466 – Having a Good or Bad Bedside Manner
Cho: I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a doctor.
Joy: I think you’ll be great. I’ve seen you with patients and you have a great bedside manner – not like Gregory.
Cho: Why? What’s wrong with his bedside manner?
Joy: I’ve seen him with patients and he can be really callous. For instance, I was in the room last week when he was telling one of his patients that she was taking a turn for the worse.
Cho: What did he say?
Joy: He just blurted it out. He told her the diagnosis, and he didn’t even try to soften the news when she asked about her prognosis. He did absolutely nothing to try to comfort or reassure her.
Cho: I feel sorry for the patient.
Joy: That’s the point. Gregory didn’t, and it didn’t seem to faze him that the patient was very upset and close to hysterics.
Cho: That’s terrible. I’ll try to remember to be more compassionate with my patients.
Joy: Don’t worry. It’s against your nature to be anything but considerate.