All of the sudden, I found myself thinking sociologically when I was working at a doctor’s office. I observed the actions of my coworkers, of the patients receiving care, and of the doctor and my boss. At work, patients come in and out of the office for appointments with the doctor or nurse practitioner. Throughout the day my coworker and I will answer the phone to help patients with making appointments or other medical needs.
In the office, I am most actively involved with patients and coworkers when first checking the patients into the office and when checking them out of the office. Most of our office staff are white, female, and the majority over the age of fifty. There are two white, males that work in the office, one is our doctor and …show more content…
A doctor is expected wear the professional white coat, underneath a dress shirt and tie and pants, dress shoes and socks. Looking at it from Goffman’s Dramaturgical Approach, this is the costume a doctor would wear to be believable, the office would be the stage, the exam tables and stethoscope would be two of the props (Chapter 4). However our doctor also changes his impression of other people by wearing bright colors every day in the office. Even though to be a doctor he has to wear the professional attire, mixing an array of bright colors makes him seem not as stern as and more approachable than a doctor wearing neutral tones may. From Goffman’s Impression Management, our doctor is able to maintain the professional side with the white coat and clothes but can still be perceived as fun by altering his other clothing’s …show more content…
Several times when interacting with a difficult patient on the phone or in the office, my coworkers and I will ask our office manager for help. More often than not she will tell them the exact same thing, worded differently at the most, and most accept her word right away. With the title of “office manager”, patients are more trusting or accepting of her word, being obedient towards a higher authority (ch 6). This respect of titles also plays into the difference between titles of “Doctor/MD” and “Nurse Practitioner/CRNP”. When a patient calls to be seen and we at the front desk ask if they would like to see our nurse practitioner, the patients who are not familiar with the title will say no and get upset they can’t see a “real doctor”. Majority of what these patients need our Nurse Practitioner can do, but without the status of “Doctor” they can be skeptical and
In the office, I am most actively involved with patients and coworkers when first checking the patients into the office and when checking them out of the office. Most of our office staff are white, female, and the majority over the age of fifty. There are two white, males that work in the office, one is our doctor and …show more content…
A doctor is expected wear the professional white coat, underneath a dress shirt and tie and pants, dress shoes and socks. Looking at it from Goffman’s Dramaturgical Approach, this is the costume a doctor would wear to be believable, the office would be the stage, the exam tables and stethoscope would be two of the props (Chapter 4). However our doctor also changes his impression of other people by wearing bright colors every day in the office. Even though to be a doctor he has to wear the professional attire, mixing an array of bright colors makes him seem not as stern as and more approachable than a doctor wearing neutral tones may. From Goffman’s Impression Management, our doctor is able to maintain the professional side with the white coat and clothes but can still be perceived as fun by altering his other clothing’s …show more content…
Several times when interacting with a difficult patient on the phone or in the office, my coworkers and I will ask our office manager for help. More often than not she will tell them the exact same thing, worded differently at the most, and most accept her word right away. With the title of “office manager”, patients are more trusting or accepting of her word, being obedient towards a higher authority (ch 6). This respect of titles also plays into the difference between titles of “Doctor/MD” and “Nurse Practitioner/CRNP”. When a patient calls to be seen and we at the front desk ask if they would like to see our nurse practitioner, the patients who are not familiar with the title will say no and get upset they can’t see a “real doctor”. Majority of what these patients need our Nurse Practitioner can do, but without the status of “Doctor” they can be skeptical and