Way to get me cussed out....

[Amina516]

One of my patients did this to me and I should've just told him to shove it after the first call.

Patients have a right to their confidentiality so patient comes right out and tells me "If my wife calls, dont tell her shit. Shes a psycho bitch. She never fucking visits." *word for word, i swear...* We have to abide by this, if not, we in trouble. So i cant tell her. Big deal. Patients have requested this before so i didnt think anything of it.

So, anyone care to guess what happened about 9:00 pm???... Wifey calls wanting an update. Following convo took place:

Me: Im regret to inform you that Mr.*patient* has requested we not give any medical information out to anyone.
Wife: IM HIS WIFE.
Me: I understand that but we're not able to share any information once they make that request.
W: THATS BULLSHIT! YOU BETTER GET IN HIS ROOM AND TELL HIM TO TELL YOU HE CHANGED HIS MIND.
M: Are you requesting that i speak with the patient and see if he'll rescind his "no info" request?
W: YES DAMMIT!
M: Hold please. *presses hold*

At this point im laughing HYSTERICALLY and telling my coworkers about the crazycakes on the phone. I walk over to the room and tell the patient that his wife would like to know info and can i please give give it to her? He says no and goes on a rant about how she never visits and she's a psycho bitch again and tell her to shove it. So, i leave, go back to the desk and pick up the phone.

Me: Im sorry. The patient has said he would like to keep his original request that no information be shared with you.
W: WHAT?! THAT ASSHOLE. IM HIS POWER OF ATTORNEY, I DEMAND THAT INFORMATION!
M: Im sorry the Power of attorney clause only comes into effect when the patient is deemed incompetent.
W: THATS BULLSHIT, HES FUCKIN CRAZY...BLAHHHHHH. *conversation continues for like 5 minutes with her yelling at me, but telling me she knows its not my fault, and telling me how crazy her husband is and he needs his privledes revoked or something crazy. Finally she hangs up....and i can breathe again.*

TWO VERY SHORT MINUTES LATER SHE CALLS BACK....

W: I need the name of his doctor b/c i'm calling them bastards and telling them to cut off his pain medication....
M: I'm sorry, I still can not share that information with you. It's classified until the patient wishes to release it.
W: WHAT? *cue rant about her being the POA again and she hangs up on me.

ONE OF THE TINIEST MINUTES EVER, SHE CALLS BACK...i DONT ANSWER, I ASK SOMEONE ELSE TO

W: I NEED TO SPEAK TO THE NURSE MANAGER.
Secretary: Im sorry, shes not in right now, can I refer you to our current charge nurse?
W: *agrees*
*Sec transfer the calls and we dont see charge nurse for 15 minutes*

Finally she emerges and tells us the conversation was all about the wife being the POA and she demands answers. I think the charge actually got through to her.

About 15 minutes later she calls again and asks specifically for me. Secretary tells her that Im busy ( I wasnt, i was sitting right next to the secretary... Lol.)

She calls back about 1/2 hr later and I take the call and the wife is extremely apologetic about her cussing at me. She then starts a 20 minutes rant about how her husband is crazy. Its towards the end of this conversation that the patient waddles out of his room and says "Is that my wife? You can talk to her now.."

Damn, ive never had the urge to near strangle someone more than I did that day....

[Exaspera]

Seems to me that y'all's job is hard enough with out being intermediaries for this crap!

[Kristev]

That's just awful. Simply terrible.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Sadly, the wife isn't the only one who's crazy. Those two deserve each other.

[Amina516]

Sadly, the wife isn't the only one who's crazy. Those two deserve each other.

You're telling me. It was funny how they both called each other psycho and claimed all the other wanted was attention.... Thank God they were past the age for having young, impressionable children.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

You're telling me. It was funny how they both called each other psycho and claimed all the other wanted was attention.... Thank God they were past the age for having young, impressionable children.

Even scarier thought is that they could have grown children who are either a) just as screwed up as the parents or b) moved as far away from them and their insanity as fast as they could.

Either scenario is equally sad.

[Kristev]

That's my guess: Their son joined the army for peace and quiet and their daughter married the first man on his way to some other state she could find.

[Bunny the Veggie Slayer]

There's a local saying... "At least there only ruining one home."

[Raventhistle]

This might not apply to your place of work, but when I worked for the insurance company, Pru, I remember dealing with Power of Attorneys quite well..


See, the thing is...Yes, you're POA, and you have "control" over all the Important Info....

but the THING is...you can't get any of it without submitting proof of POA in Writing. And then you prolly have to sign a lot of paperwork.

Either way you look at it, just saying it over the phone gets you nothing, because you can't prove that A. you are who you say you are or B. You have that piece of POA paperwork.

So start faxing and quit bitching!

[Marmalady]

Sadly, the wife isn't the only one who's crazy. Those two deserve each other.

Reminds me of those lines from Martial:

Since you're alike and lead a similar life,
(Horrible husband and ill-natured wife)
Why all the discord and domestic strife?