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The following is an on-line version of text from The Brain Injury Handbook:
A Guide for Rehabilitation Providers. Text and formatting have been modified for viewing in various browsers.
Look for a PDF version of selected Ideas in the coming months!

IDEA # 5

Don’t Repeat the Mistakes of Others

You might find yourself uncomfortable with Mrs. Jones’ comments especially if you have a great deal of respect for Dr. Jackson. You might find yourself irritated or reluctant to work with Mrs. Jones. Maybe she’s very sensitive or demanding. On the other hand, Mrs. Jones’ concerns about Dr. Jackson might have been justified.

Most important, if you decide you can help Mrs. Jones, she’s laid out several ground rules for helping her most effectively. Mrs. Jones has told you that she:

    • values punctuality and humility,
    • likes direct answers to questions,
    • expects her phone calls returned in a reasonable time period, and
    • expects advice, at least sometimes.

Persons with neurological disabilities and their family members often complain about rehabilitation providers. Sometimes complaints are an expression of frustration about progress, life changes, and resource limitations that having little or nothing to do with the quality of care. Many times, complaints are justified and worthy of careful consideration.

A list of common complaints, based on an informal survey by the authors, is provided below. Similar complaints have been voiced about providers of medical and psychological services in other settings.

 

    Common Complaints about Rehabilitation Providers.
  • "I waited eight weeks to get an appointment. When I finally got to her office, she kept me waiting for three hours. She complained about how many people she had to see, and then spent only thirty minutes talking to me."
  • "The doctor only talked to my mother. He didn’t even look me in the eye. I’m the one with the problem."
  • "I sent all my records weeks before I went there. He asked me so many questions. There’s no way he even read my chart before I went in."
  • "I took more than thirty tests over two days. I never heard the results. Maybe they were sent to my doctor."
  • "I finally received the report after six weeks. I couldn’t understand a word."
  • "There’s nothing new in the report. He just wrote what I told him and didn’t make a single helpful recommendation."
  • "I have memory problems, ringing in my ears, and I’ve been depressed for four months since the accident. My doctor just tells me to wait, and I’ll get better. He won’t refer me to another specialist."
  • "I told him that my back was killing me and I get headaches every day, sometimes for four or five hours. He says I have to tough it out and learn to live with it."
  • "The doctor just asks questions. Then when I ask a question he changes the subject."
  • "I can’t get through to her in-between appointments. When I call, they put me on hold. When I actually talk to a person, they take my message, but she never calls back."
  • "The doctor referred me to a therapist who lives two hours a way. Not only that, he wants me to go at least twice a week. I told him I can’t drive and have nobody to take me. He said that if I want to get better I’ll find someone to get me there."
  • "I don’t want to clean tables at a restaurant. They say it’s the only job they’re willing to support. Why are they making me do something I’ll hate?"

Listen carefully to patients’ responses when they describe prior experiences with mental health and rehabilitation providers. Their comments will alert you to issues, problems, and approaches they are sensitive about.

Observing colleagues and sharing experiences will also give you ideas that will help you avoid potential problems and maintain positive working relationships with your clients. Learning from the mistakes of others is often less painful than learning from your own.

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Last updated  -  10/02/2008