Clinical Issues

Today was not a good day. I spent the day in a clinic awaiting my required HIV test. I arrived at 2:00 pm and was told that my results would not be ready until 5:30. A big deal being as I live over an hour away from the clinic. So I spent the day sitting in Barnes and Noble with a book and journal. I then went into the clinic at 5:40. (I waited ten minutes so I wouldn't "rush" the shift change.) I finally got my results, HIV-negative, at 7:30 p.m. Oh yes, the clinic CLOSED at 7. It was fabulous. They closed up the place and as the lady was leaving told us it was a mid-night clinic. "Oh brilliant," I thought. Ooops, I said it out loud. I don't think the lady likes me that much, but I still don't like her. I complained and I was told that I couldn't just take my results in an envelope because patients were finding out that they were HIV Positive and then doing nothing about it. So now it is protocol for everyone to sit with a doctor to find out their results. So I had to wait 5 1/2 hours for a doctor to hand me my sheet of paper and say, "You are free to go." Ugh, the trial of trying to serve overseas!