Strangers => Haters

6th October (Thursday) - On the previous day, I've spoken to one of the doctor's personal assistant. We took care of my old doctor before, and she gave me a wan smile. "This year's patients are the worst." And I agreed with her. The majority of this year is awful. I've been hurtled abuses and insults by patients, threatened, some had tried taking videos and photos, which my doctors had to intervene, since I noticed whenever I explained to patients regarding the no photos no videos policy, they don't take me seriously until my doctors step in.
Because we were short on staff, 6 people on medical leave, I had to cover other clinic, in this case, a cardiology clinic. I assisted a cardiothoracic surgeon, who used to be next door to my old doctor. Cardiologist, no, it's my first time. I thought it was like assisting the cardiothoracic surgeon, how wrong I was. For one thing, she order plenty of tests. ECHO, ECG Stress Test, PT and INR blood tests. I wasn't familiar with the proceedings, so I actually had to call and asked about the procedure. Stress test and ECHO, takes about 30 minutes each. Reporting takes an hour. And stress test needs a consent. PT and INR, takes roughly thirty minutes to an hour depending on complications, but because that day the the machine went a little faulty, I ended up more than waiting two hours for the results. And that day was nuts. A lot of patients walked in, and cardiac patients definitely need folders. And with most of them walking means folders come in late, which means wait, and wait and waaait. In between many patients called me for requests such as wanting to know their blood results, prescriptions to be extended, wanting to speak to my doctor (''It's urgent''), the usual stuff. I should also mention that the clinic was also my old doctor's clinic, so there were a lot of phone calls coming in. "Hi, I would like to make an appointment to see Dr So-and-So." And I will go, "I'm terribly sorry. He has moved to another clinic a year ago. Let me transfer you over to his line./ I'm sorry, his line is currently busy. Let me give you his extension and room number. Thank you, have a nice day."
Perhaps the worst scenario was an agent from outstation called. He was very unpleasant right from the start. I barely got pass, "Hi, good morning, Dr-" when he blasted me with verbal abuses, claiming that he had called from two weeks ago, that he had couriered and email his client's insurance to the hospital, and someone had promised to follow up with him. See, this clinic doesn't have a fix person, so you can imagine the insults and shoutings he threw at me. "WHAT KIND OF STUPID HOSPITAL IS THIS?" "I'M GOING TO BRING YOUR DOCTOR AND YOU TO COURT, AND TO THE MEDIA, I'LL MAKE SURE I TARNISH YOUR NAME, GIVING SUCH A LOUSY SERVICE." Oh yes. I've been f**ked, sh*ted, cursed to rot in Hell, but never once was I cursed to go to court and the media. Of course, the cardiologist I worked with was really pissed off til she refused to entertain him, only to give him the number of the person whom he should talk to regarding his insurance instead of hurling all sort of threats at us.
We got our justice thirty minutes later when the insurance supervisor called. Apparently, his colleague had emailed and couriered the things over. They didn't receive any courier package, but they did received an email. When they asked him for the proof of payment slip, he went, "What slip?" And that's when the supervisor found out he had not made any payment, hence his request was unable to be processed, and his colleague had never kept him up to date regarding this or the payment. Oh yes, he made a mistake at his side, yet he had shouted insults and threats to my doctor and I. The supervisor advised him to apologise to us, whom we both had been hurt and saddened by his nasty insults and threats. Unsurprisingly, he did not. Well, this certainly taught me a good experience. Never ever throw hotshot threats and insults until you have thoroughly checked your side of the story. ;)
Strangers had come up to me asking why am I working as a clinic nurse. "You could earn so much more as a ward nurse. Clinic nurse is a stupid job. Anyone could do it." Well, I'm sorry to say. Who are you to judge me? My friend had it worst. She was a doctor's personal secretary for more 5 years, and the guy made a remark. "You have no future with this kind of job. You should be a nurse. Your pay will be much higher than what you are earning now." Now, I know he's trying to give suggestions but the way he says it is as though our jobs are useless. To tell you the truth, there is no such thing as a 'useless' job in the world. People laughed at me for writing novels, but it's what I love. And I balance it with my full time paying job. I don't interfere my nursing job with my writing, only when I'm off duty, back home, that's when I'll do my writing. My friend is a degree holder in mass communications, and she was pretty ticked with that stranger's remark. I sometimes really wonder what kind of a world are we living in...
Today I went to buy some food late at night to get the half-price off, and this guy, whom I have no idea who, made a remark on how I will get fat from eating all the stone cold carbo. I politely told him I'm going to refrigerate it, then air-fry it to get rid the excess oils and eat it fresh hot for breakfast. Instead he turned down his nose and said, "Stupid girl. Everyone knows air-frying is a useless invention. You might as well steam those food you're eating." I only shake my head, made my purchase, and brought the food home. And can you guess what the guy bought? Thick gravy chicken with rice, and yes, you guessed it, at half price.
I'm going home now, take my juice, and throw myself to sleep. This has certainly been a whacked out day.