Thursday, May 7, 2009

Pet Peeve: Doctor's Office Paperwork

You know how when you go to visit a doctor you have to fill out a bunch of paperwork? You have to fill out the reason you're seeing the doctor, whatever medications you're on, and your entire family history of medical conditions, going back four generations. Or something like that.

THEN, however, when the nurse brings you back to the little room and you're sitting on the lovely examination counter, s/he asks you those same exact questions.

The problem is, I'm always too timid to make a smart remark, or even a not so smart remark like, "I can't really remember. What did I say on that paper you're holding?", since the nurse has the upper hand, and I don't know the consequences of putting the nurse in a bad mood.

I was quite glad, recently, to see my doctor actually look at the paperwork I'd filled out when I went to visit her. She, at least, knows how to read.

The end.

PS. I considered whether to use "she" or "he" when referring to the nurse. I could have used "she", but then someone could claim that I'm being sexist by inferring that all nurses are women, or that nursing is a typically female profession. I could have used "he", but then someone could complain that I'm automatically using "he" when there's a case of gender neutrality, which is also sexist. So I used s/he, which I dislike. Yahoo.

1 comment:

elegyrl said...

You are too funny... I think considering you were saying what happened to you I think it would've been fine to use the correct gender of the particular nurse you were speaking of :) Besides I never judge someones blogs etc.for gender specifics or assumptions like that anyway... I don't know what your other readers are like :)