How should I deal with a rude & lazy receptionist in a clinic?

Question

I went to get blood tests taken today, & the receptionist was really bitchy. Having a bad attitude & telling me what I should've done in a rude way, & then when I explained why I couldn't get certain things done, she just straight IGNORED the piss out of me. & not only that, she was too lazy to replace gloves in between clients. She used the same right hand glove on the girl before me as she used on me & she used her bare hand (the left hand) & I think I saw blood on the glove with the right hand, but it may have not been blood. I was afraid that if I told her something about it, she probably would've gotten 10 times more rude. & she was so lazy that after she Xeroxed my photo ID, she asked me to spell my name, rather than just simply looking on the Xeroxed copy. & she tried to make fun of & insult my name.

Answer 1

One trick I use to disarm people with bad attitudes is to ask, with care dripping off your words, if she's having a bad day. This will accomplish 2 things: First, she'll realize her attitude is showing. Second, it'll put you in the role of the caring person.

However the glove thing is gross and potentially dangerous. I'd have said."I hate to be a pain, but could you please put on new gloves for me? I get the willies from other peoples' blood."

Afterward, I talk with her supervisor.

Answer 2

First off, I realize you are NOT happy, however, a receptionist at a clinic should NEVER be the lab tech. 2 different jobs...........

Receptionist.........yes.......they can and should ask you how you spell your name. Even with a photocopy, maybe you prefer to be called something else. The receptionist might also be doing her job by identifying you.

Are you sure you have your facts straight? If the phlebotomist had to cover for the receptionist, he/she would probably not know how to be a receptionist. NOR should a receptionist be a phlebotomist. (there are special skills, education and licensing involved),

If you are sure that health hazards were involved, contact your local health dept., state llicensing of even the human resources of your nearest hospital. They can give you correct info, phone numbers etc., even if this was not a part of that hospital.

I licensed phlebotomist MUST change gloves after each patient, and MUST wash hands.......however, the hand that does not touch blood does not need to be gloved. In most cases, a tap on the arm gives the phlebotomist a good idea where your vein is, or whether you have a good vien.

If you are so PO'd, then call the clinic.......ask for the administrator, or write a letter to the clinic.

Sorry, I think you are in a rotten mood, and don't 1/2 believe what you claim, but if it's true, then go to the clinic.......contact the AMA, contact the the owner (some clinics are privately owned).

BTW.........when blood tests are taken, sometimes there is a requirement prior to testing......such as no food of drink after midnight, except to have a small glass of water to take prescribed medications. Patients make up all kinds of excuses why they can't follow a simple order, then get po'd when they have to wait.........Might be that your tests required some behavior on your part that you made excuses about, and because you didn't follow orders, you had to wait a certain time to allow the tests to be accurate.
Sadly..you felt that you were mistreated.........Make a complaint to the proper authority.

Answer 3

Find out who the supervisor is of the person who supervises this woman. Go as far up the ladder as you can and eloquently write a letter voicing your concerns about the receptionist's behavior.

Do not write this letter while you are still seething angry. Take a few days to cool off and then write it, so that the person who reads the letter can see that you are not just writing the letter in haste but that you are genuinely concerned out the lack of professional behavior.

Also, give them a basic deadline to get back to you, so that they will: (1) realize this an important issue for you, and (2) get back to you in a more timely matter. One or two weeks is pretty standard as a deadline for calling you or writing a reply to the letter.

Answer 4

Oooh... I would not deal with that well... Did you actually leave the building without saying anything? If so, congrats.. you have a lot more restraint than I do. I'd be calling the office and speaking with the doctor if I were you. Or if the office was affiliated with a medical center or something, I'd call the Personnel department. Did you get her name? I KNOW she'd get called on the carpet if you reported her for using dirty gloves; she'd probably lose her job. That's not even something to mess around with.

Answer 5

Perhaps a little letter to the manager is in order. If I ran a business, I would want to know if the staff's behavior was unprofessional. Next time someone doesn't change the glove, open your mouth and, as graciously as possible, ask if they wouldn't mind using a new glove. Speak the truth in kindness.

Answer 6

Write a letter to the head of customer service at the clinic you went to, or give them a call or eMail if you'd rather do that. (You can find out who to contact by calling the clinic and asking them to transfer you to customer service). Tell them exactly what you've told us here.

The clinic management should want to know about this woman's treatment of clients. It's unprofessional and it reflects badly on the clinic.

Once, years ago, I was in the waiting room of a counseling/therapy clinic, waiting for my appointment. I was the only person in the waiting room and after I signed in, I sat there quietly and looked at a magazine. While I was waiting, the receptionist and another clinic worker started gossiping about a patient who had come in, giving some amazingly personal details (13-year-old boy with inappropriate behavior towards a female teacher). I was jaw-dropping shocked, because they were talking loud enough for me to hear, and were laughing and commenting about it!

When I finished my appointment, I called the customer service person and told her exactly what had happened. In short order the director of clinic services called me back, and I told him exactly what I'd heard the women saying, in detail. And I told him that if that was the way they treated confidential matters at the clinic, I was never going back there and would tell everyone I knew not to go there.

Long story short, both women were disciplined for the breach of confidentiality.

Answer 7

The best thing you can do is to talk to her immediate superior or supervisor. Trying to reason with this type of person will get you nowhere. I'm sure you're not the only one who has noticed her behaviour and are probably not the first to report it. The way she acted with you was not appropriate for a receptionist dealing with a patient or customer.

Answer 8

The gloves thing is a major biohazard, I would've stopped her right there and demanded she changed. Who knows if the person before you had some serious disease? You could call the Department of Health for that. As for the rudeness, it's completely uncalled for, but I say let it slide and complain to her superiors if you encounter her again. It's uncomfortable enough getting bloodwork done, I certainly would've put that witch in her place!

Answer 9

Honestly, I most certainly would have asked to speak with her Supervisor. I get that everyone has a bad day here and there. Hell, I have them myself; but I never ever would treat a customer/patient in that fashion. It's just not professional!!

The next time you have an appointment and the same receptionist is still there and treats you the same way; don't hesitate to speak up!

Answer 10

When I have contact with someone who is extremely rude and with an attitude I let them know in uncertain terms what I think of their behavior. I try to do it politely so I don't sound like he/she does.

Maybe contact her supervisor and tell her you are going do to so. If that doesn't work write a polite note to the supervisor at the clinic. Tell them as exactly as you can how you were treated. Make sure you include the person's name, time and date.