Guest Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 One of patients in ER last night was being treated by a PA. I guess the nurse and I (ER Tech) kept coming in and out of that room several times during her stay. At the end of her stay I had to take out her IV and she asked me what a "PA" was. I explained to her. After that she proceeded on telling me how bad her PA was. She made me furious. It is 3 am and you are here for "body aches" and you complain that your PA did not come into your room every 30 min to update you on your condition, and that she did not "cure" your headache? You are not the only one here, lady. I know that this particular PA is very good at her job. I tried to remain as professional as possible, also working into the conversation that I am trying to become a PA. Patients who think they are the only ones in ER really tick me off sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Meh sometimes you just need to vent. But I'm sure she would have said the same thing if this individual was an MD. Just try not to get too jaded before you become a PA yourself my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoPA Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 I'm generally nice and understanding. But when I'm tired (which I would be at 3am) and in pain, I'm illogical and grumpy and super impatient: I want to be fixed NOW! You know who I consider the hero of my last hospital visit? Not the dr or nurse or anyone else in charge, but my fellow medic who injected me with the meds to make my migraine dissipate. I wouldn't take it personally. People just want to feel better as quickly as possible and some lack people skills to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackjacks Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Grrr grumpy ER patients! I get really frustrated with the ones who want to know why people who got there after them are being seen sooner. It's called TRIAGE, people, and you don't want to be the person jumping to the front of the line 'cause that means you're the sickest! End rant. I sympathize with your night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timon Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I learned just to be ALOC when I need to be seen in an ER. = oX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Haha oooh there are always those who scream at you because they've been there for 4 hours with "abd pain" while there are active CPRs, STEMIs, traumas, and head bleeds all at once.... but that is just a typical ER day/night... it just gets me when someone badmouths a good PA, MD, nurse, or a fellow tech because they don't bother to understand that medicine is not magic and ER is not a place to go for something that can be cured at home with time and good old ibuprofen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seijou Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 get used to that. but those same folks do that in restaurants, when they deal with cops, when they are talking on the phone to the cable company, when they are returning something to the store.... Although one key difference is that when you see people in the hospital, it is sometimes a very bad day in their lives. You don't know what they've been through and how much of an emotional or physical toll it's taken on them. In any given day you might have patients who lash out on you in many different ways, but be kind and surprise them... Sometimes patients just need someone to listen to them, and when you listen to their concerns the may recognize that you are trying to do something kind and they may appreciate it. They may not always appreciate you, but I like to give patients the benefit of the doubt. I don't lose anything from it. As hard as it is sometimes, I try to treat every patient with respect and compassion. It's not my place to give them attitude when they lash out on me, but I can be firm when they are doing sometime that may disrupt the care or healing of others in the facility. Just my 2c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAAdmission Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 When you go into medicine, you will generally discover that America is populated with self-interested dimwits. While I do try to cut people some slack when they find themselves scared and hurting, there are a ton of other scared and hurting patients who manage to behave in a civil fashion. I don't excuse bad behavior from anyone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Sometimes clinicians need to learn to see from the patient's perspective, though. From my experience taking people to the ER (not one I work at thank God) I have often seen that person receive terrible treatment from clinicians who seem to genuinely not give a flip and truly seem inconvenienced to have to "deal with" that patient, even though the person (patient) was not rude or argumentative. There are two sides to every coin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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