and THAT'S why you don't forget to say the name of the secretary.

My job requires me to do a lot of random tasks throughout the work day. One of these tasks that comes up fairly regularly (which I guess doesn't make it that random) is taking a CD with patient information on it down to a lab so it can be uploaded onto the computer. Then once the information is all uploaded I go back and pick up the CD, bring it back to the office, do some stuff on the computer verifying that it has been uploaded, and then destory and throw the CD away.


So the other day one of the secretaries, Barb, asked me to go pick up a CD that had information for a patient of Dr. Sundt's (in the grand scheme of things, these names don't matter. It just makes it easier for me to tell the story). That's all I was told. Go pick up a CD for Dr. Sundt. I wasn't told the patients name. Probably because a. it didn't matter, there was probably only one CD that Dr. Sundt needed to see, or b. for patient confidentality.


This is how the rest of the story goes...And I am not even kidding. This is EXACTLY how the conversation went.


Me: Hi, I need to pick up a CD that has been loaded for Dr. Sundt.

Lab worker: OK. Patient's name please.

Me: Oh, sorry. I don't know, I was just told it was one of Dr. Sundt's patients.

Lab Worker: OK. Well does Random first name, Random last name, Random first name, Random last name, or Random first name, Random last name, sound familiar?

Me: Um...I'm not sure. I was just told the name of the Doctor...

Lab Worker: Hmm...(picks up a box holding a CD, and points to a piece of paper on the lid) well this box only says that the patient was in whatever hospital building, whatever floor, whatever room number. Do you think that's right?

Me: Oh, well now that you mention it, I do like to stalk random patients whose name I don't know, but I do keep track of which hospital room they're staying in. So yeah, that is the right patient.

False. I didn't actually say that. But I sure was thinking it.

My patience was wearing VERY thin at this point. "I don't know. Barb just sent me down, we could call her and see if..."

Lab Worker: OH! Barb?! Here you go. (and handed me said CD)


Guess I learned my lesson.