If you want to open up to somebody, you typically wouldn’t think of doing it to your physical therapist. Unfortunately, tons of healthcare workers are put in uncomfortable situations with patients every year. Whether it stems from people not understanding boundaries or being outright bold, it shouldn’t happen. One New York woman reflects on a recent experience she had with a man during a physical therapy appointment. Ultimately, it left her feeling all-around disgusted. and how it left her feeling all-around disgusted.
Carly, a physical therapist in New York, opened by saying, “Tell me why a grown man in his late 60s thinks it’s acceptable when I’m here working as his therapist for him to proceed to say, ‘I know you’re married, and not to be rude, but I had a dream about you last night.’”
When Carly heard his disturbing statement, she tried to ignore it. He kept at it, anyway; in fact, he asked her to help him stretch in a certain way because “It always feels good when you do that.” Before he left, he said, “I hope you don’t think that was creepy that I had a dream about you.”
Viewers were surprised to hear that she would allow him to come into her office again even after the things he said to her. One viewer commented, “You have to set clear boundaries! You have to tell him to stop talking, and transfer him to a different therapist.”
Although Carly wanted to tell him never to return, she told herself she had to be professional. She even stated, “Because it’s my job, and I can’t be rude.”
Another gave some solid advice: “Let’s normalize confronting men when they’re inappropriate FROM THE START. Ignoring does nothing but enable them to continue disrespecting women.” Someone even said, “They will always try and see what they can get away with.”
Incidents of inappropriate interactions involving patients happen far too often in many workplaces, especially healthcare. And let’s be real: The healthcare provider is the victim in this situation. They should be able to feel safe in their workplace. It’s also important for anybody who is pushed into one of these difficult scenarios to speak up when they feel it’s necessary. This includes speaking with a manager or supervisor who may be of assistance and can stop these interactions completely.
