Every person has something about their job that gets on their last nerve. Some are funny. Some are sad, and some are just downright bizarre.
Those who work in healthcare are no different. From dealing with difficult patients to being angry with the overregulation of the government, here 15 of the biggest peeves of working in healthcare:
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15. Patients Confuse the Hospital with a Hotel
No, your nurse cannot bring you a bathrobe and a cup of coffee, and a hospital is not a substitute for a homeless shelter.
14. I Left My ID Badge at Home
Arguably, businesses that deal with sensitive healthcare information have tougher security than hospitals themselves, and this means ID badges. Leaving your badge at home means that you won’t be getting through any doors for the rest of the day unless a kind soul swipes you in.
13. Constantly Losing Your Pen
” Wait a minute. It was just here! What did I do with it???”, you say as you spin around in a circle trying to check all of your pockets.
12. People Who Waste Your Precious Time
Yes, time is money, but in the healthcare sector, it can also mean the difference between life and death. After all, there’s a reason you’re running through the halls!
11. Family Members Try to Circumnavigate the Rules
When a patient’s family members (or yours!) try to circumnavigate the rules, like sneaking in small kids. The rules are there for a reason, and you aren’t a special exception!
10. Diagnose via the Internet
When a patient or coworker attempts to diagnose themselves via the Internet. You do understand that WebMD is not an actual doctor, right? Neither is Google for that matter.
9. Sheer Amount of Paperwork Waiting
When you realize the sheer amount of paperwork that is sitting on your desk – waiting for you. It’s so important, but it just takes up SO much of your time.
8. Receiving a Novel Long Report
Receiving a novel long report from someone when a short, direct note would do. When someone hands you a ten-page report when all you asked for was a summary, it’s very irritating. Besides, do you know how many trees just died so you could write something I’m not going to read?
7. Dealing with Insurance Companies
Why is it necessary to obtain prior authorization for medications that should be made readily available to my patient? And why do I have to spend my valuable time justifying my choice to a non-medical person on the other end of the phone?
6. People View You as a Walking Pharmacology Book
When your friends and family members view you as a walking pharmacology book. I work as a human resources manager for a hospital…that doesn’t make me qualified to diagnose the boil on your backside.
5. Complaining Coworkers
Complaining coworkers – ‘nuff said. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a case manager or a nurse. Coworkers who constantly whine about how much they are doing or how busy they are, they are really dragging office morale down.
4. Doctors or Nurses Used to Threaten Small Children
When doctors or nurses are used to threaten small children. Even those these medical personnel occasionally poke people with needles, it doesn’t mean that they’re bad or mean. When parents use doctors and nurses to create a negative impression on the minds of young children, it makes it really difficult for them to interact with one another.
3. Smells
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Getting ready to go to work is not like getting ready to go on a date. Too much perfume is overpowering and can leave those around you with a headache.
2. Mistaking Directness for Rudeness
Healthcare professionals are often stereotyped as rude or negative, but what you have to understand is that support staff must be direct. There is a lot to do and only so much time to do it in.
1. Lying
This one is specifically for the patients. Bloodwork doesn’t lie. Don’t lie and say that you are taking a doctor’s orders seriously when you are clearly not. It makes it so much harder for doctors and nurses to work with you when you’re not being honest.