At the hospital where I used to work, patients wait for us at the waiting area to have their blood drawn. As soon as their turn is up, we call them by their first name only or at times their “preferred name” to try to keep it as private as possible.
My next patient’s name is Theresa, but she prefers to be called TT (pronounced as Tee Tee). She has been a patient with us before, so I already know this.
Out the door I go to get her. When I called out her name, I mispronounced it and instead said “Titty”. It was an honest mistake and a bit embarrassing as there are others in the waiting room with her.
I’m glad she was cool about it and said, “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got enough.”
That, I can’t really argue. We both just laughed it off.
Submitted by:
Ronald Smith
Medical Technologist
Alabama, USA
