If your patient asks you for a hug what do you say? Twice when I went to say good bye to my patients for the day they put their arms out for a hug. Truth is, I hugged them both. While it was happening I felt like, this is probably discouraged. Professionalism, infection control...
(These were innocent type hug requests. I am a woman in my mid 40s and one patient was an elderly woman who I spent two days caring for one on one and the other was a brand new mom- I spent 8 hours immediate after delivery, caring for her and brand new baby.)