The book was amazing! It was truly eye opening and confirms all the small details that are always there lingering in our minds about our patients'. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this. The facts highlighted in the story will always remain concrete as I care for my patients. Engel did such a fantastic job speaking to the reader and health care professionals. His simplistic approach makes it so easy to understand the things we may think are complex, but are merely just human in nature. I cannot recall any one particular experience related to "watch dog", but when working with the demented/phych patients it seems like I always felt like a "watch dog."
On the topic of "over-apologizing" I will be much more cautious of now, considering Engel's comments. I would have never thought of the patient thinking what he mentioned in the book, but when reading it and considering the facts from their perspective, it makes perfect sense. There have been a few times when I have over-apologized; not because I did something wrong, but because there was nothing else I could do. I guess since we are the one's they look to, we tend to be over board sometimes when we have maxed out our options and know they are still suffering with pain/mental anguish etc.and we cannot always wave our little wand and fix everything for them.
"rocked the boat" I had several occasions while working at a doctor's office when I "rocked the boat." For instance: When a patient pays a co-pay, let alone a large co-pay and is only seen for a 1-2 min. period,and is completely cut off when attempting to ask a simple question just because it does not relate to what they were "scheduled" for, I think it's time to rock the boat. Also, once I was told to call and give a patient their biopsy results, which was a dx melanoma stage 3. Uh..no. Those patients were always brought in and the doctor provides results for that diagnosis, including tx options, etc. The insurance the patient had was quote "not worth the visit" I was astonished and obviously had to rock that boat! Well, unfortunately I could go on with these types of stories, but I think you get my drift.
On the topic of "over-apologizing" I will be much more cautious of now, considering Engel's comments. I would have never thought of the patient thinking what he mentioned in the book, but when reading it and considering the facts from their perspective, it makes perfect sense. There have been a few times when I have over-apologized; not because I did something wrong, but because there was nothing else I could do. I guess since we are the one's they look to, we tend to be over board sometimes when we have maxed out our options and know they are still suffering with pain/mental anguish etc.and we cannot always wave our little wand and fix everything for them.
"rocked the boat" I had several occasions while working at a doctor's office when I "rocked the boat." For instance: When a patient pays a co-pay, let alone a large co-pay and is only seen for a 1-2 min. period,and is completely cut off when attempting to ask a simple question just because it does not relate to what they were "scheduled" for, I think it's time to rock the boat. Also, once I was told to call and give a patient their biopsy results, which was a dx melanoma stage 3. Uh..no. Those patients were always brought in and the doctor provides results for that diagnosis, including tx options, etc. The insurance the patient had was quote "not worth the visit" I was astonished and obviously had to rock that boat! Well, unfortunately I could go on with these types of stories, but I think you get my drift.