So the other day I'm sitting in a staff meeting, and I'm supposed to be learning all sorts of new ways to increase patient satisfaction through new processes...when really all I can hear is this:
Anywho, one of the complaints we get occasionally is that patients don't know what they're waiting for. Sometimes a legit complaint...but usually not. "Yeah," snarks Fun Doc, "it's because they're idiots." I laughed, but then I wanted to cry. He's right. A good percentage of our patients are really, really dumb.
Before you flame this post for my blatant disrespect of patients and their rights and their feelings and my hatred of unicorns and rainbows...consider the following:
Recently I had one such patient. I do my routine assessment, and afterward I'm talking with one of the techs just outside the room. I watch the doc walk into the room, with the scribe. He's in there for 10 minutes. The doc leaves, and I walk back in. "Alright," I say, "I saw Doc was just in here, and he let you know that we're going to be drawing some blood and getting an xray, so I'm going to start with the bloodwork now."
The patient blankly looks at me and goes, "What doc? There hasn't been any doctor in here yet."
I'm like, guy that left 90 seconds ago? Stethoscope? Asked you lots of questions? Introduced himself as Dr. Doc, with a nametag stating he was Dr. Doc? Had a minion scribe furiously typing away? Anyone...anyone. Bueller?
The patient looked at me like I was crazy. And steadfastly maintained that there had been no doctor anywhere in sight. I could only shake my head.
So flame on, people. I rest my case.
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One day I woke up and realized I'm not a baby nurse anymore. I'm not even a young nurse. I'm a real adult who has now been doing this for years, and I'm definitely expected to know what I'm doing at all times. And that's fucking terrifying.
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DISCLAIMER
HIPAA. Trust and believe, these stories are halfway made-up and halfway made up of lots of other stories. I will protect patient privacy like it's my job. Because it is.
Many of the photos showing mundane things are ones I took. As for memes and other google picture search images, I've been horribly bad at photo crediting - I will be attempting to go back through and properly credit things or remove them if I can't. But rest assured, ain't no real patient pictures up here, folks.
While I appreciate those reading the blog, I don't advertise for any website. I can only be responsible for my own opinion, and thus politely decline any offer to "host a post" or otherwise advertise something not written by me...But thanks anyway!
Many of the photos showing mundane things are ones I took. As for memes and other google picture search images, I've been horribly bad at photo crediting - I will be attempting to go back through and properly credit things or remove them if I can't. But rest assured, ain't no real patient pictures up here, folks.
While I appreciate those reading the blog, I don't advertise for any website. I can only be responsible for my own opinion, and thus politely decline any offer to "host a post" or otherwise advertise something not written by me...But thanks anyway!
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4 comments:
At least you were lucky enough to actually see the doc go into the room. Half the time I'm elsewhere and have to track down the chart every time they claim to have gone days without seeing a doc. At least with my patients I can blame it on poor perfusion to the brain r/t decreased cardiac output AEB EF 10-15%.
Clearly, you have never had the experience of being a patient and having a man rush into your room, ask a few curt questions, and rush out without ever introducing himself, making eye contact, saying hello, explaining anything, or ask you why you are there or what your problem is. You don't know if you have been talking to a lab tech or what. Doctors do this to patients ALL THE TIME.
read this line many times...The patient blankly looks at me and goes, "What doc? There hasn't been any doctor in here yet."
@Susan - Obviously you've had that experience, but the patient in question had a great doc, who introduced himself, explained everything, introduced the scribe, and informed her of the plan. I'd say she's just on the dumb side.
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