Thursday, June 24, 2010

Passive

Over the past few weeks the message that keeps coming to my attention is that I am not aggressive enough. My go with the flow, non confrontational personality is just not floating well these day in my ocean of life. Today I got my most recent message.

One of our assignments for school was to call another medical professional (that was role playing) about an issue we have with a patient we are treating. My scenario was to call a pharmacist and request a medicine review because my patient was consistently weak and dizzy during treatment. The list of her meds included 3 that had the side effect of dizziness and 1 that was contraindicated for the other meds that she was taking...Anywho, the medical professional role players where supposed to give us a hard time. Mine did VERY well with this. Basically his job was to get me to defend my profession and advocate for the patient. His character, like most people, think all PTs do is exercise people. Which is not the case.

Anyways....

We got feedback forms from the people we called and mine basically said that I was too passive. I needed to be more direct and aggressive.

*sigh*

If I was direct and aggressive like he was with me I would have been unprofessional! Besides, no matter how much I know, when I am working in real life I am NOT going to debate with a pharmacist about medications!!!!!!!

*sigh*

Anytime I get direct and aggresive with people they get pissed off or end up crying. It's not worth it. Besides, you are not supposed to meet attitude (professional or unprofessional) with attitude, it esculates the situation.

*sigh*

7 comments:

Freaky Deaky said...

You know that sighing like that is technically passive too, right? *giggles* If multiple people are telling you that then there's probably some truth to it.

Just because someone is "trained" in a particular skill set doesn't always mean they know more than you or that they even understand all of the fact. You don't have to be rude, unprofessional, or have an attitude to assert yourself. Maybe in your personal life it's better to pick and choose when and how you assert yourself but in your professional life not so much. You're an advocate for your patient not that pharmacist's feelings.

AR Gal said...

Freaky D's got this. I'll just co-sign everything he commented.

Tz said...

Amen and a double co-sign with Freaky! LOL

blkbutterfly said...

co-sign w/ Freaky. but, i know what you mean about being passive. i'm the same way, but only w/ things i don't care about. i know you (will) care about your patients, so you'll have to find that balance between professional and assertive.

MzNewy said...

Co-sign with Freaky. I know how to be agresive yet not abrasive in the professional world...my problem is I don't leave that mess at the door when I come home and it causes conflict because he thinks I am being condecending...which I don't think I am but I don't compromise well if I really know and defend my position. *sigh* I need to learn how to turn ON the passive switch.

Tz said...

I feel you MzNewy. I have not mastered the passive switch yet. I can be very abrasive. And I am known for that. Good or Bad. Take me as I am! LOL

T.a.c.D said...

i too am trying to find this balance so i have no insight i am taking what others are saying so i can grow myself