Bedside Manner Blog

The goal of seeking out healthcare is to resolve one problem or another. Who wouldn’t want to see the very best, most competent practitioner around? How can the image of competence be better portrayed than through exuding confidence? ____ A Dental Specialist Says I get to see the quality of many practitioners’ work. The most interesting phenomenon about how many doctors are perceived by their patients is through the confidence they exhibit. I know two fellows in particular who had enormous practices and their patients’ loved them even though they may have been ...

A terribly overweight woman goes to the doctor to find the perfect diet. “I want you to eat regularly for two days then skip a day. Do that for two weeks and when you come back you will have lost five pounds.” When she returned, she shocked the doctor by losing twenty pounds. “Why, that’s amazing. Did you follow my instructions?” The woman nodded. “I did, but I thought I would drop dead by the third day.” “From hunger?” asked the doctor. “No, from the skipping.” ____ The playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, &ldqu ...

After a thorough examination the doctor tells his elderly patient, “I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that you have cancer.” The patient, distraught, asks, “What’s the good news?” “The good news is that you also have Alzheimer’s and pretty soon you’ll forget you have cancer.” ____ Compassion is the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it. It isn’t only showing concern for a major loss like the death of a loved one, for example. You can also show compassion fo ...

Patient: “Doctor, if I give up wine, women, and smoking, will I live longer?” Doctor: “Not really, it’ll just seem longer.” ____ Being a great doctor and being perceived as a great doctor by your patients are two entirely different matters. Every health-care school in the nation provides curriculum to train highly competent practitioners to serve the community. However, formal training in bedside manner, the way in which a doctor relates to the patient, is generally underdeveloped. While it may be impossible to change your personality, there is ...

Dr. Jones goes to the nursing home for his monthly rounds. He sees Joe and asks him, “Joe, how much is three times three?” Joe replies, “Fifty-nine.” He goes over to Tom and asks him, “How much is three times three?” Tom replies, “Wednesday.” Finally, he goes over to John and asks him, “How much is three times three?” “Nine,” replies John. “That’s right. Now how did you come to that answer?” “It was easy; I just subtracted fifty-nine from Wednesday.” ____ Bedside manner is a skill s ...

Bedside manner is an amalgamation of many factors. It is not just a great personality, a talent for humor, or an abundance of compassion. It is all those qualities and many more. It can be learned and practiced to make each and every health-care provider more likeable and successful. Just being a good healer is not enough. Bedside manner addresses the psychological aspects of patient care. In a fast-paced, impersonal world, the psyche needs healing just as much as the body. By recognizing the importance of being a complete practitioner, you will make it a point to learn the techniques d ...

Psychiatrist to nurse: “Just say we’re very busy, don’t keep saying, ‘It’s a madhouse.’” ____ While in the beginning, competency was not defined as a critical component of bedside manner; it is the essence of being a truly great provider. Everyone in the health-care industry should strive to be the most competent provider around. Creed of Competency: It is the duty of all health-care providers to be the best that they can be, to limit practice to areas of expertise and competency, and to seek quality continuing education to make sure tha ...

A woman goes to her doctor who verifies that she is pregnant. This is her first pregnancy. The doctor asks her if she has any questions. She replies, "Well, I'm a little worried about the pain. How much will childbirth hurt?"  The doctor answered, "Well, that varies from woman to woman and pregnancy to pregnancy and besides, it's difficult to describe pain."  "I know, but can't you give me some idea?" she asks.  "Grab your upper lip and pull it out a little..."  "Like this?" "A little more...&qu ...

A resident approached an elderly man on a gurney in the E.R. Resident: “Do you know who I am?” Old Guy: “Sure, you’re the doctor, but I don’t know your name.” Resident: “So what brought you to the E.R.?” Old Guy: “An ambulance.” ____ Branding is the commercial concept of developing a recognizable reputation that is marketable and has value in terms of goodwill. Professional practice incorporates the same concepts. Doctors, hospitals, and clinics all value their reputation and branding offers increased patien ...

    Doctors at a large hospital have gone on strike. Hospital officials say they will find out what the doctors’ demands are as soon as they can get a pharmacist to go read the picket signs! ____ Doctors with great bedside manner aren’t supposed to be angry. Unless you are the most relaxed unflinching individual, you will get angry with patients in certain situations. Anger can affect you performance, judgment, reputation, and health. If you find yourself becoming angry too often, it may be a manifestation of burnout, and even if you have infrequen ...