they do appear, they tend to "pimp" (humiliate by obscure questioning) the house officers, creating a hostile, fearful environment. The patient becomes the enemy. This stressful arrangement requires that one become extremely objective toward the patient, the object of cutting and puncturing. Slang and humor increase social distance, and the fantasy of invulnerability allows officers and students to take on a cavalier manner in reference to horrible problems (Bosk & Frader, 1990, p. 263).
Even though medical literature emphasizes over and over again that the risk of the AIDS virus passing from the patient to care-giver is minimal, fear runs rampant on the wards. Workers at times sheath themselves with various types of protections and may simply refuse to approach an AIDS patient. Bosk and Frader quote Klass: "We have to face the fact that we are going through these little rituals of san
...