Monday Moaning.
Monday morning…. One of my early patients said on leaving: “Well that’s another one you can tick off!”
OK! So I found that a little offensive, suggesting that my clinic was just a factory line I have to work through, rather than the caring therapeutic environment it is. So maybe he was an “in and out” patient on a busy Monday morning, but if he had something in need of my full attention he would have received it.
Instead he had some dry skin, so I suggested an emollient – well he could have tried that first if he had the initiative. What more did he want from me – a full skin transplant perhaps?
The full skin graft was hellish…
My last patient on Monday morning came in and sat down, I introduced myself and then we looked at each other and said nothing. So I start…
“Can I help?”
“Well, don’t you know” –
OK. I’ve had people be “funny” with me before, but she was serious.
“I’m afraid not, what’s the trouble?”
“Well, I was expecting you to know…”
Turns out she’d been seen in a diabetic clinic on Friday, and advised by her consultant her bloods were abnormal and she needed to urgently start some medication. We, of course, had no letter, no bloods and therefore no idea what the plan was. Patient was most despondent that we couldn’t start her treatment today.
Hello world!! A few question:
1: If something is urgent – then why didn’t the consultant prescribe it? – probably because he doesn’t want it to come out of his budget.
2: If the consultant felt that the GP needed to know this information urgently why didn’t he ensure it was faxed through? – he lives in an ivory tower and thinks that speaking into a Dictaphone magically makes information appear exactly where he wants it, with no idea that his secretary might type it up a week later and then send it.
Max banging his head against an Ivory tower
and finally 3: If a consultant has not ensured the urgent thing gets done urgently, why is the patient blaming me?
I usually post once a week – typically on a Friday, but if this week keeps going at this rate who knows!!
It shouldn't happen in health care 
I think your patients should be able to expect you to be just a little psychic! 🙂
Max retorts: I knew you were going to say that – tee hee!!
xx
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Julie
May 14, 2007
Hi Max:
I just wanted you to know that I enjoy your blog, and that I’m adding you to my blogroll.
MJ
Max retorts: What an absolute compliment – from such an established blogger – I’m flattered!
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motherjones-rn
May 14, 2007
[…] It Shouldn’t Happen in Health Care. But it does, so commiserate with Max E. Nurse on the frustrations of a clinic day in Monday Moaning! […]
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Change of Shift: Volume 1, No. 25 // Emergiblog
May 31, 2007
Just reading your blog you must be UK or somewhere with National Health Care. Here, in the US, Texas to be precise…where I work…they have a 15 minute door to triage rule. Somehow, since the National Language appears to be Mexican nowadays…seems like we are expected to read minds and triage accordingly……..hummmmmmmmm me thinks this one has gastroentroitis…or something is running down his leg….this one is having a baby……this one…lets see bloody sputum…wonder if he’s ever had a TB test…………
Max says: Hmmmm, nice!! Here in the UK, the national language in Polish. I think I should learn it!
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Debby
June 6, 2007
this page is well bad m8e its shit lol
Max says: Fanks Keff.. I’m guessing I’m a tad more square than you. and assume “well bad”, means you like it! I still finds “its shit” a bit of a bum remark.
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keith
June 28, 2007