A colleague and I were talking at work the other day. The secretary came up to us and addressed my colleague in a hushed voice, “Did you happen to drop the “F” word in room x?”
Blushing, he replied, “I don’t think I did, but I guess it could have happened.”
The secretary then stated that she was on Facebook and the patient was ranting that a Doctor had just dropped the “F-bomb” in front of him and his family. Her sister was a friend of this patient which is why she happened to notice the Facebook post.
It’s going to happen. If you use obscene or offensive language of any kind, sooner or later you will say the wrong word at the wrong time. Sure, use of language will, by definition, contain some words that are offensive to somebody, somewhere eventually.
But we are talking the commonly known 4 letter, English-words that are generally considered “offensive” in general public, the ones that would get you thrown in jail, if said to a police officer.
Yet, these words are also heard, occasionally, on children’s networks and in lesser rated (pg-13) movies. Huh, society?
Continuing with my story, my colleague and I talked some more. He is relatively new to private practice and I thought I would lend my advice. Yes, it is tried and true advice, deep from the well of experience.
I suggested he humbly return to the room and express his apologies in as sincere a fashion he could muster. If the patient rants and lambasts him mercilessly, take it like a dog with his tail between his legs. At the next opportunity during working hours, inform the department head of what happened and how it was handled.
He did.
When he came out of the patient’s room, he told me that it went well.
I asked, “Oh, how was that?”
Colleague, “After I apologized, they said there was no need to and that they thought it was cool. They said they were sick of Docs that pussy-footed around and wouldn’t come to the point!”
Still, I recommend following the above advice if you want to keep your job.
Your Grumpy Uncle Dave.
Weary