The Science of Respect:

How not to be an asshole when you have a patient with deeply held beliefs.

All over the world there are people with different beliefs. Some believe that modern medicine is the
antichrist, some believe that vaccines are full of aborted fetal cells. Others believe that alternative medicine is
hogwash and that anyone who tries homeopathy is crazy. This can pose many problems for health care
providers. Our job as health care providers is to help our patients, even if we do not agree with them. Evan so
some health care professionals believe it is ok to belittle and argue with patients who hold opposing beliefs.

A very overused quote states “ first do no harm”, it is similar to a quote from the bible “ love your
neighbor”. To me this means we must treat everyone with respect. They are human after all, and even the
smartest of us have beliefs that may not be completely true. Treating someone with respect does not mean we
let them run over us, or that we just go along with what they want. Instead it means that we must choose our
words and actions carefully so as not to provoke and upset the patient. The bible says that “ soft words turn
away wrath”. So instead of getting into an all out fight with our patients about whether or not bathing in chicken
blood will heal warts, we chose not to escalate the situation. Some times the best thing you can do is smile and
change the subject.

This is important firstly because at this moment we are simply phlebotomists, not doctors, not
scientists… phlebotomists. We have a total of 1 month of in class training and it only focuses on our jobs. Our
training does not focus on the mysteries of the universe, it does not delve deep into the science behind
vaccines or what shape the earth is. Remember that your opinions, even if most other people believe them are
still your opinions. Secondly you will spend maybe 5 minutes with this patient. In that 5 minutes you will not
undo years of belief, instead you will upset the patient. Thirdly the experience the patient has with you will
determine future interactions with healthcare professionals. ACT PROFESSIONAL! If you ruin your patients'
experience at the hospital it greatly decreases the chance of them coming back. It decreases the chances of
them bringing their kids to the hospital when they are sick. It decreases their desire to seek help when they
need it. BE NICE, BE RESPECTFUL!

In conclusion, you are responsible for the experience of your patient, don't be an asshole. You will not
change their minds, you will only upset them. Stay within your scope of education, do not give advice for things
that you are not qualified to. That includes the types of laboratory tests, the test results, the shape of the earth,
vaccines, and whatever else the patient may or may not believe. The best thing you can do is point them to a
qualified professional. An example of the perfect response to anything health related that you do not agree with
is “ What a great question, that is something you should talk about with your doctor, I AM JUST A
PHLEBOTOMIST.” Or “I am not sure, I did not study the shape of the earth in my 1 month class.” Remember
that patients have rights, they are human, and they have held their beliefs their whole lives. It is not our job to
change people's beliefs, It is our responsibility to treat patients with respect. This is called the “ standard of
care” and if you do not respect the patients rights or they feel like you are discriminating against them they can
and will sue you and the hospital… don’t be that asshole.

Respect leads to relationships. Relationship leads to the ability to influence their beliefs.
 RESOURCES

- The smithsonian magazine <https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/people-leave-hospitals-

unhappy-because-doctors-are-mean-84378300/
- 28 years of listening to nurses yell at my mother for her beliefs
- years of holding my friends when they cry because a “professional” told them their child was going to
get cancer and die because they did not do what the “professional” wanted (do you think they ever went
back to the hospital...no, they did not)
- Anthropology class last semester
- Hippocratic oath
- phlebotomy book- the ethics chapter
- The Bible

I will write a different one if this is not ok, I realise you wanted me to argue and defend an opinion I had
that conflicted with an imaginary patient's opinion…. But at least to me, It doesn't matter what my patient
believes. It is my job to provide a good experience, not piss them off. The only ethics that matters is whether
or not I will act ethically. The patients have rights, they have the right to refuse treatment for themselves and
their children. They have the right to believe anything they want to without people looking down on them.
It could just be my many years of customer service and waitressing, but this is what I believe is
important.