Would you say anything?

[Ambersmom]

I'm kind of in a quandry about this, the other day I was in the post office and the guy in front of me had a large bad looking growth on his neck. I figure there was no way he couldn't not know about it but it was on the back of his neck, but then I started to wonder if I should say something to him about getting it looked at. I ended up deciding to mind my own business and not say anything. But anyone else ever encountered this? Did you say anything? A nurse friend of mine told me she saw a lady sitting in front of her in a movie theater with a mole that looked like skin cancer and just leaned over and said "I'm a nurse you need to get your mole checked" The woman spit out her popcorn and changed her seat. I mean it seems right to say something but it also seems wrong, like invading privacy.

[Qing]

I would say something but being a little cautious of how people react, I would keep it to myself just because of liability issues. So we mean good, but not everyone will take it that way and its hard to know if people really do appreciate what you do or say. If the person is not ready, it will be taken in the wrong way and whatever happens may not be pleasant. You have those people who will be an opportunist and say you said this and it caused blah blah so that is why I wouldn't say anything to everyone. Depending on how you feel and your judgment, the person may welcome it.

[evastone, BSN, RN]

I have mentioned this before, but some time ago, I had an ugly mole. It had not grown or changed colors since I first noticed it. The borders were regular. However, it was very scary looking.

A patient's family member once walked up to me and said "I used to work as a nurse. You should get that mole checked out, it looks like melanoma. " No, I was not grateful for the comment and for the rest of the night I avoided her like the plague.

I eventually got it removed because I felt awkward about it, and found out that the thing growing on me was...a mole.

[TriciaJ, RN]

I have mentioned this before, but some time ago, I had an ugly mole. It had not grown or changed colors since I first noticed it. The borders were regular. However, it was very scary looking.

A patient's family member once walked up to me and said "I used to work as a nurse. You should get that mole checked out, it looks like melanoma. " No, I was not grateful for the comment and for the rest of the night I avoided her like the plague.

I eventually got it removed because I felt awkward about it, and found out that the thing growing on me was...a mole.

"I used to work as a nurse"? An actual nurse would have said "I am a nurse." But I digress.