Incompetent people

[thedelicatessen]

These past few weeks I've had to deal with people who have not been doing their jobs properly. It is SO frustrating to see people being inefficient with their jobs because I know there is little room for error as a physician. If I make a request from administration and it gets messed up, it's just a big hassle for me. If a physician messes something up, someone's health and/or quality of life could be in danger.

Is it worth it to call people on their mistakes, or is it better for our sanity to just suck it up and move on because these people will never change? Am I just being too perfectionist and particular, or is this just something inherent in the physician mentality? Comments?

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[BuckerPark]

Am I just being too perfectionist and particular, or is this just something inherent in the physician mentality? Comments?

I don't know. Are you a physician?

 

[thedelicatessen]

Well, I'm on my way. I think that counts for something .

 

[riceman04]

These past few weeks I've had to deal with people who have not been doing their jobs properly. It is SO frustrating to see people being inefficient with their jobs because I know there is little room for error as a physician. If I make a request from administration and it gets messed up, it's just a big hassle for me. If a physician messes something up, someone's health and/or quality of life could be in danger.

Is it worth it to call people on their mistakes, or is it better for our sanity to just suck it up and move on because these people will never change? Am I just being too perfectionist and particular, or is this just something inherent in the physician mentality? Comments?

Are you just a co-worker or do you have authority over them?

 

[PugMD]

Are you just a co-worker or do you have authority over them?

This is really the deciding factor, unless you think that their behavior justifies going over their heads.

 

[MJB]

I hate it when the fry cooks screw up too...it's ok.

Get used to working with this type...you're gonna do it the rest of your life.

And your mentality is not reserved for physicians...

 

[xylem29]

These past few weeks I've had to deal with people who have not been doing their jobs properly. It is SO frustrating to see people being inefficient with their jobs because I know there is little room for error as a physician. If I make a request from administration and it gets messed up, it's just a big hassle for me. If a physician messes something up, someone's health and/or quality of life could be in danger.

Is it worth it to call people on their mistakes, or is it better for our sanity to just suck it up and move on because these people will never change? Am I just being too perfectionist and particular, or is this just something inherent in the physician mentality? Comments?

A good question to ask is - is just because you are too much of a perfectionist that as soon as they "do their job" in a way that you don't agree with, even if slightly, you feel as though they are incompetent??? Or are they actually screwing up the job?? There is little room for error, but since you aren't a physician just yet - I don't think you have been exposed to the idea of theory and practice, and their clash. Medicine is not isolated from real life, so you will likely meet "incompetent" people in medicine, be they physicians or allied health professionals. It's not so simple as "Oh my, if I make a mistake, it could cost lives". I mean, this is true in some cases, but there is also room for error in medicine - there is no such thing as perfection!!!

Anyway, if you have good leadership and management skills - you should be able to call people on their mistakes without coming off as an a**hole.

 

[thedelicatessen]

I'm just referring to random situations where people make mistakes at their jobs. It just frustrates me when people don't seem to feel bad or acknowledge when they mess up at their jobs when I know that in contrast, there is not really much room for error as a physician. Do others feel that way too?

 

[MJB]

I'm just referring to random situations where people make mistakes at their jobs. It just frustrates me when people don't seem to feel bad or acknowledge when they mess up at their jobs when I know that in contrast, there is not really much room for error as a physician. Do others feel that way too?

I think you need to chill out and do the best job YOU can...

 

[chad5871]

If you are working in a healthcare environment where patients lives and health are in jeopardy, I would definitely say something. If you are a manager or in a position that puts you in charge of somebody, and they make mistakes, I would say something. If you are working at a fast food place/grocery store/bank/office/etc. where small mistakes really aren't that big of a deal, then I would just forget about it. Worry about the job that *you* are responsible for. You will probably be recognized for doing something right if the others are doing it wrong.

 

[armybound]

do you think, as a physician, all of your patients will take your advice 100% and be healthy forever?

do you think you'll never see a patient twice, for the same reason, simply because they're too ignorant to follow simple instructions that will help save their life?

the world is full of incompetent people, and you can usually find them in a hospital, getting treated for something they could have prevented. If they get you this riled up now, how are you going to feel seeing them day in and day out?

 

[lilnoelle]

If you are being a micromanager, figure out how to ignore small mistakes. No one is perfect and constantly striving for perfection in everything will just end up stressing everyone out.
If the mistakes are large enough to matter and you are in some type of authority over the individual, then bring it up.
If the mistakes are substantial then figure out a way to bring it up that will not rub all those involved in the wrong way.

 

[mdvargas]

These past few weeks I've had to deal with people who have not been doing their jobs properly. It is SO frustrating to see people being inefficient with their jobs because I know there is little room for error as a physician. If I make a request from administration and it gets messed up, it's just a big hassle for me. If a physician messes something up, someone's health and/or quality of life could be in danger.

Is it worth it to call people on their mistakes, or is it better for our sanity to just suck it up and move on because these people will never change? Am I just being too perfectionist and particular, or is this just something inherent in the physician mentality? Comments?

You sound just like me a week ago when there was a staff meeting regarding, and in summary, "proposal to begin getting involved in this one person's work responsibilities because he/she will never get caught up due to constant personal phone calls, IM'ing, slacking off, lack of skills, poor time management, and thus the department's work being months behind". You would figure this person will get canned or at least acknowledge he/she is the biggest f***up who needs to straighten up but is rather given the benefit of other people's time to do what he/she is there and getting paid for. I was disgusted at the lack of enforcing personal responsibility and value of hard work. I might be alone on those thoughts because I know I will never tolerate such thing. That kind of people will rarely change and so never progress...a bonus for the rest of us

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

These past few weeks I've had to deal with people who have not been doing their jobs properly. It is SO frustrating to see people being inefficient with their jobs because I know there is little room for error as a physician. If I make a request from administration and it gets messed up, it's just a big hassle for me. If a physician messes something up, someone's health and/or quality of life could be in danger.

That's why M&Ms exist.

Is it worth it to call people on their mistakes, or is it better for our sanity to just suck it up and move on because these people will never change? Am I just being too perfectionist and particular, or is this just something inherent in the physician mentality? Comments?

We're only human. Cop out, but really it's true. Work over 80 hours a week with a wife who's been having the plumber over too much cuz you're never around to play with the sink and also her, and also your kid who is growing up to despise you for not being home, and also your patients who all hate you and want to sue you, along with your rising malpractice insurance, and you are bound to make a mistake here and there...