July 10, 2012

July 10, 2012

     As I’ve stated before, I am a Radiologic Technologist (aka x-ray tech). Now, I know I have not been taking x-rays as long as some people, but I have been taking them for around ten years. It amazes me how patients will come into my place of employment and question whether I am taking their x-rays correctly. Have they ever taken an x-ray before? I cannot imagine walking into Target and telling the cashier they aren’t running their register correctly or telling my surgeon he didn’t fix my hernia the right way. So WHY, WHY, WHY, do people tell me I’m taking their x-rays wrong? I mean these people do not beat around the bush or even politely ask, “Are you sure you’re getting the right views the doctor needs?” They are persistant and rude. I had an older gentleman this morning tell me “I wasn’t getting what the doctor needed to see where his problem was on his foot.” He was hurting on the inside of his big toe. I spolitely said, “Oh yes, I am getting your entire foot, so he’ll be able to see everything.” He said, “No he won’t because it hurts right here!” as he was pointing to his big toe. Again I said, “Sir, I x-rayed your big toes along with the entire foot”, but he insisted I was doing it wrong. I finally told him he was free to go back to the doctor and as he was walking out the door he was still arguing! Unbelievable!! I told him I had been an x-ray tech for ten years. It didn’t matter, he was right (not really) and I was wrong. I wonder if he spoke to his doctor that way too? How do patients expect us to be nice and respectful when they are not that way with us? We are professionals and are expected to act a certain way, but one should not have to take so much.