When Medical Practitioners Fall Short

Nowadays, workers, including medical practitioners, seem to have lost sight of the importance of work ethics. If you value your work and get paid, nothing should stop you from treating your customers well. Unfortunately, It has become a common thing for workers in different establishments like malls, restaurants, and shops, to treat their customers with disrespect. Sometimes I think about it. As a paying customer, I expect the best service. After all, I am paying for it with my hard earned money. The least workers can do is do their jobs right. The people that top the list in this regard are bank employees. Instead of welcoming you with a warm smile, they frown at you as if you’re the cause of their misfortunes. They perform their duties shabbily as if they are being forced to do it. If workers are unwilling to adhere to basic work ethics, why are they there in the first place? Why not a job that allows you to take out your aggression on people?

Surprisingly, medical practitioners of all professions treat patients poorly, regardless of their age, or health condition. Day 23 of the December INLEO Prompts asks us if we have had a medical practitioner that our spirit did not go in line with. Growing up, I often visited the hospital. My mom is a nurse and she often took us to her workplace. We had lots of “Take your kids to work” days. I’ve had many experiences in the hospital; the sweet and memorable ones and the awful ones. I have also made friends with many medical practitioners who treated me with respect despite the age difference. On the other hand, I have encountered medical practitioners who took out their frustrations on me.

The experience that still lives rent free in my head happened a few years ago. The doctor directed me to the X-Ray center to take an X ray of my chest. I didn’t want to go alone, so I waited for my mom to wrap up with whatever she was doing. When she finally arrived, we went there together. There was a long queue; many people also wanted to get an X-Ray that morning. After filling out the form and taking a number, my mom and I sat down to wait for our turn. One of the nurses was in charge of coordinating the procedure. He held a big clipboard where he read the names of the next people on the list to tell them that it was their turn. However, he spoke to people rudely, even the elderly. I wondered why he was so rude. Just because you are in a position of authority doesn’t mean you should speak to people rudely.

My mom noticed that one of the people in the queue was an elderly woman who was struggling really hard to breathe. Immediately, she stood up and called the attention of the nurse to the woman’s distress. Politely, she said, “Please, attend to this old woman. She is finding it difficult to breathe. Elderly ones should be attended to first.” Because my mom wasn’t wearing her uniform and ID card, I assume the nurse didn’t know that she was a high ranking nurse. He looked at her and said, “Madam, sit down.” That response made my mom’s blood hot. My mom is a very calm person, but one thing about people like her is that when they get angry, it is always extreme.

When he uttered that disgusting statement, my spirit immediately turned against him. Someone brought his attention to a patient who was struggling to breathe and instead of taking it into consideration, he decided to assert his authority. That day was one of the few times I witnessed my mom get angry. In the end, my mom drew the attention of other nurses and doctors, who came to resolve the matter.

Thanks for reading.