[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by inthemindofanurse

I have worked at 2 offices with different protocols about masks. One office had a sign saying if you had flu symptoms or a fever to please wear the provided mask. The other office never offers/asks patients to wear a mask because they say it might offend someone.My son's doctor had a well room and a sick room and kept the children separate. What is your thought on this? From both perspectives, the sick patient and the well patient. I guess I can see it from both sides. If I am at the doctor, feeling great, having my yearly check up and the person next to me is coughing and wheezing and looking like death I tend to want to move away. If I am sick and feeling like poop and just want to be back home in my bed the last thing I want is everyone looking at me and treating me like I have the plague. From the doctors side of the equation I kinda think the mask is pointless. Honestly, if someone is wearing a mask do you all of a sudden feel like there is a magic bubble around them that keeps all their sickness away? I get it, the mask helps. I watch patients cough,wipe their nose, stick their finger in their ear and then pick up a magazine......Is there a mask for the magazine, lol? So, what is your take on a mask at the doctors office? If you are sick does it offend you? If you are well does it comfort you? If you are sick do you prefer to have one? If you are well does it make you uncomfortable because now you know that person 6 feet away from you must be REALLY sick to have to have a mask?

In NY this is easy--the NY State health dept requires us to give out masks to symptomatic patients. Once in an exam room, if I feel they are low risk, I just have them take it off. They put it back on to walk out.