Human service

As a human service provider, I am daily reminded of what exactly is integrity , respect, and dignity. I come into almost 60+ clients every day. I am admitting that I do get frustrated and at times just want to pull every strand of my hair out of my head; but I stop. I think. I try to put myself in their shoes and help them in any way I can in my capacity of helping; but most of all. I try to LISTEN.

Yesterday, I was reminded of the importance of respect and dignity....and yes, integrity. But I wasn't wearing the "hat" of a human service provider----I was wearing the "hat" of someone who needed services provided to THEM. I was the patient; I was the client; and I felt disrespected and felt like I was being driven to the ground; and it reminded me of how important it is to really be respectful of those around you; especially as a human service provider.

My story:

I recently hurt my back AGAIN after 6 weeks ago of injuring it. I slipped on ice; and I fell TWICE. I first fell on my knee where there is currently a huge swollen bruise. As i tried to get up, I fell again....this time on my back. My back was re-injured. Oh what fun. My acting manager/director at that time decided to send me to Prompt Care to get it checked out because I was walking slow and limping. I said "ok" I'll go.

Waiting room: not bad; filled out paper work and waited no more than 20 min which is great considering it's a walk in clinic.

Exam room: waited for ONE HOUR. At this point I'm frustrated, in pain and tired. I was already told that the original doctor who has been following up on me was off yesterday and since my work sent me there, I had no choice but to see another physician.........

....only it wasn't a physician. It was a Nurse Practitioner. Don't get me wrong, I don't discriminate medical professions; but yesterday was horrible for me. The NP get's my description of how I hurt myself; she pokes at me for less than a minute and orders Xrays;
I then wait another 30 min to get the Xrays taken.

• She comes in and says "good news, no broken bones; just brising/swelling" Then she asks "what are you taking for pain?" I told her Tylenol but it wasn't helping.

• She suggested to order me "Ultracet"

• I say "well, I've tried it in the past and I horrible experiences with it".

• She tells me "I want you to try again"
  
• I tell her "yeah, but last time I had this years ago it affected my stomach"

• She says "well, let's try half a tablet" and she also keeps saying "half should affect you in a bad way"...and THEN says "I take it all the time for my arthrities and it works for me".
  
• I tell her "well, I've tried it in the past and like I said it never worked."

• She goes "just try it anyways, ok".
  
• I reluctantly say "well, let's just hope it doesn't bother me.
• " She says "I'll be back w/ the meds, THANK YOU".

so, I was waiting for her and decide to myself I'm NOT going to put up with her pushy attitude. The regular nurse/CNA comes in with the meds and I say "I want to talk to the NP again".

• NP comes in
• I told her "i decided that I really DO NOT want to risk takin this medication bc of my stomach".
  
• She keeps insisted it shouldn't bother me.
  
• I keep insisting I don't want to chance it.
  
• Then she says in this voice "WHAT DO YOU want then, because it SOUNDS LIKE YOU WANT another medication. (I never suggested a med, although I could have..... oh, and also at this point I am feeling as if she is thinking i'm some kind of narcotic addict; which is one reason why i didn't suggest a med that I know helps)
  
• She said "only thing left is medication w/Codiene and say you have bad GI issues w/ meds". <>
• She said "if i give you Percocet or Hydrocodine it will make you throw up" (ok, first off how DOES SHE KNOW THAT will do it to me?").
  
• I just look at her and say "I'm not asking for a particular meds; I JUST DON'T want to risk taking that other previous meds again. Oh, and also told her I wasn't purposely trying to be a hard patient but need to be CLEAR.
  
• she says "well, i think it's your OTHER daily medication (my antibiotic) that might make you sick, not this pain med" Then she also says "it helps me wonderfully"
• I'm thinking quietly to myself "well, goody too shoes for you that it helps you"
  
• I told her I JUST RECENTLY took this new antibiotic and KNOWS it can bother your stomach......so I asked her "I don't want to chance having even MORE GI issues than currently have.
• So, she says "well, I can give you Darvocet that SHOULD NOT make you sick, but I'm also giving you some Zofran in case it does. (i'm thinking to myself "I SURE HOPE this low dose pain med will help" THEN
  
• she says "but i still want you to try the Ultracet.
  

I dropped it at that point (because for one it took every will power not to yell at her or go over an smack her to "wake" her up!) I got different meds even though she gave me a bunch of samples of the Ultracet I don't have to take it."

• She then says "i want you to come back in two weeks to see me, but I told her I rather see my original follow up dr from my first injury and she was okay with that.

THEN

• she says "you can go back to FULL DUTY work.
• I said "um, no b/c I'm still under the doctors care for PT and such; I don't think I should be on full duty bc the other dr said i wasn't ready.
• She goes "oh, okay, I didn't see that in your chart; then PROCEEDS to release me to MORE DUTY at work!
  

Ok, first off; DUH, IF YOU HAVE A NEW BACK/KNEE INJURY do you really not give someone a work restriction OR raise your restrictions that leads to regular duty? Beyond my comprehension. I was at that clinic from 2:30-5:30; not happy at all.

I did't feel like i was heard------I didn't feel respected. I felt pushed to do soemthing she wanted me to do when I already told her about my experiences with it before; it's one thing to refuse a med if you haven't tried it; but I did and she wasn't LISTENING.

I learned a lot yesterday; I learned to really really listen..............