Anyone have any responses they use they'd like to share? I have to call patients frequently and explain things they don't want to hear. Their meds were denied by insurance and we had to change. No, they can't have the narcs they want. No, they need an appointment and can't just "have whatever they requested called in" and "No, anxiety and depression don't qualify you for medical cert" to keep their lights and gas turned on. No, they need to be seen for birth control, antibiotics, etc., etc. And lots of other situations. Any other nurse who has to deal with rude/angry patients on the phone, let's hear it!
"Unfortunately your provider is unwilling to send a prescription for you to your pharmacy without seeing you in the office, so I am calling you to schedule an appointment for you. What days are convenient for you to come in?" and "No, we do not have anything available today." and "If the pain/congestion/whatever is so severe that you have tried everything and nothing helps and you cannot wait to see your doctor, it may be wise to get an (x-ray, examination, whatever test) or be seen in the ER to rule out any serious problems immediately.
