Etiquette 101: A Primer for Neanderthals
Physicians are a smart lot, but, let’s face it, we spent a lot of time with our faces in books, the anatomy lab and in the ICU with people that can’t talk back. So, I offer a refresher course on the basics. Don’t laugh, as you may be one of those guilty of primate behavior!
- Wear your name tag so it’s visible on your right shoulder. (Now, one of my colleagues feels this draws attention to her chest, but I have no better suggestions.)
- Extend your hand and introduce yourself every time, unless the patient knows you extremely well.
- Always call patients by their last names. My mother, God bless her, goes ballistic if someone calls her by her first name. If invited, you can call your patient by their first name, but don’t presume it’s okay!
- Turn your cell phone off during meetings. I eat lunch with a doctor that checks his email on his blackberry while chatting with colleagues and it makes me nuts. It makes me feel as if what I have to say is unimportant (perhaps it is…)
- Open the door and help patients down from the exam table, especially for those little old ladies! Who wants a broken hip in the office?
- Specialists: don’t treat hospitalists like they are your residents. We’re not.
- Hospitalists: don’t treat primary care doctors like they are your incompetent interns. They’re not.
- Be on time. Every one’s time is valuable.
- Dress appropriately. What’s with scraggly beards, the pinned together blouses?
- Say please and thank you. This goes a long way in today’s hyperharried, tweeted, anxious world. Just take the time to be genuinely thankful for something somebody does for you, no matter how small.
So, to that end, thank you for reading this blog post. I would be honored to hear your kind comments!
And thank you to Success magazine for the inspiration!
Tags: Communication, etiquette
