Write it down!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

OK, I have just spent 2 HOURS waiting at the Dr's, then getting a simple blood test done. I wanted this done quickly 2day as I'm on call 4 work.

Firstly I'd seen the Dr over 5 days ago to get the actual blood form. Then I noticed the next day that he hadn't added on my TSH. It had been a little low b4, so I went back to get another form. The Dr was busy, couldn't see me, blah, blah. So I said leave the form here & I will pick it up when I can. Couldn't pick up the form the past 3 days as I was working & get home late so they're closed, and they weren't open yesterday. The medical centre I go to is ALWAYS busy so u always have to wait to be seen, even just for picking up a form.

Picked up the form 2day, and there was no TSH written on there. Receptionist said either the person I told forgot, or the Dr forgot. Told them I was on call 4 work. Had to wait again to see another Dr who scribbled TSH etc on the existing form, then charged me $36 for the privilege. Then had to wait 20 minutes b4 they could do bloods. Told THEM I was on call & as it was getting late, I would have 2 leave b4 they did the test if I got called in to work. FINALLY had it done, after 2 hours! This could have taken all of 20 minutes if someone had just simply put pen to paper so they didn't forget.

Here is the thing I want to reinforce to everyone:

If you forget something for God's sake WRITE IT DOWN!! It doesn't take 2 seconds to whip out a pen, write it on ur arm if u don't have a piece of paper. This happens quite often at work too. Nurses use this as an excuse all the time: I forgot, I didn't have my pen with me, I didn't have any paper on me, I forgot to tell them in handover.

No-one is perfect. My memory isn't great so I scribble stuff down on my cheat sheet, or on my upper arm all the time so I don't forget important things. I always ensure I have at least 2 pens with me & I don't let anyone interrupt me when I'm writing important things.

There I feel better now. But it really is NOT that hard to scribble an important message down even in shorthand - just remember to pass something on! It could save a lot of time and hassle later on.

That's me done people.

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Agree

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.

Im sorry...you got charged $36 for what? And more importantly, why did you pay it?!

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Specializes in General.

That is an accountable gesture..!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
Im sorry...you got charged $36 for what? And more importantly, why did you pay it?!

I had to pay it. But we get most of the money back through our Medicare system, so I only ended up paying probably about $5. But the point I'm making is if SOMEONE had just taken those few seconds to write down what I needed, I would not have had to wait 2 hours! It definitely save a lot of fluffing around later on when you have to go back and do something, or ring up the nursing station later cos u 4got 2 report something, and it could also be something very important.

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

Unfortunately this sounds like one of the many reasons why too many people use the ER for stuff that should be taken care of in the doctors office. Getting the clinical doc. to see you and listen to you when needed is difficult. Good luck with everything.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

if people not remembering important things, like passwords for instance, frustrates you I recommend you do not go into staff development. I told our CNO this year that I intend to tatoo everyone's pw to their arm so there are fewer excuses as to why "I did not get my mandatory education done". She said there is probably a law prohibiting forced tatoos. I write mine down. Why is that so hard??

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if people not remembering important things, like passwords for instance, frustrates you I recommend you do not go into staff development. I told our CNO this year that I intend to tatoo everyone's pw to their arm so there are fewer excuses as to why "I did not get my mandatory education done". She said there is probably a law prohibiting forced tatoos. I write mine down. Why is that so hard??

And, of course, you have to change your password every 30/45/60/90 days (depending where you work). One tattoo wouldn't heal before the next would be needed....and then there is the fact that all your co-workers would get to see your pswd all the time and....wow....what someone who didn't like you could do with THAT information.

Easy way to get mandatory education done.....have MGMT schedule it on a workday. OR, tie in their pay. Either one is good.

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OK, I have just spent 2 HOURS waiting at the Dr's, then getting a simple blood test done. I wanted this done quickly 2day as I'm on call 4 work.

Firstly I'd seen the Dr over 5 days ago to get the actual blood form. Then I noticed the next day that he hadn't added on my TSH. It had been a little low b4, so I went back to get another form. The Dr was busy, couldn't see me, blah, blah. So I said leave the form here & I will pick it up when I can. Couldn't pick up the form the past 3 days as I was working & get home late so they're closed, and they weren't open yesterday. The medical centre I go to is ALWAYS busy so u always have to wait to be seen, even just for picking up a form.

Picked up the form 2day, and there was no TSH written on there. Receptionist said either the person I told forgot, or the Dr forgot. Told them I was on call 4 work. Had to wait again to see another Dr who scribbled TSH etc on the existing form, then charged me $36 for the privilege. Then had to wait 20 minutes b4 they could do bloods. Told THEM I was on call & as it was getting late, I would have 2 leave b4 they did the test if I got called in to work. FINALLY had it done, after 2 hours! This could have taken all of 20 minutes if someone had just simply put pen to paper so they didn't forget.

Here is the thing I want to reinforce to everyone:

If you forget something for God's sake WRITE IT DOWN!! It doesn't take 2 seconds to whip out a pen, write it on ur arm if u don't have a piece of paper. This happens quite often at work too. Nurses use this as an excuse all the time: I forgot, I didn't have my pen with me, I didn't have any paper on me, I forgot to tell them in handover.

No-one is perfect. My memory isn't great so I scribble stuff down on my cheat sheet, or on my upper arm all the time so I don't forget important things. I always ensure I have at least 2 pens with me & I don't let anyone interrupt me when I'm writing important things.

There I feel better now. But it really is NOT that hard to scribble an important message down even in shorthand - just remember to pass something on! It could save a lot of time and hassle later on.

That's me done people.

Really you got charged $36 for him to add something on the pathology form? At a medical centre? Man, I know I get charged like $10 if I want my doctor to write me a prescription but don't visit but $36 for adding to a pathology form? Glad you got most of it back from medicare but shouldn't that have been bulkbilled in the first place?

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This is definitly a lesson for US, as we so often tell our pt.s: Come prepared with a list of questions and a pad of paper (or a scribe). Most doctor visits in office are less than 15 minutes and in-hospital are less than 2!

If all else fails, simply ask your doc to sit down! he WILL, and you have gained time to reset yourself !

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