75 Things Patients Do That Annoy People In The Medical Field

I absolutely understand that you are/your loved one is having a terrible time- yelling at me/my colleagues does not help your situation in any way shape or form. If we could have assisted you faster/better/differently we more than likely would have. Your priorities are not our priorities even though it feels like they should be. Google doesn’t dictate the services or treatment you receive or the diagnosis you are given. I am sorry. I really am. I am not your servant. I am a highly educated, well trained professional. Thanks.

Just because someone has good vital signs and is talking doesn’t mean their COPD, ESRD, CAD, CHF, and cancer is going away. They need actual goals of care.

Please clean out your bellybutton.
So many dirty bellybuttons.
It makes it easier for the o.r. team to clean and prep for surgery. Some times i have to use a surgical clamp to remove rock hard bellybutton lint/dirt and its nasty.

We gave up our twenties and took out huge debt to care for people who sometimes demonize and disrespect us.

The bloat in healthcare cost is administration, not doctors, nurses or other healthcare professionals salaries.

Side effects from a medication are NOT allergies to the medication.

As an Optometrist, the amount of people who think they're "legally blind" is infuriating. It doesn't matter how poor your vision is without corrective lenses. If you can see 20/20 with the aid of glasses or contacts you are no where close to being legally blind.

We can't solve all your problems.

I really need you to have all your paperwork filled out. It is absolutely necessary for me to have an updated HIPAA compliance form on hand in case I have to speak with your family members.

That the few hours it takes to get lab results in the ER *is* expedited. It still takes time to run the tests.

Psych NP - m*******a is a lot more risky and dangerous than many people know.

If you come to the hospital for a specific problem that is what we are going to focus on. We are not diving into every ailment you have.

As a previous registration staff member in an ER, we don’t want you to have to sit in the waiting room for hours, either. Chances are if you’re sitting there that long, you don’t need to be seen in the ER and could have/should have gone to an Urgent Care or your PCP. If someone got there after you but is called before you, you should feel bad for them not angry, because it means whatever their ailment is, it’s worse than yours. Also, if you come in on the ambulance for tooth pain? Yeah, we’re wheeling you right out to the waiting room.

1 - My job is educated guessing. Especially true of you came to me instead of going to the specialist like you were told to see multiple times previously. Going to the ER multiple times for the same chronic problem is going to get you the same result. My job isn’t to diagnose all your conditions. It’s to keep you alive until your next doctor’s appointment, whether that’s in the hospital or as an outpatient.

2 - Stop lying. I really don’t care about any of your unhealthy life choices, but I can’t help you if you don’t actually tell me what’s going on.

That 99+% of the times people say they “woke up during anesthesia”, they were not actually under general anesthesia but rather receiving light sedation for minor procedures like colonoscopies or those performed with local anesthetics where sedation is given more as a courtesy than anything else. 

If a patient is not getting a breathing tube put in for a procedure, it’s unsafe for the anesthesiologist to give them enough medication to guarantee they won’t wake up or remember anything 100% of the time. The possibility of waking up is the trade off for not getting a breathing tube and the risks that come with it. .

Paramedics are not taxi drivers.

Please do not eat before a scheduled surgery. It’s going to make both of our days longer and possibly even reschedule your surgery.

This ain’t a d**n hotel and we’re not your waiter. Your insurance does not entitle you to anything other than medical care. People think the hospital should be like The Hilton.

99% of patient complaints are due to insurance and medical profiteering. The person actually providing you care has little control over it. This even includes the nurse or doc who was less than friendly. You'd be stunned by the bs they deal with. Sometimes being gruff is just a defense against a system that grinds them down right along with their patients.

We can keep you alive past the point anyone would want to be alive. Please consider that when you say do everything for your family.

Introverts are also attracted to the medical field. We do care. We are intrigued by our field. Sometimes, we're just socially burnt out, and our brain isn't processing excessive casual conversation. It's not you (usually). We're not mad or sad. We're just tired, especially if we've been picking up overtime. We will bounce back... After posting up with dogs and books in total silence for a minute.