As a college student, I often feel pretty vulnerable when I go to the doctors. Here in Pittsburgh, this is the first time when I am at an "adult" doctor and not a doctor at a Children's Hospital. Instead of sitting in the waiting room feeling much more distinguished than the 5-year-olds running around everywhere, am usually the youngest person in the waiting room by at least 30 years. Last week I had an allergist appointment, and it was the first doctors appointment (other than the pediatrician) that I have ever gone to by myself without a parent or a friend. My allergist is fantastic, and super nice and he always has made me feel very comfortable, but one of the residents did not.
Basically I went into the office for an allergy appointment. It was an 8:30 doctors appointment so needless to say, I was kind of tired and not in the mood to walk in the freezing cold across campus to the clinic which is connected to the hospital. I also had mistakenly told my doctor buddy (my friend who always comes to the doctor with me as an extra set of ears) that the appointment was an hour later so I was all by myself. After my breathing test, the respiratory therapist took me to my exam room where I was expecting for my doctor to come in, but instead I was greeted by a very obnoxious resident. I am not going to bore you with the details because you can read it in the screen shot of my complaint below, but I did want to say, no matter what your age, you have the right to be respected and taken care of in a way that you feel meets your standards. If you don't feel a doctor or resident or nurse has taken the best possible care of you, don't be afraid to complain. You have the right to be heard and hopefully you will make the doctor or resident a better doctor or make the nurse a better nurse!
Basically I went into the office for an allergy appointment. It was an 8:30 doctors appointment so needless to say, I was kind of tired and not in the mood to walk in the freezing cold across campus to the clinic which is connected to the hospital. I also had mistakenly told my doctor buddy (my friend who always comes to the doctor with me as an extra set of ears) that the appointment was an hour later so I was all by myself. After my breathing test, the respiratory therapist took me to my exam room where I was expecting for my doctor to come in, but instead I was greeted by a very obnoxious resident. I am not going to bore you with the details because you can read it in the screen shot of my complaint below, but I did want to say, no matter what your age, you have the right to be respected and taken care of in a way that you feel meets your standards. If you don't feel a doctor or resident or nurse has taken the best possible care of you, don't be afraid to complain. You have the right to be heard and hopefully you will make the doctor or resident a better doctor or make the nurse a better nurse!