Boundaries

There are some important “side effects” to consider when patients are also co-workers.   The hospital I work at is so large, that it goes without saying that I see some of my patients on a daily basis.  This can be rewarding, as a small town doctor must feel, getting to catch up in the hallways or in the cafeteria.  It also lets me witness some of their habits, which I’m sure they hate- as I walk by them on their smoke breaks, or see them grab that extra cookie at lunch. 

There is of course a huge negative to all of this.  Certain astute patients have figured out how to get my pager number.  Doctors guard their pager numbers as something sacred. It is instant access, at any time.  Because these numbers are shrouded with privacy, when I’ve had a patient, who for instance is also a nurse, page me with a personal health question, I feel violated.  Boundaries are a part of every relationship in life, and are especially important in the doctor/patient relationship.

Some might think this extreme- but if even a couple hundred patients of mine could call me anytime – I’d have calls of “doc I’ve got a headache”, “my temp. is 101, what should I do?” “Hey, I need a refill on my meds” every evening.  It’s not how I want to spend my precious little time at home!