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This sounded needlessly snotty to me, like he wanted to "get her" or show her up or something, when she was just doing the job the way she was trained. And she wouldn't have been (IMO) "pissed off" if he had politely declined and explained his reasoning. It just sounds like he was rude about it.
"The nurse came back at the end of the visit for a different reason after the doctor had left and I cheerfully told her "Oh by the way, my blood pressure is fine." "Oh what was it?" "117/69 when I took it at home yesterday as I reported to Dr. Nyugen." No comment."
You are quoting me at the end of the visit. You know nothing about the exact words exchanged at the beginning of the visit. At the beginning of the visit I calmly said "I would rather not have my blood pressure taken now. This is not a good time." She said that she had to take it I said I had to refuse.
Frankly I think it is worse than rude to fill a medical chart with bogus information just for convenience.
The nurse always takes my bp on arrival (it's always way too high), and then my doctor personally takes it twice during my exam (it's always back in range).
There really is nothing wrong with refusing the BP take at the outset of the visit. The OP isn't breaking the law.
I refuse to be weighed every visit, as well.
I’m defending someone just doing the job they’re being told to do and were hired to do. It just seems like low pickings, easy pickings, vs just telling the doctor you prefer not to have your B/P tested on arrival. She doesn’t get to decide what to do before the doc sees you, he does. She’s following a checklist given her by the doctor when he hired and trained her.
Taking my BP at my doctors office too soon is why I have my own monitor. At home I take my reading after I relax for five minutes, then take two more reading five minutes apart.
My readings at the doc's office were always high. My readings at home average 122/75.
This thread is an interesting read to which I'd like to add two comments.
Of course, a high BP reading that is obtained at the onset of the appt should be double or triple checked later in the visit. But I can see where this high reading has some clinical diagnostic value bc it has the potential to tell the clinician how high the pts BP goes when not "at rest"
And (imho) pts should use caution in considering themselves "customers." Ideally, our health care should be approached as a team.
This thread is an interesting read to which I'd like to add two comments.
Of course, a high BP reading that is obtained at the onset of the appt should be double or triple checked later in the visit. But I can see where this high reading has some clinical diagnostic value bc it has the potential to tell the clinician how high the pts BP goes when not "at rest"
And (imho) pts should use caution in considering themselves "customers." Ideally, our health care should be approached as a team.
BP reading "not at rest" is a huge range. Could be car didn't want to start, had to get a jump, running late in horrible traffic and school just called and your kid is at the principal's office. Or it could be listened to favorite music and pretty mellow while driving, but BP up somewhat because they marched you straight to the room and immediately pulled out the cuff.
It would seem very difficult if not impossible to come up with a consistent "not at rest" standard.
FWIW in the past when I let them take a reading immediately no matter what it was nobody ever offered to take it again, I would have to ask. This was even at a dentist where a cheesy wrist device said something like 170/120.
This thread is an interesting read to which I'd like to add two comments.
Of course, a high BP reading that is obtained at the onset of the appt should be double or triple checked later in the visit. But I can see where this high reading has some clinical diagnostic value bc it has the potential to tell the clinician how high the pts BP goes when not "at rest"
And (imho) pts should use caution in considering themselves "customers." Ideally, our health care should be approached as a team.
I agree with the bolded, and stand by my statements. All too often patients are not given the consideration they deserve in the medical equation.
Pointless to take my blood pressure when the result will be wildly inaccurate. I have no sooner sat on the exam table and you want to take it. The only way to have a meaningful blood pressure result is to have a consistent standard for the status of the patient and that would be totally relaxed. Being recently active could be any level from mildly elevated to still frustrated by rush hour traffic and you barely made it to the appointment on time and just walked briskly down a long hallway.
Nurse was real pissed off and at first said she had to take it -- it was required. I refused. When the cardiologist came in I told him my BP reading from the day before relaxed at home. He was fine with that.
The nurse came back at the end of the visit for a different reason after the doctor had left and I cheerfully told her "Oh by the way, my blood pressure is fine." "Oh what was it?" "117/69 when I took it at home yesterday as I reported to Dr. Nyugen." No comment.
It rubs me the wrong way to have a bunch of bogus information in my medical records even if nobody but me cares.
Sad that the test is almost universally done incorrectly despite the proper protocol -- 5 minute minimum to relax, not even talking, both feet on the floor, arm at or above heart level -- is hardly a secret but convenience wins over accuracy.
One time a dentist's nurse took my blood pressure not following protocol and with a cheesy wrist device: 172/120. I would be on the way to E.R except I knew better than to believe it.
the remedy is to get a cuff, take your blood pressure at home, keep a chart, and take that with you to doctor appointments. That's what I do with my PCP. he is more interested in seeing the chart i keep, than with what shows up on day of appointment.
[quote=Don in Austin;66669931]Pointless to take my blood pressure when the result will be wildly inaccurate. I have no sooner sat on the exam table and you want to take it.
Yes!! exactly this!! You have captured my same frustration.
the remedy is to get a cuff, take your blood pressure at home, keep a chart, and take that with you to doctor appointments. That's what I do with my PCP. he is more interested in seeing the chart i keep, than with what shows up on day of appointment.
My husband does this. Docs are thrilled to see it.
Nobody seems to care about my mostly normal bp.
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