Anyone Here A Mammogram Tech?

[grinningghost]

Just wondering if mammogram techs get any sensitivity training? Or something like it?

I had a mammo tech today doing my mam who was just plain grouchy. As if it isn't horrible enough to have one done, but when you get a tech who might as well live under a bridge with all the other other trolls of the world, well, it makes for a really crummy experience.

I think anyone who works in the health field, especially anyone who performs such embarassing tests as mammograms, should put on a happy face - no excuses.

 

[lilyv]

Not a tech, just a regular person. I am very sorry you had a crabby tech. I had a few bad experiences, and finally changed imaging centers.

It was the best decision I could have made. The new tech was just great!

 

[krcit]

I'm in the process of changing centers b/c of my mammo last week. The tech was ok-not very friendly but not rude. I just felt like I was given the bums rush and then I got a letter in the mail that says "your recent exam showed an area that we believe is benign.However in six months, you should havea follow up mammo to confirm that this area has not changed" I felt that was very impersonal and if they are not sure about an 'area', why not follow up with a sonogram? I'm not content to wait 6 months so i'm going elsewhere.

 

[Micca]

Being a guy I can't totally relate, but I completely agree that health care professionals should be patient, pleasant, and understanding. They shouldn't even be licensed if they can't muster some compassion for patients. Good luck on finding a place that will treat you better.

 

[poohandwendy]

LOL, I just had my first mammogram in Dec and I was totally blown away by the attitude of the tech. Talk about bossy and missing the nice gene.

I do not expect to make friends with a health care professional, but a smile and some patience goes a long way. Call me crazy, but I expect that much from anyone who handles my breasts. K?

I am hoping I just caught her on a bad day or something, because I really like this womancare center and would like to continue using this facility in the future.

 

[minniecarousel]

I was a pioneer in this field. As a student, once I mastered the technique, I did many that were done in our hospital. (this was in the mid-70's!) Our compression was two very sturdy balloons - one inside the other.

I agree that there needs to be some compassion. I can't believe that any technician doesn't realize that most women are nervous having this exam done. It was always easier to be nice and pleasant and try to relax the patient. The x-rays come out better.

 

[Christine]

I guess I'm lucky (not that I'm doubting any of these stories). I've had about 7 mammograms now and every technician has been downright warm, friendly, and extremely compassionate. I've been to three different imaging centers and I've been treated like gold each time.

I think if I had a bad technician, I'd be a wreck about it the next time I had to go.

 

[4greatboys]

Well if someone who is going to be handling my breast isnt going to buy me dinner I expect at the very least they be pleasant to me.

 

[msdznyduck]

Well if someone who is going to be handling my breast isnt going to buy me dinner I expect at the very least they be pleasant to me.

 

[Abbie]

Good question! When I turned 40 I was a good girl and had my first mammogram done. Unfortunately it was by a tech like you describe! Not nasty, just not pleasant in any way and seemingly bored. She couldn't get a good pic the first time and sighed the whole time she was re-doing it (like it was my fault).

It took me 8 years to get up the courage to endure it again. This time I went to a different facility and it was a WORLD of difference! I had NO idea a mammogram could be, well, not exactly "pleasant" but definitely not awful. Heck, I might not even wait a year to go back!

 

[arminnie]

I think anyone who works in the health field, especially anyone who performs such embarassing tests as mammograms, should put on a happy face.

I've had about 20 mammograms with no real problems, but I really don't want them to get TOO happy while they are touching my private bits.

 

[grinningghost]

I've had about 20 mammograms with no real problems, but I really don't want them to get TOO happy while they are touching my private bits.

Yeah, too happy wouldn't be good either.

But, like someone above said, this tech was getting snippy because she couldn't get a good shot and had to redo it - like it was MY fault. Hey, if I had my way, I wouldn't be manipulating my breast like I was making a grilled cheese in a sandwich press.

 

[lilyv]

Yeah, too happy wouldn't be good either.

But, like someone above said, this tech was getting snippy because she couldn't get a good shot and had to redo it - like it was MY fault. Hey, if I had my way, I wouldn't be manipulating my breast like I was making a grilled cheese in a sandwich press.

Don't know if you experience will be similar to mine, but once I started getting digital mamms life was much better. Much quicker, far less painful, and (so far) much less time waiting around for films, then more films because "I" wasn't in the right position.

 

[Mickey'sMainMami]

The other thing that kind of bothered me was her handling my breasts so much. I mean she doesn't need to lift and place it on the table, I could certainly do that myself. I just don't understand if you are a capable person why you need help with your own breasts. Kinda made me feel uncomfortable when I went last week. I don't remember it being like this 2 years ago at my first mammogram.

 

[Ride Junkie]

The last time I had one done, the tech was pretty much calling me a sissy because it hurt so bad I was starting to tear up. She was also frustrated because I kept slipping out of the machine. I don't know if the tech has anything to do with the comfort level, but mine are always extremely painful.

I'm not usually a sissy -- I've had shots in my eyebrow, I walked around on a broken ankle for 3 days, and I once let the dentist drill a tooth without novocaine because I was in a bad mood. But nothing ever hurt me so bad as a mammogram. There has got to be a way, and with understanding, gentle techs!

 

[Camicar]

My tech was fine, the ultrasound tech was fine, it was the radiologist who had the bedside manner of a mortician.

I was back in for a rescan bec they found 'something' on my left side. So, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out I might be a little nervous. They do the mammogram, not good enough. Do a long ultrasound, still not good enough. Tell me radiologist wants to come in and do an ultrasound herself bec 'something's not right'. Okay, now I'm a lot nervous. As anyone might imagine, let alone someone in the biz.

Radiologist comes in, doesn't look me in the eye, doesn't introduce herself, talks to me over her shoulder while she's washing her hands, and then without so much as a "Nice to meet you" starts to really pound on my **** with the ultrasound. Ultrasound tech suggest she put more gel on the wand, radiologist says, 'No. It's fine."

ACTUALLY! It's hurting a lot bec you're SCRAPING MY SKIN OFF so can you use some freaking gel?

For twenty minutes she proceeds to pound on me never uttering anything other than these ominous grunting sounds. "Uhhh.... Umm.. Gum.....Grunt.... Huh....Whassat?" By now I am convinced that I am going to die of breast cancer, I'm sweating, and starting to feel a little nauseous bec of the way she's acting. Keep in mind, that I am usually so calm in crisis situations that many people have thought that I am a cold fish, so for me to start sweating and getting nauseous is an EVENT.

Then she gets done, walks back over to the sink, washes her hands, says, "You're fine. You just have dense tissue." And LEAVES.

I complained to my regular doctor about her. My regular doctor was just shocked bec she said that the radiologist is known for her great bedside manner. My doctor agreed with me that anyone would have been upset at the treatment and further wondered, "Geez, what would it have been like if the patient was someone who isn't a calm person like you, someone who had a family history of breast cancer, or who'd had something difficult in their life at the time?" No kidding.

And my **** hurt for 2 weeks after that. I'm supposed to go back in 6 months for a followup which is right before a trip to Europe and I'm not going bec I don't want to have a sore chest while I'm on vacation.

 

[HOGFAN]

Okay.

No, we dont receive sensitivity training. Most of us are very friendly and compassionate but there is the occasional grumpy person. Just as there are in any job. Just as there are grumpy patients.

I dont know how you would 'license' compassion.

Digital can be equally as painful as analog. We still compress just as much(or at least we are suppose to). Nothing in digital training told us we could let up on the pedal a little.
A different experience from year to year could be due to:
1.yes, a different tech. Some of us are more 'aggressive' than others. Some trained at facilites where perhaps the radiologist required a certain amount of pressure.
2. different levels of caffeine, pain tolerance, hormones, stress. These are things out of our control.

Trust me, we are not out to hurt anyone. There are just sooo many factors that may vary your experience from year to year.

There are often times my patients cannot take adequate compression. I just make a note to the radiologist to explain why the images are subpar.
btw, radiologists mostly are not 'people persons'. They sit behind a desk most of the time and have very little patient interaction.