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This happened to me yesterday, and has happened many times before, in many different office settings.
I was at an orthopedic surgeon's office. I did my part, arrive early, and sit there and wait the usual 45 min past my app time, just so I wouldn't go thinking I, as a patient, matter And NO, the office wasn't busy or overly crowded.
Then, the "nurse" or whatever she was, calls back about 4 of us at the same time. Real snitty attitude, but hey, that's all part of being a patient.....then, she takes off like a shot, walking so damned fast we couldn't keep up with her. Did I mention this is an orthopedic surgeon? Like you would expect anyone there to be a sprinter? She goes down the hall and I couldn't see which way she went. Just expected me to somehow keep up with her, not even looking back. Well, I refused to play her little power kick game. I just stood where I was, waiting for her to come back. Finally she come back looking for me, with a p'od look. What are you doing standing here, I TOLD you to go into room 4. Well, did you notice I wasn't pacing you? Sweetie (yes, sweetie is the correct term in doctor's offices, se other threads about that), I simply can't walk that fast, you do need to slow down. Oh, the look on her face, she all but turned purple. I know I'm there to be "put in my place", patients aren't worthy of courtesy, but I can only walk so fast!
I've had this happen at many doctor's offices, the "nurse" takes off walking so fast you can't pace her, then gets p'od when you lose her. The best thing to do is simply NOT play that game and stop where you are, let her circle back looking for the lost patient. Also, let the doctor know, that's totally inappropriate for any doctor's office, but especially for an office who's main clinetele is mobility impaired!
The best thing to do is simply NOT play that game and stop where you are, let her circle back looking for the lost patient.
I think there are dozens of ways she'll be able to get back at you. You might win that microbattle but she'll win the war.
But I agree, many doctor's offices aren't the most "customer" oriented places. (And we are customers first and patients second.)
Here's your typical phone machine message at a doctor's office:
"Hello, You've reached Dr. Golf N. Cheatinonspouse's office. If this is an emergency call 911 now [now they've released themselves from any liability]. Our normal office hours are Mondays through Thursdays 9 to 4 with lunch from 11 to 1. Friday's 9 to 11. We are taking our next appointments [three months from now] in June. Our latest appointment is 3PM. If arriving for your first appointment, please arrive 45 minutes early [so you can fill out 19 forms which release us from any liability and guarantee we'll get paid. The forms always ask both your age and your DOB because we're too stupid to figure out your age from your DOB. We also need your SSN nine times because we couldn't care less about your risk of identity theft. Finally we ask the same information each time on each form because we are still using 1950s technology in this office and we can't transfer information from one form onto multiple forms - so you need to enter the same information over and over and over.]. If you can't make an appointment please let us know three weeks in advance or else we will charge you $150. [We double book so there's a 95% chance you'll be sitting around in the waiting room for 90 minutes.]"
I think there are dozens of ways she'll be able to get back at you. You might win that microbattle but she'll win the war.
But I agree, many doctor's offices aren't the most "customer" oriented places. (And we are customers first and patients second.)
Here's your typical phone machine message at a doctor's office:
"Hello, You've reached Dr. Golf N. Cheatinonspouse's office. If this is an emergency call 911 now [now they've released themselves from any liability]. Our normal office hours are Mondays through Thursdays 9 to 4 with lunch from 11 to 1. Friday's 9 to 11. We are taking our next appointments [three months from now] in June. Our latest appointment is 3PM. If arriving for your first appointment, please arrive 45 minutes early [so you can fill out 19 forms which release us from any liability and guarantee we'll get paid. The forms always ask both your age and your DOB because we're too stupid to figure out your age from your DOB. We also need your SSN nine times because we couldn't care less about your risk of identity theft. Finally we ask the same information each time on each form because we are still using 1950s technology in this office and we can't transfer information from one form onto multiple forms - so you need to enter the same information over and over and over.]. If you can't make an appointment please let us know three weeks in advance or else we will charge you $150. [We double book so there's a 95% chance you'll be sitting around in the waiting room for 90 minutes.]"
Well, what other choice did I have? She disappeared around a corner, I couldn't tell which way she went, and by the time I'd hobble one way she would be another direction. It wasn't a choice on my part, I can't walk that fast. It wasn't MY power kick, it was her's that back-fired on her. Oh, but I agree, get on their bad side, even if its their fault, and they take it out on you.
That's terrible. I will tell you up front that I work in healthcare. And there are amazing people who work in healthcare, but unfortunately there are people in healthcare that have no business working in healthcare. Personally I would have mentioned this issue to the physician at the end of your visit with him or her. And if it did not improve at the next visit, I would change doctors.
It's hard to be a patient, and I expect to be treated with courtesy and compassion from all of the people who help me - doctors, nurses, office staff, etc. Everyone deserves that! I will also say, to be fair, sometimes people are imperfect, and you may need to let them know if you can't quite keep up their pace, or if you need them to do something differently. Sometimes people just don't think or don't realize... a good nurse would have been glad to slow down or help you however she could.
By not saying something when the nurse got a few steps ahead, you became part of the problem. I have seen some people who use canes move at a good clip. How was she to know if you did not say anything?
Unfortunately, this is symptomatic of the "This would be a great place to work if it weren't for the customers" attitude that's prevalent today.
P.S. Had she made that long-winded, rude comment to me, addressing me as if I were a child, I probably would have looked around the room and responded without a smile, "I'm sorry. Were you speaking to me?"
Bunch of rude people on this thread, Marylee. When a nurse sees a patient with a cane, it is her duty to offer her arm to the patient if she chooses and walk her into the room. Every patient is to be afforded the dignity of being called by name, not sweety or hon, or anything else. Real RNs have learned this in school; I doubt that person had any nurse training at all, so don't take it personally.
DH has an injury where he walks VERY slow. We are at doctor's appointments a LOT.
When they walk too fast it goes something like this "Yo, I can't walk that fast. If I could I wouldn't BE here."
We tend to joke with the staff and there is nothing wrong with speaking up.
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DH has an injury where he walks VERY slow. We are at doctor's appointments a LOT.
When they walk too fast it goes something like this "Yo, I can't walk that fast. If I could I wouldn't BE here."
We tend to joke with the staff and there is nothing wrong with speaking up.
Yes, I've said such if its feasible. But, this gal called back about 4 patients at once, and was off like a shot and down the hall before I could evev get to my feet. The distance gap between us was too great for even a comment. There was simply nothing I could do but wait for her to realize she was missing a patient and come back looking for me. Oh, once in the room, I politely explained to her I walk slow, so please take that into consideration. Oh, she beams me a nice smile, says that's ok. Then, a few minutes later she comes back and says to follow her to X-ray. She does it again, before I can get out of the chair she's off like a shot, losing me in the process. The rest of the staff saw it, oh, the giggles! Another came back and siad let me help you to the X-ray, take your time....when we got there, the first gal is looking around for me, like she never even bothered to check to make sure I was pacing her. BTW, this place is an arthritis and osteoporosis clinic, WTH do they expect to come in there, olympic sprinters?
I've encountered such before, they are trying to look extremely efficient to other staff. They usually don't last long.
By not saying something when the nurse got a few steps ahead, you became part of the problem. I have seen some people who use canes move at a good clip. How was she to know if you did not say anything?
She's a nurse (we think). She's supposed to have common sense and intelligence enough and to realize that someone using a cane to walk with at an ortho office may not be able to keep up with her and CARE enough to do a quick assessment and adjust her speed accordingly. It shouldn't be necessary for patients to have to tell her to slow down. As I've said before too many wrong people in the job because of the pay. They'd be better suited to working on a checkout in a grocery store. Maybe I'm glad that I might never practice as a RN in this country.
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And NO, the office wasn't busy or overly crowded. 
