No wonder people abuse the ER...

James Huffman · Jul 7, 2006

You would be doing your FNP a huge favor if you told her EXACTLY what you said here.

If the receptionist is treating you that way, she's treating others that way. If I were the FNP (or any other partner there in that office) I would want to know this. The receptionist is the first face the public sees (or deals with on the phone), and they are likely losing business because of her behavior.

Jim Huffman, RN

Altra, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2006

Hoppermom, I hope your son's arm improves quickly ... but I think I have to go w/the office staff on this one. Arm pain is a vague complaint until investigated and examined - could be an orthopedic, neurovascular, or muscular issue, or just the lingering effects of some injury or overexertion that your son doesn't even recall. I'm not an FNP, but I do order extremity x-rays in the ER, and I wouldn't automatically order one for this complaint unless there was obvious deformity or report of recent injury.

ShayRN · Jul 7, 2006

Hoppermom, I hope your son's arm improves quickly ... but I think I have to go w/the office staff on this one. Arm pain is a vague complaint until investigated and examined - could be an orthopedic, neurovascular, or muscular issue, or just the lingering effects of some injury or overexertion that your son doesn't even recall. I'm not an FNP, but I do order extremity x-rays in the ER, and I wouldn't automatically order one for this complaint unless there was obvious deformity or report of recent injury.

I don't think that she was upset about not getting the XRay, she was upset because she wasn't give the opportunity to speak with a PROFESSIONAL. A secretary is NOT the one to make the decision to order an XRay or not. She has no right to deny the op access to the NP. I would tell her when you see her (him?) about the conversation. It was rude and out of line.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2006

You would be doing your FNP a huge favor if you told her EXACTLY what you said here.
If the receptionist is treating you that way, she's treating others that way. If I were the FNP (or any other partner there in that office) I would want to know this. The receptionist is the first face the public sees (or deals with on the phone), and they are likely losing business because of her behavior.

I agree, the FNP needs to know how patients are being treated.

I work nights, too. When I make appointments (whether it's for the doctor, dentist, cable guy, etc.) and they offer a bad time for me (like in the middle of the day when I'm working back-to-back nights), I gently explain that I work night shift, and that the 3pm appointment is like 3am to me. I ask if maybe it could be resheduled for first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon or early evening. If they say no, I ask to speak to a supervisor (or in the doctor's office, a nurse). If the receptionist refused, I honestly don't know what I'd do!

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2006

I don't think that she was upset about not getting the XRay, she was upset because she wasn't give the opportunity to speak with a PROFESSIONAL. A secretary is NOT the one to make the decision to order an XRay or not. She has no right to deny the op access to the NP. I would tell her when you see her (him?) about the conversation. It was rude and out of line.

I think you're right. I have done this as well - after scheduling an emergency appointment with a receptionist, I've asked to speak with a nurse. After explaining my symptoms to the nurse, I ask if there are any labs or tests they want me to have done before the appointment and they'll go ask the doctor. Many times when I've gone to those appointments later on, the docs thank me for already having the stuff done because it made their diagnosis much easier. Of course, this is for stuff that is pretty obvious - and I think any kind of bone pain obviously warrents and x-ray.

ANOTHER TIP:

If you are trying to get an appointment ASAP and the receptionist is telling you that nothing is available for weeks or months, ask to speak with the NURSE. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten an appointment much quicker by doing this. The nurse will squeeze you in if it's necessary.

hoppermom3 · Jul 7, 2006

I was not asking the receptionist to order an Xray, only to have FNP call me back so that if she IS going to want one, it can be taken care of before arriving at clinic. If she does not wish to Xray, that is fine with me. More than likely, there is nothing wrong anyway.

I am probably quicker than most to agree to Xrays without obvious deformities because as a teen, I once walked on a fractured ankle for 3 weeks before it was checked out. No bruising, no swelling, just pain.

TazziRN, RN · Jul 7, 2006

I agree, the medical staff needs to know how the front desk folks are treating their clients. I would say something.

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 7, 2006

Here's another tip for working well with your physician's office staff:

Never call them just before a weekend (or on a weekend, holiday, etc.) and tell them that you have been bothered by the symptoms for a week, but waited until just before the weekend to try to get squeezed into a probably already crowded schedule. That puts you on bad footing to begin with. The staff thinks, "If it were so important that it can't wait for a more convenient time, why didn't she call a couple of days ago?"

As someone who grew up as a kid screening calls for my country-doctor Dad, that's a biggie. It sets off alarms. Has something really changed to bring this to the top of the priority list? or is this caller simply being demanding because that's her personality? If you give them any reason to suspect that the second possibility is the case, then they will be less likely to make any special efforts to accommodate your personal preferences.

The truth may not be pretty ... but that's the truth.

I hope your son is OK.

llg

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2006

Here's another tip for working well with your physician's office staff:
Never call them just before a weekend (or on a weekend, holiday, etc.) and tell them that you have been bothered by the symptoms for a week, but waited until just before the weekend to try to get squeezed into a probably already crowded schedule. That puts you on bad footing to begin with. The staff thinks, "If it were so important that it can't wait for a more convenient time, why didn't she call a couple of days ago?"

Good advice!

Another one I've found is that whenever I've called with a complaint after office hours and they had voice mail, if I leave a message with all the vital information and ask if someone could please call me in the morning - that I always get a call back bright and early in the AM and usually score an appointment ASAP. I think it's the combination of despiration - the call is marked at, say, 2am, so they know that it's a serious problem that is keeping you awake - and consideration - not demanding to talk to someone right then at 2am - that seems to help put the staff in a helpful mood.

SharonH, RN · Jul 7, 2006

Here's another tip for working well with your physician's office staff:
Never call them just before a weekend (or on a weekend, holiday, etc.) and tell them that you have been bothered by the symptoms for a week, but waited until just before the weekend to try to get squeezed into a probably already crowded schedule. That puts you on bad footing to begin with. The staff thinks, "If it were so important that it can't wait for a more convenient time, why didn't she call a couple of days ago?"
As someone who grew up as a kid screening calls for my country-doctor Dad, that's a biggie. It sets off alarms. Has something really changed to bring this to the top of the priority list? or is this caller simply being demanding because that's her personality? If you give them any reason to suspect that the second possibility is the case, then they will be less likely to make any special efforts to accommodate your personal preferences.
The truth may not be pretty ... but that's the truth.
I hope your son is OK.
llg

I must agree and that was my first thought on reading the original post.

When I was a telephone advice nurse which was really little more than a glorifed receptionist, I was frequently given directives by the physicians, PAs and NPs. "Don't schedule me with such and such" "No I won't take appts at this time" "Don't ever ask me to order such and such ahead of time". Then when the clients would call asking for whatever, I would have to turn them down. They always assumed that I had some personal vendetta against them and they were going to report me to Dr. So-and-so for not doing just what they wanted, even though I was doing what he or she told me to do. Naturally, Dr.Whoever would act totally surprised when confronted by the patient that I didn't give them xyz special appt or that I made it difficult for them to get the labs or radiology they wanted sight unseen. That is one of the reasons I hated that job. I'm just letting you know what it's like on the other side.

not now, RN · Jul 7, 2006

The thing is if everyone (or every other person) asked to have the FNP call them back, and they did, the FNP wouldn't really have time to see the patients. Even a five minute phone call for five people would be close to half an hour of time spent on the phone making everyone in the waiting room mad when the appointments back up.

Basically, you have to ask your questions at your appointment time when the practioner can see you. The receptionist should have had better manners or a way of explaining this gently.