A patient wants the doctor to listen to her. That is understandable. Unless the doctor hears what the patient suffers from, he/she cannot make a diagnosis and treat her. Some patients have a greater need. They want someone to just listen to their woes, and a doctor will do as well as any other person. In a way, a doctor is better. He cannot walk away when bored. He does not send one away, because he gets paid for treating the patient and anyway it is not a decent thing to do - sending one away I mean. What amazes me is that some of them cannot keep quiet even when one is examining them. It becomes especially bothersome when the doctor is auscultating the patient's heart or lungs and the patient chooses that moment to pour her heart out. I wonder if they know what a doctor does when he put the stethoscope on the patient's chest and puts the earpieces in his ears. If they knew, they would not speak at that time.Here are some of the things I feel like saying to the patient who does so. They change from time to time, especially when a few have already done that to me that day.
Decency and an understanding of possibility of ignorance of the patients prevents me from saying anything to them. I could instruct them not to speak at that time, but there are so many of them to be seen in such a short time, that I cannot take that much extra time per patient. So I end up taking my chances, and end up with a few of them speaking into the stethoscope.- I cannot hear you when I am auscultating your chest.
- I cannot hear the sounds from your heart when you speak at the same time.
- You will blow my eardrums if you speak while I auscultate you.
- What have I done that you want to punish me by speaking into my stethoscope?
- Do you know how it hurts my ears when you speak while I am auscultating you? Here, put these earpieces in your ears and I will speak into the chest piece.
