CASPer Scenario For Discussion #35

[PrepMatch]

You have just started working at a coffee house. During rush hour, a customer orders sugar-free iced tea. You observe your colleague handing them a regular iced tea.​

1. Is this situation harmless?
2. When you ask your colleague, they shrug it off saying the customer probably won't notice. Should you take further action?
3. What role do you have in this situation?

Discuss Below !!

This scenario is from PrepMatch.com, the free peer-to-peer CASPer preparation platform that allows you to practice hundreds of scenarios for free. PrepMatch is a non-profit partnered up with organizations such as the Student Doctor Network that aims to make the admission process more equitable.

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[fluffycookie1231]

1. This situation could lean both ways. For one, I understand that what my colleague did may be an accident. On the other hand, the customer may just prefer sugar-free items. However, the customer may also have health issues, such as diabetes, in which sugar may negatively affect her, hence, ordering sugar-free iced tea. Therefore, it is important to take every task and instructions given to one seriously and pursue carefully and to not assume simple mistakes can be fully harmless. As future physicians, it is important to understand we do not understand and know the full story and health history of a patient just by looking at them.
2. This is a difficult situation because I do not want to get my colleague in trouble. However, as mentioned, perhaps the customer has a health issue that leads to sugar leaving a negative affect on her health. I would pull aside my colleague in a private area, and in non judgemental tone explain to them the negative effects of creating a wrong order for a customer, whether that is diabetes or even allergies. If the colleague agrees and understands now, then no harm and perhaps he can inform the customer, if they are still in the store, about the mistake. If my colleague continues to refuse. I would let them know I will report them to the supervisor. As mentioned, it can be dangerous to not follow instructions given as we do not know the effects it can lead on others.
3. I become a bystander within this situation. It is important for me to inform my coworker about the dangers of such a simple mistake as such and the effects it can lead to customers. But also it is important for me to create a safe environment for customers who trust us to make drinks as they ordered. This situation may lead me to report such coworker if incidents as such continue.

(please ignore grammatical/spelling errors as they do not affect CASPER scoring)

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

You have just started working at a coffee house. During rush hour, a customer orders sugar-free iced tea. You observe your colleague handing them a regular iced tea.​

1. Is this situation harmless?
2. When you ask your colleague, they shrug it off saying the customer probably won't notice. Should you take further action?
3. What role do you have in this situation?

Discuss Below !!

This scenario is from PrepMatch.com, the free peer-to-peer CASPer preparation platform that allows you to practice hundreds of scenarios for free. PrepMatch is a non-profit partnered up with organizations such as the Student Doctor Network that aims to make the admission process more equitable.

1. No. Diabetes alone is one of the leading causes of death, not to mention they may have other health / religious reasons for abstaining from sugar. Food service workers are vastly underpaid for their work that they do, however safety and respect for dietary restrictions and allergies is paramount.

2. Would quickly go to the customer and politely tell them that there was a mistake with their order, apologize, and fix it. I would then later talk to my co-worker perhaps in private or out of earshot and try to politely try to help them empathize that sugar can be an allergy or other health risk, and I know that they would not want something bad to happen to the customer in the store.

3. This is a bit more of a clear-cut situation, since health and safety are at play. It's important to not overstep my bounds as a coworker, but at the same time the moral imperative is to ensure the safety of the customers. That's something we are all supposed to adhere to, and every customer should feel confident in the safety of their food. Taking the time to help bring the other worker in with a caring fashion without being scolding or condescending, or without making them feel bad for making a mistake. Sometimes nobody is to blame, but a problem does need to be corrected.