I Really Like My Job But...

I, and most of the people I know work in healthcare. Actually I've been in healthcare for almost 15 years if you count school. Truth be told I really can't complain. The work is secure, people will always abuse and neglect themselves until they're absolute wrecks and then expect a magic pill to fix it all. As a whole the entire western world is aging, the percentage of elderly is climbing, people are living way too long, selfish bastards. The literal icing on the cake? We love good food, bad food, fast good, and we have of in abundance. A hog at the trough would be offended by most Americans. Basically the fat and old and infirm are keeping us living "high on the hog".

As a matter of fact about 7 years ago I went back to school to delve deeper into healthcare and now I'm a PA. Now I've got an even better perspective on healthcare, I get to deal with all the whiney bastards before they're too sick to appreciate what we do for them. I really do enjoy what I do, honestly I like helping people, but just once in a while the patients kill me...

I really like my job but:

When a patient comes in complaining "my baby is burning up with fever!" The logical next question how high was it? The answer "oh I didn't take it, but it was high." Makes me wanna pull my hair out!

A patient comes in and says " I'm taking my medecine like you said but I'm not better", at this point I sweat a little. Did I miss a diagnosis? Wrong meds? Has there been a complication... I ask "how long have you been taking the medecine?" And with a straight face "since yesterday." I really want to ask how he can possibly be serious, but... Whatever...

10 minutes to closing a patient will always run in the door "I'm a little late for my appointment, can I still be seen?." When was your appointment? Again, completely serious "8 AM". Almost drives me to tears...

You get a patient that just sat in the lobby short of breath and with chest pain for 2 hours and didn't think to mention it until you walk in and say hello... Can denial be so powerful...

A patient comes in with a huge black growth on their ear and says "I didn't want it to be something bad" , and I'm 99% sure it is...

A teenage girl comes in with stomach pain and a slight fever, and I worry maybe it's her appendix. So a stat ultrasound later I have to tell the patents she may have a tumor and needs to go in the hospital.

The same teenage girl is sent home with a tumor in her belly and no treatment because her parents refused on religious grounds... Could life be more cruel and unfair. Can people be so blinded by religion...