One Dozen Things
The Health Care Team
Scenario Script
A doctor is standing in an examination room facing a patient, who is sitting on an examination table. A nurse stands off to the side.
Doctor: So Mr. Wallace, we are going to add a beta blocker medication to try to get better control of your blood pressure.
Patient: A beta blocker? [Looks anxiously at the nurse]
Nurse: Dr. Keeler, uh, Mr. Wallace mentioned to me before you came into the room that he was on a beta blocker in the past and had a lot of problems with fatigue, lightheadedness and some other problems. … Uh, do you think uh, there is something else that could be added? I know Dr. Sterling has been using some newer ACE inhibitors. Would that be worth considering?
Doctor: [to patient] Will you excuse us for a moment? [to nurse] Miss Baker, can I see you out in the hall for a minute please?
Two different scenarios take place in hallway outside of examination room with door closed.
Scenario A
Doctor: Carla, I am not gonna tell you again, do not question my medical judgment, especially in front of the patients!
Nurse: [icily] Sorry, Doctor!
Scenario B
Doctor: OK, Carla what’s really going on with this guy? He seemed upset about starting a beta blocker. Do you have any idea what that’s about?
Nurse: He’s just one of those patients who has trouble talking to doctors. I did manage to get him to open up to me, though. It seems he has more problems than just fatigue and lightheadedness. He’s had trouble with erectile dysfunction when he was on a beta blocker a couple of years ago...
Doctor: [nods her head and makes notes in the patient’s file] Alright. Gotcha.
