Yelled at for not knowing medicine

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

So I'm back on nights after a two day stint working with a third party vendor.

I'm heading out to the OB/Nursery to fix a computer. Now This happens to me quite a bit. Someone will ask me a question on medical issues since I'm wearing a hospital ID badge. Normally I'll tell them that I'm not a clinical person and that I'm the IT specialist working nights. They usually understand and head off to find a nurse or other clinical type person.

Not so tonight.

I get a person who comes up to me and asks how much longer is the delivery process going to take for his wife. I explain that I know nothing on that and before I could elaborate further I get...

"What?!? You mean you work in a hospital and do not know shit about medicine? What the fuck good are you? Worthless mother fuckers I swear! What is your name? Who is your manager? I want to contact him and complain that you don't know your job. You probably work nights so you can do as little as possible. Well I'm ending that bullshit! Your ass is going to get fired for being such an incompetent fuck and you'll have to try and get a real job. One where you actually have to know stuff and actually do it!"

And so on and so forth.

A nurse comes over and tries to calm him down but naturally can't. He's still ranting and raving on how he wants the number of my boss.

So I give it to him. I inform him that my boss is named [Boss Fellow] and that his number is [xxxx] and that he comes in at 8am sharp and will be here for a half hour before I get off of work so if he wants to persue it, he is certainly welcome to.

I'll post the update if/when this douchewaffle contacts the boss. Considering that I'm a PC Technician and not a clinical person and that my job description mentions nothing about having to know anything medical...this should be amusing.

[Food Lady]

Sweet! Please do update! (I need something entertaining to read on my break ).

[sprocket79]

That guy is an idiot. I used to work in a hospital too, doing admin type work. Whenever someone asked me something medical I told them to ask their nurse. This guy sounds like he's going to be a great father.

[Teskeria]

He probably is a jerk, but if he just exploded at you because he is worried about his wife, you won't hear another word (unless it's an apology when the nurse gets it through to him you are IT)

[tamezin]

What?!? You mean you work in a hospital and do not know shit about medicine? What the fuck good are you? Worthless mother fuckers I swear! What is your name? Who is your manager?

Sorry SC, but my Boss's name is Mr NTAdmin, and he really won't discuss this with you unless you internal cerebral processing unit is dual core, you apparently are barely functioning on a single core.

Perhaps there is a malfunction with your motherboard, in which case we need to schedule a replacement. Since you obviously aren't using your CPU at the moment we will begin replacement immediately, however new parts will not be available for 2-5 business days.

[Sheldonrs]

...Perhaps there is a malfunction with your motherFUCKINGboard,...

Fixed it for you.

[mandaliz8704]

LOL His wife's OB wouldn't have even been able to answer that. You should have told him "Well, when the head pops out, it's time! Have a great night!"

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Sorry for the delay in the update, I was really tired from all the schedule shifting. and I just needed sleep.

8am came and the boss showed up. Being a firm believer that 90% of winning arguments like this is to get your side of the story in first, I caught him as he was walking in.

I explained the situation to him and told him that I wasn't sure if this guy was going to push the issue or not, if he did, my boss now knew what he would be in for. First thing he did was to pull out my folder from his file cabinet and left it on the corner of his desk.

I go back to my desk and surer than shit, this guy comes in. He sees me and demands that I show him to my boss. Not just point to his door, he wants an escort. <sigh>.

So I do so and take him to my boss. Boss dismisses me and closes the door with the guy inside. The last thing I hear was my boss telling the guy that I was not needed in this conversation.

Five minutes pass, then ten. Now I'm getting concerned. How long should the Director of the Informations Systems Department need to convince this guy that I know nothing of medicine apart from holding lapsed certifications for First Aid, CPR and the Automated external defibrillator (AED). I'm getting really nervous. Did I overstep the line, is this guy telling my boss that I was a rude prick? Is this guy going to get me fired?

Twenty-Five minutes later and the guy comes out. He starts to walk past me, pauses like he wants to say something, can't seem to get it out whatever it was supposed to be, shakes his head and leaves. Boss comes out and puts his hand on my shoulder and says...

"We get some real assholes at nights around here. I had to show him your resume with tons of computer crap on it and no medical history, I had to show him your job description and I had to spend 15 minutes of my life that I'm never getting back explaining that there are hundreds of jobs around here that have nothing to do with medicine apart from supporting the people that do. ARGH!. Well it's over and done with. Have a good weekend."

And he went back to his office.

[sprocket79]

You know, I might have written him off as a nervous father, but the fact that he honestly complained AND pushed the issue so much that it took 25 minutes to explain really makes me think that he's a complete and utter moron and an asshole. I can't believe that on the first day of his child's life he's wasting time complaining about an IT guy not knowing medicine. Put that one in the baby book. I weep for that child's future. I can only hope that the asshole gene wasn't passed on.

[Skeksin]

Dear Lord what an idiot! He has it spelled out for him that you only support the guys doing the actual medicine and he still thinks you should know medicine!

That's right up there with expecting road repair crews to know everything about your Ford. Yeesh!

[Sheldonrs]

Glad it worked out but not so glad that your boss showed him your personel files.
I'm pretty sure HIPPA doesn't like that.

[Arm]

Glad it worked out but not so glad that your boss showed him your personel files.
I'm pretty sure HIPPA doesn't like that.

HIPPA (IIRC) is more about *patient* records than employee records.

[Fox One]

What the HELL?! You mean your hospital janitors don't have their PhDs?! *shudders at at the thought of such negligence*

From his reaction, it sounds like he genuinely believed that you held a job you were completely unqualified for and got it by knowing the right person. Maybe his promotion was passed over at work for the boss's idiot cousin and it's still a fresh wound? I dunno, I'm looking way too much into this.

[Nyx]

God what a moron! Hope your boss made him feel like a proper ass.

[XCashier]

You know, I might have written him off as a nervous father, but the fact that he honestly complained AND pushed the issue so much that it took 25 minutes to explain really makes me think that he's a complete and utter moron and an asshole. I can't believe that on the first day of his child's life he's wasting time complaining about an IT guy not knowing medicine. Put that one in the baby book. I weep for that child's future. I can only hope that the asshole gene wasn't passed on.

QFT. And there are loads of jobs at a hospital that don't require medical degrees; I had one several years ago (guerney pusher). The cafeteria staff, cleaning and laundry staff, administrative, and the gift shop workers very likely don't need medical degrees.

I'm glad your boss backed you up; so many won't. Then again, working in a hospital isn't like working in retail; you don't have to kiss the arses of sucky customers.