My foster Mom a few years ago pointed out to me that she thinks the reason workers (let's use the medical profession) are so rude or distracted or unhelpful is that they are so wrapped up in their heads with their own problems, i.e., the child into drugs, or having learning problems at school, or their spouse might be cheating, etc. etc., that this comes out in their behavior in public while working.
I don't know if that's a valid point or not, but I have noticed that especially in the medical profession where the intensity of the crush of being overextended with little pay is culminating in combativeness with the medical health care workers - they are either exhausted, or something, because it used to be that you got compassionate care when you saw your physician - from the front desk to the nurse to the doctor to the check out. Now its mostly a battle, and full of errors, serious life-threatening errors.
Something has to give here, because a healthly populace is the only one that will survive.
Everyone has problems at home but not everyone brings those problems to work with them and have it affect their job performance.
I see a flip side to this that does not put the blame squarely on the worker itself. When you are talking about people that work in a service industry (medical profession is one of them) they are dealing with on a daily basis people that are very rude to them off the get go. Calling and screaming at them for something that is out of their control. Can tend to make a person a little cranky. Altho it should not be taken out on an individual person that is being nice. I have walked into my docs office and could just tell that the receptionist has not had the best day. I use a little empathy when talking with her and it really seems to help. People in the meical profession deal in high stress high volume and make life changing decisions in a split second. Sometimes it seems that we want perfection from these people and it just can not be. Because they are only human also. After being in the medical profession for a good number years I have found that most mistakes that the docs make are not intentional mistakes at all. Which is why it is very hard for a patient to win a medical malpractice suit. Medical malpractice suits can take years and years to resolve. I have a cousin that is a lawyer that specializes in medical malpractice defense and that has given me a different view on this subject. Being in the medical field also does too.
I just have to stress that we are not all bad people and we do not intentionally go out to ruin your day or be rude. If you see your receptionist in your doc office has had a bad day....acknowledge that with them. It really does make them feel better and the next person that comes along they may not be rude to.
I feel since I was in the medical profession I just get tired of all the bashing we get. For once I would like someone that is bashing us to step out of their shoes and into mine and look to see what I went thru everyday. Split second decisions at 3am. Dealing with on scene a family in crisis. The pure exhaustion of one run after the other all night long. Ducking and praying that the rival gang member will not shoot my pretty big red box with the pretty lights and blow it the hell up because I am treating someones GSW that they want dead in the first place. The heartbreak of treating children. Especially SIDS babies.
Let me give you a non medical look at if everyone took their problems to work with them everyday scenario. My husband is a welder. Welds BIG stuff. Huge earth moving equipment. If he took his problems to work everyday and made a mistake...that could cost human lives once that drill...or earthmover...or drag line got out into the field.
Have a little empathy for others. If you see someone is having a bad day empathsize with them. A little acknowledgement goes a long way. And ya know what...we aren't all bad. So instead of bashing all the dang time...do something to make a change.
Sorry for the rant and I don't mean to cause anything. This is just the way I feel.
Gramma - I totally agree. I am very very good with everyone in public because I have been hit by the rude customers too, but I still find it amazing that brushing off a patient instead of a "let me find someone who can help" you is so much different than the shoe salesmen coming back and saying your size is sold out.As someone who has worked in customer service for my entire career its often lack of training that may cause poor service in the beginning. Later on its burnout often due to the rudeness unreasonablness of the customer. I've been spat at, cursed at let alone simply being yelled at and being totally disrespected for things not within my control. A customer service relationship goes two ways and there are faults on both sides that need to work for a successful encounter
I've always discovered, that even in the medical community, that I receive the treatment I give them. I cannot recall a time I've ever been mean or rude to form anyone in my over 20 years of dealing with the medical community. Patience, understanding, politeness and friendliness on both sides goes a long way If you walk in expecting to be treated badly that is going to come across no matter how hard you try to hide it.
It is true that many people in the medical community are working in highly stressful situations and like anyone in customer service they will have bad days but for the most part most of them are not in their jobs to treat people badly. If anyone is in a situation that they feel they are continually treated badly by multiple people maybe its time to look at their half of the relationship-how you speak and react to situations
I think what has to give Cathy is that the govt has to throw a crapload of money at the medical profession. No, I'm not saying doctors need to be paid more, but there need to be more doctors, nurses, techs and equipment available for the number of users. Yes they are over worked, underpaid, stressed with personal problems, but they are also stressed with being unable to help everyone that comes to them for help. People are living longer, they are living through diseases that used to kill, medicine is SO much more complicated than it used to be. People also expect to be cured of everything.
Doctors (and their staff) stress about trying to get a patient a bed in a hospital so that they can have the treatment they need, they stress about having too many patients to see because there is no where else for them to go, they stress about the possiblility that their drug addicted patients will pull a knife on them and demand drugs......the list goes on. And yes, they stress about being sued or taking time out of their busy day to go to court to testify for a compensation claim, about when the last time they saw their kids or their wife.
Nursing workloads in hospitals have almost doubled in the last 10-15 years and nursing is so much more complicated now with all the technical stuff they have to take care of, patient care, actually sitting and talking with a patient is out of the question, you just don't have the time. Much of the time I think the workload and expectations on the medical profession is just far beyond what is humanly possible, so , yes, we do get a bit short sometimes.
I get peeved when people phone me to ask for a doctors phone number. I have to get out a phone book just the same as they could, only I have to do it with the doctor telling me orders, two phone lines ringing, patients arriving and leaving, paperwork to keep up with and being polite and cheerful. It's hard to feel empathy and compassion when people sometimes have unrealistic expectations. Sometimes it spills over onto the next patient with a bit of shortness or a grumpy comment. We are only human.
I've always been exceptionally polite to my doctors and staff and in return I've been treated with respect and empathy. I was a surgical nurse for years and worked for an endocrinologist for several years and I know that I would turn myself inside out for the patient who was kind and considerate. Even the rude ones I would treat no differently unless pushed to such an extreme that it was unreasonable to be kind to them any longer.
Only one time have I had a problem with a staff member in a doctor's office and I went straight to the office manager and when it hadn't been corrected I chose to speak to the doctor about the problem. It was taken care of immediately and apologies were given. As far as I'm concerned it's now forgotten.
Cathy, the only thing I can tell you that I know for sure is that all doctors and their staff aren't rude. There are exceptions and you seem to have encountered all of them.
I wouldn't trade my RD, primary care specialist and their staffs for anything. My RD doesn't have the best bedside manner but then I don't go to him for his personality. I chose and kept him because of his credentials, excellent referrals, and his knowledge. The same with my primary except he's got it all. Their staffs are fine. They've been helpful, polite, and even compassionate.
I'd really like to hear about the positive encounters that the forum members have had with physicians and staff. I, like Liz, am tired of reading about doctor and staff bashing. They're not all bad. Lindy
I love my 2 main doctors and their staffs. My rheumatologists records persons was extremely helpful in getting reams of paperwork done every 4 weeks while on was on leave of absence. My very busy surgeons office will get me in quickly with a single call to his assistant. In reality there are too many to count.
Pammy - I totally agree. I worked in the health care industry for 15 years and saw it all myself, but as I look back over these situations I have encountered the past seven years, its always when I have had a health problem during Florida's "High Season" and the offices are just packed, and I mean packed, SRO. I was sent to the ER once by my primary because of slurred speech, white foam in my mouth, staggering, and was on a gurney in a hallway next to a guy dying of AIDS with his port half off, dripping blood, and no one stopped. And when they finally tried to do a Cat Scan to see if I was having a stroke, the machine was broken. It's a good thing I always have either my husband, or a stepdaughter or a friend accompany me to all my appointments, because no one would believe me if I didn't have witnesses.
This appt I just had that went so well? It July, hot as Hades and everyone has gone North. The pressure was gone, everybody was pleasant, I wasn't pushed through with a cattle prod, and only one error, that's a record. I think I just haven't timed my disease emergencies to the right time of year LOL. And its sad because I have had such great doctors in the past in other parts of the country, and we are overrun with Cuban/Haitian refugees, and the whole system down here is clogged up. It's headline news and I am caught in the middle of it.
At least I finally found a great primary and the rheumatologist is coming around. And I agree, alot of money needs to be thrown at health care in America, alot.
I count myself very very lucky with the doctors that I have. I couldn't ask for a better PCP or RD. Not only are they very knowledgeable (my RD has a PhD in immunology and a couple of teaching positions) they are also the NICEST people. The only person I do not like is my RD's receptionist. But I kill her with kindness lol. My PCP actually dropped a script off at my house and picked up some paperwork. He wanted the script filled ASAP the next morning and didn't want me waiting around til I got up and actually made it to the office to pick it up. It does help tho that I live on the opposite end of the street as my doc office. It's literally a 5 minute drive lol.
Pammy,OMG, that's my old job! OK ladies does that mean I should not show it to new students to our Coding and Reimbursement program?MaryB, I think you should show it to them. It will initiate a great question and answer session.
If I had to live my life over, I don't think I'd ever go into nursing. I think I would follow my dream of being a medical illustrator. Just me, some paper, colored pens, pencils and a cadaver.....! Maybe, I should rethink this. Maybe a fashion designer or an architect. How about you? What would you do if you could follow your work dream?
Ok guys, I think I must have just hit the jackpot with my RD and his staff. He is starting out, very young, 37 years old. Not yet "jaded" maybe. He's so attentive, he's so informed (goes to every seminar and conference in the country and is very happy to report what he's learned). He is genuinely upset if I'm uncomfortable or am in pain and he listens to me wholeheartedly. Now his practice is a large one (12 doctors) but I see only him. It's a busy office as you can imagine and his reception staff is just as courteous. They are very businesslike though, they have no time for chit chat as neither do I. I go in, go to the front desk, pay my co-pay and wait about 15 min. when they hand me my folder and send me in the elevator. Upstairs, there is a nurse waiting for me at the elevator she shows me to the exam room, takes my weight (yuck), and he comes in. He takes my bp and we talk. He check's my joints, fingers to toes, and asks me questions. He asks how I've been on the meds, how my sleep has been, he asks me at every visit if there's something I want to do that I have difficulty doing and we address that. He then sends me dodwnstairs to the lab where my blood is drawn, I "check-out" by making my next appt and I'm done. All in all it's a very positive experience. Like I said, I think after reading all these other posts, I've hit the jackpot.Lindy, I think that would be so cool to be a medical illustrator. I remember using books in nursing school that had really good, realistic pictures and others that didn't. What is stopping you now?MaryB, sounds delighful and what sounds even better is your cinnamon rolls. I almost licked my screen,
I paint and draw now for myself, the odd exhibit here or there, and for friends. I'm retired and don't want to think about going to school unless it's an art class for fun. No more work. I'm older than most on the form (62) and retired 2 years ago. I write travel articles and have been published but I don't do anything, anymore that requires a deadline or an actual committment. Maybe one day I'll sit down and draw the inner ear for fun........might be a good drawing exercise. My drawing has suffered since RA because the fine detail is gone. I've modified my drawing and painting and it's larger and bolder than before RA. Sort of like my beading. My pieces are larger and bolder and the beading and ornaments I use are larger than before RA. No seed beads in my bead supply!
Cathy, get your face away from that screen
LinB, I would die for a fresh cinnamon donuts or toast or anything. I fact, I am going down to make some right now. LOL
JSNM, I could certainly smell the fires close to the RSW airport, but we saw smoke by the Germaine Arena (which my kids kept calling the German Area). I still love the area but WHAT THE HECK with all the construction. The main drag in Marco was crazy!I tend to think your foster mom is probably right, at least in many cases. I know it is very unprofessional, and I try not to, but I know when I am not feeling well or worried about someone, something, etc. I tend to take it out on my students. I usually in those cases have to really work hard to not let it effect the way I treat them, but sometimes it does. Childish, yep. Its just something I need to work on and I try to keep that in mind when I am dealing with someone in the public who is not so polite or friendly.Nancy - thanks for bringing the thread back to where I started it (even though the cinnamon donuts were worth discussion). I was very taken when she said that to me, and this was maybe 10 years ago?
We were just discussing about offices in general (she and my Mom worked together as secretaries in a School District and she took me on after Mom died). I am just a secretary too underneath it all, and we discussing co-workers these days and how it comes down to just a couple of hard workers in the drone part of the office pulling for the others, while watching others take two-hour lunches, gab on their cell phones all day, blah blah.
I just used the medical profession as an example to try to keep somewhat on topic. I, too, have to work very hard these days to keep it under control because it seems no matter what or where you go, to do anything, there is a glitch and a untrained (and sometimes unschooled and hard to understand) front line "secretary" to get past. It's not them, its the management, and when I have a beef, I always go straight to the top. I won't name names, just tell them they have a training problem and their management needs to work on helping their workers more.
PS Honey, all that craziness on Marco and 5th/Third (the new undiscovered South Beach), and the economy falling apart - its a bizarre situation. C
Hi,
I used to work as a Radiographer in a local hospital and do agree pressures of the job and life get in the way and although they shouldn't it is just life and health professions are regular people, with the normal pressures of life !
I used to find the pressure of a Dr screaming down the phone at me wanting a particular xray on a patient now, when there is 17 patients in a waiting room before that patient and just me does mean there is less time for patients and listening to people does get lost along the way.
The health service has become number based as apposed to patient based and unfortunately things can only get worse for the staff and hence the patients.
I left the health profession to enter teaching and unless drastic measures are taken, more staff will leave !