I have noticed that some patients are unaware of the proper exam room etiquette while at his or her Doctor’s office. I have compiled a list of tips to help some out there be more graceful, shall we say, while at their examinations.
Weight: You are not the only one who dreads being weighed at the doctor’s office. It sucks, but trying to weigh yourself and not letting your Nurse do it will not make it better. So don’t do it! Let your Nurse weigh you. In addition, you can tell your Nurse to subtract as many pounds as you want from your weight for clothes, shoes, the lunch you just ate, etc. but it will not be done. However, if it makes you feel better to announce your deductions go right ahead. One more thing, no scale will ever give you the weight you want, so nice try on blaming the calibration of the scale.
Blood Pressure: Good blood pressure is 120/80, optimal is 110/70. First, any Nurse worth her salt will not tell you your blood pressure unless it is the blood pressure obtained…he or she does not just arbitrarily shout out numbers because it’s amusing. Second, it makes no sense to argue with your Nurse by stating your blood pressure is never as low as the number they have gotten especially when the value was in the ideal range…why would you be upset with normal blood pressure? Moreover, it is absurd to say your blood pressure is high when it is in optimal range…it’s optimal range...can’t get much better than that!
Problems: It is fine to bring a list of issues you would like to discuss with you to your appointment…a list…not a novella of every ache, pain and odd-looking poop you have ever passed. You and I both know how irritating it is to wait, wait and wait to be seen for your appointment. This can be minimized by people not saying “oh by the way, one more thing doctor” and having the one more thing turn into a vomit of medical problems.
Medications: Know your medications. Saying that you are taking everything the doctor prescribed is not an answer when asked what medications you’re taking. 9 times out of 10, you are not taking some of the medications on your chart. Do not get mad at the Nurse for going over them one by one, and don’t get angry when he or she has no idea the name or dose of the little blue pill that you take in the morning. Little tip, if you say you take a medication everyday it means you take it daily not when you remember it. If you say you take a drug as needed, it doesn’t mean you take it once a year if you have it in your house. Also, it is not considered an allergy to a medication if you say you just won’t take it because you’ve heard it’s bad, or because your friend took it and she got a rash, so you think you’ll get one too if you take the medication.
Body Care: When seeing your Doctor know you will be coming in close contact with people, and assume you are going to have every orifice checked. Strange sounding I know, but if you wash all areas, trim things and shave parts ladies won’t have to make excuses for the bushes growing on their legs and men won’t have to explain why their toe nails look like eagle talons.
In summary: Do not speak to your Nurse unless spoken to; do not say stupid things; and groom yourself. I hope you have found my tips helpful in a graceful sort of way!
