I was in the elevator of the hospital, making my way downstairs to the cafeteria, during my 30 minute break. We were in the middle of a cardiology lab group, using the simulators and standardized patients with ventriloscopes to learn abnormal heart sounds. I was wearing jeans and a sweater, but I had my stethoscope slung around my neck.
When the elevator doors opened on the 4th floor, a woman in plain clothes got onto the elevator.
"Ugh! I can't wait to get out of this place! I'm so sick and tired of seeing the inside of the walls of this building!"
She was waiting for a response from me, and not knowing what to say, I jumped into empathy mode.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," I replied. "Is one of your loved ones in the hospital?"
"No!," she snapped at me, crinkling her eyebrows. "I work here. Why would I be sick of seeing this place if I was just a family member?"
Umm, I don't know. Maybe because you're so worried that you stay in the hospital night and day, hovered over your husband and making sure that you're there each and every time the doctor rounds, so that you can ask questions? Maybe it was a traumatic injury that brought your daughter here, and now, all that you can equate the lavender walls with is the feeling of suffering and loss? Maybe you're just overwhelmed with the tragedies of life, like most of us are at any given time, and can't stand the sight of the place that is holding them?
Like I said, the woman wasn't wearing a white coat or scrubs, and she didn't have a visible badge anywhere on her. How in the world would I be able to figure out that she was a doctor?
I don't think I had the gumption to say that I was sorry for apparently offending her, because I was so stunned. When the elevator opened in the lobby, I mused to myself about how ridiculous some people can be...until it hit me.
Maybe she's some super high up big wig, whom I should have just recognized. I bet she's a clerkship or residency director. Let's hope that I don't find out on the first day of 3rd year--when she gives me the stink eye. Do you think I'll at least get points for spontaneous empathetic responses?
8 comments:
People can be so unpleasant sometimes.
Don't worry RS, this had nothing to do with you, and if you end up working for her someday, she probably won't even remember you.
OMDG- Thanks, I hope not! It was an evening class, so I get that she was leaving the hospital at night, after probably a long day. However, don't try to befriend strangers in elevators if you're just going to snap at them!
She could have been the cleaning lady and she just finished cleaning up after 5 bloody deliveries?
She could have been the records person and had 10 MDs clamoring all at once for their patient's records...and none of them could be found!
She could have been a Human Resources person and had 20 people just quit on her!
Just ignore unpleasant people. OMG is right - she won't remember you - too many people! :) Don't even think twice about it or let it ruin your day! Your response was appropriate (considering no uniform or ID) and very sweet.
One of the things you'll learn as you start your clinical rotations is that there will be higher ups who will be pissed off completely independently of anything you do. She sounds like one of them. Hope you didn't take it personally at all.
CC- I thought of that, but it was something about her demeanor and the way that she looked at me that made me think that she was a doctor. But yes, you are right. She will deal with a slew of other med. students that piss her off before July anyway, if she is a doctor.
SD- Good to know! I didn't take it personally at all. It was just a bizarre interaction! It was like she was reaching out for sympathy, but simultaneously needed someone to snap at. I hope she didn't drive home and go all road-ragey on anyone! Yikes!
I actually think your response was perfect. It was her response that was out of line.
Its obvious to anyone with a beating heart that a family member could have negative associations with a hospital building.
Lets just hope that she isn't a doctor, as she sounds void of social skills and empathy!
Penelope- Wouldn't that be ironic, if she IS a doctor? I should have been all, "I'm just trying to be empathetic, like YOU PEOPLE want me to be!!! You are the reason I have to waste HOURS OF MY LIFE on touchy-feely classes, 'learning' to be empathetic!" My current attending (the Ob/Gyn) believes that empathy isn't something that can be taught and that my touchy-feely classes are a waste of time. I'm pretty much with her on that one.
Perfect response!
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