Does doctors need to expose female braasts to use the stethoscope?
By joccylau
@joccylau (85)
China
October 1, 2008 10:26pm CST
My girlfriend went to see a gastroenterologist the other day and he examined her.There were about 1 or 2 female nurses there as well.She told me that the doctor asked her to lie on a bed,then used the stethoscope on her,then asked her to sit up,and used it on her back,Later,without asking,he pulled her top up,unbuckled her bra and pulled her bra up as well when he used the stethoscope on her.
I don't know anything about medicine but I feel very uneasy whether what the doctor did was necessary or legal bacause I have never heard of doctors taking off girl's bra in order to check their hearbeat,breathing or lungs.
Since I konw nothing about the dedicinal profession ,my question is,do females need to lift their top and bra in order for the doctor to do a check up?I am really unsure and want to know whether this is a common procedure.
Thank you.
4 people like this
18 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
2 Oct 08
Proper medical practice is always to ask a patient to remove clothing if it is necessary. If the patient can't do it herself, then a nurse (or a relative) may do so with the patient's consent.
The doctor was acting highly improperly and should be reported for such behaviour. It may be that it really was necessary to examine your friend without her bra but the doctor should have explained that and asked her to remove it. Even if he didn't think and had no 'evil intentions' it amounts to treating the patient without dignity and shows a lack of respect that would earn him a severe reprimand from his superiors, if not suspension from medical duties.
Please encourage your friend to make a complaint to the doctor's superiors about his behaviour. If she can identify any of the nurses who were present, they should be cited as witnesses.
1 person likes this
@goldenapple951 (455)
• United States
3 Oct 08
not necessary...and he should have know better and ask or asked a female nurse to do it. I dont think it was professional at all
1 person likes this
@shell94 (990)
• Canada
2 Oct 08
I think that the doctor should have asked her about removing the top and bra, not just done it. This does not sound very professional to me. I have always been asked to do such a thing by my doctor. He has NEVER just done it! Sometimes it is necessary for the doctor to get a better listen but he should always ask permission!!!!
1 person likes this
@sherputt (35)
• India
2 Oct 08
This is all so unprofessional as if doctor is kidding with the patient.
In no case this is necessary to do that. No professional doctor would do that without asking her before removing any under garment from the body of the patient.
I think he should be reported and you should teach him a good lesson so that in future he could not do any kind of Tharki act with any one.
1 person likes this
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I have often been asked to remove my shirt so that the doctor can listen better, so I would assume that is what was going on with your friend. I do wonder why he didn't ask her to do it, that part sounds rather odd. But, I would hope everything was on the up and up 
@thejj924 (78)
• United States
3 Oct 08
that is illegal the doctor cannot do anything like that without permission from the patient, but also the bra can also constrict the chest forcing the body to put more stress on the heart, well he is a specialist he might be doing something to get accurate breathing.
@kareng (62072)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I find it odd for the following reasons: 1) I've never had to remove my bra in many years of routine checkups for the doctor to check heartbeat. 2) It was unprofessional for him to assume that it was ok with her for him to remove her bra. If he needed to hear better, he should of said so and asked if it was ok to remove her bra. I find this to be very unprofessional and I would report it. Tell your friend to find another doctor. This is really uncalled for from a gastroenterologiist in my opinion.
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
2 Oct 08
I think there is something wrong since the doctor is checking on her heartbeat it is not appropriate for him to just remove the bra without him asking first. I guess it is ethically wrong to do it. For something that must be removed from your body you would need to ask the patients permission first to be able to removed it.
@spiderlizard22 (3444)
• United States
2 Oct 08
The doctor could check her heart without unbuckling her bra.
@SukiSmiles (1991)
• United States
2 Oct 08
I don't know what a gastroenterologist is, but I do know that he should have asked permission. The only time I have not had to have a bra on is when they were checking for lumps. Although there are probably other reasons the doctor would need to listen with out the bra being on.
@ch88ss (2271)
• United States
2 Oct 08
There are a few examinations that require the doctor to see a little more than necessary (if you know what I mean) but that is usually on a physical examination which includes the upper and lower body parts as well.
But from what I know, it is illegal what this doctor did. He is supposed to have another female nurse there in the room at all times, and he is not allowed to unbuckle her pull her top up. Your girlfriend should be the only one to pull her top up for the doctor and she should also be asked to unbuckle her bra and pull it up herself not the doctor.
The doctor is acting without the consent of the patient against their practice.
@Metalchick (1391)
•
2 Oct 08
I'm not an expert on this but whenever i've been to doctors they normally use stethoscope under my top. Never needed to take bra off but if I had wouldn't have thought the top would have needed to come off.
I always feel a little uncomfortable with male doctors and hearing things similar to what happened to your friend makes me wonder even more. Always opt for a female doctor if I can. Although if in a hell of alot of pain anyone will do.
@sassybf (29)
• United States
2 Oct 08
This is completely inappropriate. First, I've never had to remove my shirt or bra for a doctor to use a stethoscope. Second, anytime clothing must be adjusted or removed, the doctor asks the patient to do it, or asks if it is okay. And finally, if clothing needs to be removed, the doctor always provides something to cover yourself with.
As another recommended, your girlfriend should report this doctor. It doesn't matter that nurses were present. This sucks, so sorry it happened to her. I would feel really upset.
@juliefaye (1214)
• Philippines
2 Oct 08
This is uncommon specially when taking the heartbeat or breathing of a person. We only took off our bra when doing the chest xray because the metal hook of bra can be seen in the film and can be messed with the results.
I also wonder why the doctor have to do that to your gf...
@mrsgoodygoody00 (895)
• United States
2 Oct 08
No, usually if they need you to be topless or bottomless, they'll give you some things to cover yourself with--the nurse will--and she'll leave the room while you undress and cover yourself, and then the doctor will come in shortly. I would think that if they needed you to be topless, they would ask you, instead of just doing it themselves. I don't know why her pulled up her bra just to listen to her heartbeat. I mean, like I said, if he needed her to be topless, the nurse should've given her a chance to undress. See, these doctors don't care about people or have respect for anybody. Sometimes I don't know who they think they are. If your friend was uncomfortable, or thought something was off, she should've said something. She can always get a new dr.
@luntian_grace (1373)
• Philippines
2 Oct 08
the answer would be nooooo! it is not necessary to lift the top and bra. we have ethics too. we should give the patient a privacy and that means we should cover some parts of the body that is not suppose to be exposed. this is the first time that i have heard about a story like this.
@Milanovich (700)
• Egypt
2 Oct 08
no it is illegal and even if it was necessary women nurse should do so..
this doctor must be reported inorder to stop these thing!
