I was working in a military lab about 40 years ago. Our receptionist wasn’t medical and was fairly new to the position. One day, a young Private came in for fertility testing after being exposed to a chemical at his workplace. The receptionist handed him a specimen container and directed him to our “private” washroom.
After about 30 minutes, she started to get concerned. She asked one of our male techs to check on him, thinking maybe he was dealing with a bit of performance anxiety. Just as the tech was about to knock, the young Private came out. He was sweating and looked weak in the knees.
He walked over to the receptionist and handed her the specimen jar. Barely able to speak, he apologized. “Sorry, Master Corporal,” he said, “I just don’t think I can fill the whole cup!”
Clear instructions really do matter—but good for him for trying.
Submitted by:
Heidi Perez
Medical Technologist/Scientist
Wisconsin, USA
