Psychogical Manipulation
When I meet the patient, I address them as Mister or Missus & Last name, while stating my own First name. Sometimes I remember to ask them what name they like to be called. Most of the time going forward, I will then address them as "Sir" of M'am. Just call me old fashioned.
What bugs me, is when that person pulls the psycho-babble name-game on me, by making sure, they use my first-name whenever they talk to me. Supposedly, the intent is to: "Acknowledge my identity, massage my ego, and boost my self-esteem". Well I don't like it; we're not bosom buddies. You want to use my name in every sentence, is an assumption of intimacy, that quite frankly, we haven't yet established. I know you don't love my name, because back when we were kids, it was sometimes used to joke about a particular body part. If you wish to use my name in every sentence, you damn well better, ask for my permission! Just saying.
How about those patients
Who are so demanding,
Like a politician
Doing their glad-handing,
Using that technique
Of saying my first-name,
I know they read that in a book
A subtle psychology game.
I'd rather be generic
And dazzle you with my skills,
Bring you what you ask for
Like 14 pain pills,
But please do one thing
Stop saying my name,
I know you read that in a book
It's a smarmy little game.
1 comment:
With alert patients in the prep and hold area we always called each other by nicknames. My handle for some unknown reason was "Raoul."
Once the patient was anesthetized we reverted to our real names. I never gave it much thought, perhaps it was a litigation mitigation maneuver. It did provide for some distancing from patients getting too personal.
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