The rich kids health

The rich kids behave differently from the poor kids. It was time to send them a message. All the kids got a message from their favorite, caring nurse:

"When you get sick, do you expect to be cured? How many of you think there's a medicine that will fix all your problems?
Unfortunately there's not a lot we can cure. We hope to find things to relieve the symptoms a little, but your body does all the work, it just takes a bit of time sometimes.

What's my point? A lot of you seem angry that you're not getting antibiotics from the health center. Guess what, antibiotics work for bacterial infections. 99% of you have viral infections, meaning antibiotics are useless.

There are certain things we look for to help us decide if an illness is bacterial or virus, we know what we're doing.

So, don't get angry, don't be obnoxious, and remember to say please and thank you.

If you're not happy about something, discuss it in a polite and calm way like a normal human being.

Some do's and don't when entering the health center

Don't say "I just need..." or "Give me some..." or "Only one minutes, that's all..."

Try "Can you please..." or "May I please have some..." or "What time suits you..."

Don't complain that we've made you wait till lunch clinic about your sore knee when it's been sore for the last week and you've not bothered to come to one single clinic in all that time.

Don't tell me that you mum said you need to rest, sleep, go on antibiotics or have surgery. Your mum isn't here, plus about one third of your parents never bothered to return your health information forms.

Don't put on make up. Confused. Well the last girl who came to see me with apparent horrendous diarrhoea and vomiting had immaculate make-up, lovely perfume, and smiled a bit too much. Real sick people don't do this.

Don't tell me you "Can't breathe" in long, rambling 20 word sentences.

Don't tell me you need to see a specialist doctor. You probably don't know what one is, and if you did want to see one, the waiting time is usually two weeks or more. Fortunately, due to the aide of our local doctor, we can usually get appointments much quicker.

If at any stage you think you can get better help, go ahead and do so. I'm sure there are plenty of over paid doctors in Geneva happy to take your parents money when any experienced general practitioner could have dealt with your problem.

Do tell us your health problem, especially your past history. I am shocked almost on a weekly basis when people complain to me that nothing is being done about their illness which they've had since birth, but never bothered to tell us about it in the first place.

Do use your common sense and be patient.

It is a fact that the poorer the patient, the poorer the family, the better manners they have, the more appreciative they are, and the better care they receive, and all because they not only know how to be nice, but they are nice. In fact the poorer people bring in the nicest chocolates, even though they can't afford it.

So, try being nice, try saying 'please' and 'thank-you' and you might find life in the health center a little easier.