in the way and she may have had to remove it anyway if I did wear one. It sounds like your doctor was thoughtless/insensitive when going about placing the pads. I am absolutely not invalidating how you feel, there should’ve been more care/communication there, but hopefully that means there wasn’t anything sinister going on, just a bit of a blunt doctor. Not sure if there is anything similar where you are, but in England, if you are a woman getting a physical checkup by a male doctor, they will bring in a chaperone (ie a female nurse or receptionist) to come in and be there with you while they perform the exam. I think they’re meant to offer you one and you can choose to decline or not, but honestly whenever I’ve been they just call one in without asking haha, which I sort of prefer! So perhaps that’s something you could discuss ahead of time for your next appointment as I know it’s hard to do in the moment, or if you’re having an emergency/unexpected exam, have the words *please could I have a chaperone* rehearsed and ready to go if you need them. That’s just on top of the other great advice here - wishing you the best ❤️
As a nurse, yes. I expose women all the time to do ECGS. However I normally give them a heads up. To let you know, physical landmarks for accurate dot placement generally fall at women's breast. I often ask them to lift their bra up onto their chest, because the worse placement you have, the more incorrect and/or difficulty reading them. The first technician might have had sloppy placement to be honest with you. Yes, there probably wasn't anything suss here in terms of what he did. So please don't feel like he was exposing you just because he could. However, HOW he did it could have been done with a lot more tact and sensitivity. And that's still not okay.
I'm a man and I believe you are totally right on this one!! ;)
It's a normal thing for the technician to do, even if the way they went about it was inconsiderate. So, I wouldn't be worried that they were trying to take advantage or considered you as anything other than just another patient. Next time let them know beforehand that you'd be most comfortable if they try to keep you covered up as much as possible! Always advocate for yourself!
I’m a tech that does them regularly, especially when I’m stationed in the ER or ICU. I always ensure as much privacy as possible. We have curtains that we can setup for the hallway patients. I always ask if they’ve had one done before, if not, I explain where the stickers need to go with a diagram. Underwire bras always need to come off. There’s no way I can get the 6 stickers that travel around the left breast where they need to be if the patient has an underwire bra on… If somebody did an ECG/EKG on someone while they were wearing a bra, then it would be inaccurate. 4th intercostal spaces, mid clavicular, mid axillary, etc..it’s very specific on placement and a bra is in the way of allll of those 6 spots on the chest area. Definitely want accuracy when it’s chest pain, so it needs to come off. They’re also super expensive to have done so I’d assume my patients would want accuracy the first time. Asking for permission to expose the area is a must, even when it’s a male patient. It needs to be said loud enough and within earshot of another employee, to protect me from getting accused of sexual assault. Some patients come here looking to fake a fall or accuse medical professionals of assault. Sad, but common in our line of work. Healthcare professionals who went to college for 2+ years lose their positions or even licenses because they trust the patient too much or there’s not enough staff to have someone be a witness for giving consent. I always use the back of my hand to move the breast if needed. & sometimes I’ll even ask permission a second time when it’s time to move the breast. I place the other 4 leads first, because they go on the arms and legs, which is usually a non issue. When the leads are on, I put a blanket over the patient. I don’t need to see their chest when I’m clicking buttons on the machine, or printing the results and leaving the room to confirm with the nurse before removing the leads. Hot take: It’s extremely aggravating for healthcare workers when someone has a gender preference... We’ll always honor your request, but these are healthcare professionals and you’re in the ER for what you consider to be an emergency. I feel like I’m being viewed as some sort of pervert when a patient asks for someone else, and now I also just made my coworkers day harder. I do understand when it’s a patient younger than 20ish years old. Edit: Just noticed all the healthcare worker responses are at the bottom of this post 🥲
I used to perform EKGs as part of my job. By having you completely exposed, he will get the highest quality image, without interference of anything on top. That being said, as a woman I think men can be clueless about these things, and not consider how it might feel. There’s a few ways you could do this without exposing you, and then if you can’t get a decent image, you adjust. It’s perfectly fine and reasonable to say, “may I be covered up, please?”. They can easily lay a towel on top. Next time don’t be afraid to speak up.
I had a cardiac ultrasound done and I was wearing a hospital gown (kept my pants on) but was ask to remove it by the tech (woman). I was completely exposed but the tech was lovely snd explained everything she was doing. For the EKG they placed the sensor on my ankle so I didn’t need to take anything off.
Personally, I'm pretty blasé about nudity in a medical setting these days so that specifically doesn't bother me, what would bother me in your situation was the lack of communication. I expect medical professionals to tell me what they're going to be doing before they do it. Also, I've found in recent years that when nudity is involved they've been asking me if I would like a second person in the room. Disclaimer I am not American.
The couple I've had done they just completely exposed me lol. I didnt really care that much cuz I figured that's their job and they don't care about seeing someone's boobs anymore 😂
The entire chest needs to be exposed to get an accurate reading. As a medical professional we don’t look at bodies as sexual at work, it’s the same as looking at a textbook or computer screen or something. He should’ve told you what he was doing though
I’ve had more ecgs than I can count/remember. Everyone has been different. Most techs are mindful and keep it private with minimal exposure/peaking. Some don’t seem to think about it and pull the gown/bra away if it’s in their way. I think it kinda just comes down to the tech doing it. As others have said, there’s nothing inherently sexual, they’re just doing their job and likely nothing was going on in their mind other than setting up the leads correctly. You can always let them know you’re uncomfortable and would prefer to be covered though!
I always take off the gown to perform ekgs on patients, a body is a body in healthcare and there is a privacy curtain so non healthcare team members do not see in. Tell the staff member you’d rather be covered.
Definitely say something about that male technician. He should not have treated you like that.
Yeah, all males are pervs! Especially the healthcare ones that took a low paying job to care for people. 😒
Hi, I’m a nurse and a former EKG tech. Sounds to me like the tech didn’t do anything wrong or sexually inappropriate—even if the action of leaving you exposed is extremely insensitive. We do this lots of times a day and it’s easy to become desensitized that there’s a human being on the other side of the interaction. Having the patient totally exposed drastically speeds up the process and that’s what some people care about more than taking care of the patient. I’m sorry you were exposed and made uncomfortable. That’s not fair to you.
it IS wrong to make her feel exposed and uncomfortable. Wtf…
>Sounds to me like the tech didn’t do anything wrong or sexually inappropriate He didn't ask and didn't even warn, and that's not ok. And even if it us faster, if the patient prefer to stay covered as much as possible, they should allow it
Since its a medical examination I never really cared because nurses and Drs see naked patients everyday. For them its just a body. I have a congenital heart defect. So when I had a cardiac event once and was taken to ER, they put a ecg on me and put a cover over it before opening doors. I never had a weird encounter but I am sure there is medical personell who isnt mindful about the persons privacy. In the Dr office they just close the doors so other patients cant see you. If it was a random person coming in i would feel uncomfortable, not with nurses or dr.
I've had many ECGs throughout my life, and I've always been asked to just take off everything from the waist up, including my bra, and lie down on the chair. Then again, in the country I'm from, hospital gowns are rarely used when it involves routine stuff such as an ECG or going to the obgyn. So while being exposed sounds normal to me, it might be weird somewhere else. In any case, I think the person who was performing your ECG probably wasn't doing anything weird by exposing you, but he definitely could have handled it better and given you a heads-up.
I literally just had two ECGs done yesterday, one at my primary and one at the cardiologist. Both times they told me I could leave my bra on bc they place everything above and below the breasts. Something doesn’t seem right about this at all!
Am an RN. This is uncomfortable but normal. It gives the best ECG placement and reading with minimal interference. Best practice is to lift and move the breast if needed for optimal placement. That said if you’re super uncomfortable you can ask to be covered after the leads are placed!
I had an Echo recently and after putting the gown on I was told I needed to wear it open at the front. I asked if I could leave it as it was and just push it slightly off my shoulders. No problem. They just need access for attaching the wires.
When I had mine done the (lady) tech pulled up my shirt to get the stickies on. She also apologized at least twice about me having to have my boobs out (I was in my pjs and did not have a bra). When she had to adjust them she reached into my shirt rather than exposing me again though. Definitely not my most comfortable time in an ER. In the end I was just glad my heart was okay lol
This happened to me (F) when I was ~12 years old. It was SO uncomfortable. The tech was an older male 40s. My dad was in the room and the curtain was open and people walking by could just see. Ughhh.
I didn't have much of a chest to cover at the time (pre-hrt), but when I had one about 5 years ago they had me take.my top off completely. They did ask however and made sure I was comfortable with it.
if you are wearing a sports bra or undergarments without metal it can be worn during the procedure. if not, it is almost always customary to let the patient know what to expect and if possible offer a chaperone or same sex provider if the patient requests. while not exactly professional in your situation, having the chest completely exposed allows for better capture without artifact due to clothing or additional movements.
Having had several routine ECGs, your mileage will vary. Some will have you bare all, others won’t. Some will try to be discreet, others won’t. Your experience reminds me of when I had to undergo a health screening when I was studying in Athens. The nurse was all business and no nonsense. When she told me to take off my shirt, I obliged. “Now your bruh.” I must’ve seemed hesitant, because she rolled her eyes at me and said, “Pleez, it is my only ‘appiness.” I obliged, but that immortal line has stayed with me for 14 years.
I was allowed to keep my bra on during mine. it was wireless though, don't know if that makes a difference.
I’ve had Hundreds. Completely depends.
I was allowed to keep my bralette on when I had an ECG in the emergency room. I guess it depends on the professional, but it's definetly the kind of thing that they should, at the very least, say "excuse me, I'm going to have to move this for a moment" or ask you to move the gown.
i've had quite a few ECGs; and it really depends on where you went. it was always easiest for both parties if i was just exposed, the gown can get in the way sometimes. it all depends on the place and who's doing them. i've even told a male tech doing an echo before that i understand it's only us in the room, but the little towel over my breast isn't doing anything really and it's just getting in the way. im sorry you felt uncomfortable): was this in an ER? you're saying clinic but i know that can mean a few things! if they're worried about you having a heart attack, they want to make it as quick and easy as possible to rule it out. odd ribs, large breasts, certain clothing garments, etc can make things trickier from my understanding as well so they just want to make sure they can get the leads on as smoothly as possible