As far as small talk with patients and others, I have always been a person to feel empathy for that nervous patient, and talk back. Probably why I’m a nurse, and not a doc(joke). But our administration would push all of us to go for FIVE STAR SERVICE. Which is bunk. Being rude is one thing, but just being quiet is another.

I don’t see why being a patient gives a person the right to expect conversation from every employee at a hospital. Would they expect that at the mall?

We are also expected to ask, “Is there anything else I can do for you? I have the time!” After every interaction. Even if it’s not true. I can tell you how many times I’ve never heard that last sentence spoken!

Heheh, christ..now *I’M* going to think of “jedediah” everytime I think Jedi! “ahuck yuck, use the force, yall!”

Jen, I actually went back and forth on the plural Jedi/Jedis thing while I was typing. I ended up using both forms in different places. For some reason, “Jedi” makes me think of “Jedediah” which makes me think of hillbillies. Which might explain Anakin’s hair braid and their ratty looking robes.

Also, and it really takes an introvert to truly understand, it is not the our duty to indulge strangers in conversation because they like to talk. I get that he’s a patient and maybe wanting some reassurance, but whatever. Be mindful that not everyone else in the world thrives on talking to other people. It actually causes me a physical discomfort when a stranger says something just to try to start up a conversation. It embarrasses me.

“Blah blah blah, doctors are supposed to be friendly and make us comfortable an-” No. They heal us when we are sick. For that they deserve my admiration, my sincere thanks, my utmost respect, and my 15 dollar copay.

\m/ Dark Side

Jackie, thank you.

All, when I wrote this I was thinking of it as more a serious backdrop with tiny attempts at failed comedic relief (from the patient). I wasn’t trying to make the resident look bad nor lower the status of the person in the gurney. It’s simply that sometimes when you’re at work, you are a little distracted by your work. Thanks for the viewpoints!

Surgical Resident (Evil): You’re all going to die down here… Unless we operate!

From my viewpoint, if I am thinking about a crashing patient who is minutes from coding, I’m just not going to engage in jokey banter, whether it’s with a doctor or a patient. I think the resident was in the same mental state, except that her inexperience made her a little more anxious or snappy.