I would like to start this post with a quote from John W. Gardner
If you have some respect for people as they are, you can be more effective in helping them to become better than they are.”
Unfortunately, you won’t find that everybody is living by the same principals. And sometimes the people that ask you for the most respect don’t show any in return. But they do take your money.
Here is my sad story.
I had told myself many times that doctors are human and say things just to be funny. But as with real humans, not every joke is a good joke. After I went to my second appointment to see my neurologist, I felt angrier than I have ever been before. I am actually, a very calm person and don’t get easily distracted by what other people say to me. But this was just more than I could handle. If I wouldn’t have been in the position that I had to see that neurologist I would have turned around right then. But I couldn’t. There I was, scared, not knowing what was wrong with my eyes and why I couldn’t see out of my left eye. And what did this guy say? “Be careful and don’t run into the wall!” I mean, how much respect can you see in these eight words? There was none. If he would have said: “Please be careful and don’t run into the wall,” than this would have showed that he, at least, respect for his walls.
I have seen this doctor two more times after that visit. My health insurance wanted a second opinion before paying $1000 a month for Avonex, he refused to ever see me again. He said that I didn’t trust him and never wanted to see me again. And all the neurologists in his office (a total of 6) where not allowed to see me, as well. First I was lost, but then I thought to myself that there must have been a higher reason why I was in need for a new doctor. And I found a great doctor. A doctor that worked with me as a person who is just like him. He asked me “how much money do you have on you?” I opened my wallet and said “Eight dollars.” “Ok, your visit today is five dollars.”
So, what is the point of this story? Doctors are human beings. Sometimes they make the right choices in life and sometimes they make the wrong choices. I have made wrong choices myself, although I would hope that I have never been so disrespectful to people. But as I have learned from my second neurologist that having respect for another person will develop trust. I would have never trusted to tell Dr……. (no I don’t wash dirty laundry) my problems. And how much good would that has been to me? Only when I trust a person I will be able to open up. And this is the most important aspect in a doctor-patient-relationship.
So, why I am telling all of this? A few hours after I found out today about my passing result of the NCELX-RN exam I know that I will have to be better than what I have seen with this doctor. I don’t have an influence of how other healthcare provider talk to their patients but I have it in my own hands to make my patients feel that they are important the way they are and that I would like to help them to get over the next big hump. Everybody has to walk his or her own life path. But sometimes a little guidance can’t hurt.
