There are many words that doctors have used for patients that we shouldn't use anymore. Realizing the inappropriateness of such terminology does not require much heavy lifting - and, yet, we are still using these epithets time and time again. I thought I'd give some examples, if only to get them off my chest.
1. Non-compliant: As if the patient is supposed to be a good, obedient servant, following the doctor's orders, turning neither to the right nor the left.
2. Denying: ["The patient denies chest pain, shortness of breath..."]: As if these are accusations, and the patient is protesting their innocence.
3. Difficult: Like a problem or a disease, the difficult patient is meant to be solved, not helped.
4. Suffering from "pseudoseizures": If a patient has a non-epileptic, or psychogenic, seizure, there is little that's "pseudo" about it.
5. Uncontrolled diabetic: Again the one-dimensional assessment - there is diabetes, a disease, to be controlled, but then, by metonymy, the patient becomes their disease.
What words can't you stand when they are used to describe you, or your patients?
1. Non-compliant: As if the patient is supposed to be a good, obedient servant, following the doctor's orders, turning neither to the right nor the left.
2. Denying: ["The patient denies chest pain, shortness of breath..."]: As if these are accusations, and the patient is protesting their innocence.
3. Difficult: Like a problem or a disease, the difficult patient is meant to be solved, not helped.
4. Suffering from "pseudoseizures": If a patient has a non-epileptic, or psychogenic, seizure, there is little that's "pseudo" about it.
5. Uncontrolled diabetic: Again the one-dimensional assessment - there is diabetes, a disease, to be controlled, but then, by metonymy, the patient becomes their disease.
What words can't you stand when they are used to describe you, or your patients?
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