Over the past few years my sinus issues have worsened and twice a year I start waking up with stuffy/runny noses and a stuffed left ear. The ear usually clears out in an hour and if the nose gets too annoying I can get some prescription nasal spray to use for a few weeks. So the time came around this year but instead of clearing up in an hour or two the ear stayed stuffy all day, leaving me unable to hear from the left side. After a week of trying home remedies and store bought drops, I gave in and went to the doc-in-the-box. Didn't think things went so badly. Got in to see the doc, explained the issues. He tells me the nurses will be in soon to draw blood and wash out my ear. Blood draw happens and then I begin to wait. The door is left open so I sit through several conversations at the nurses station, including their kid issues and what kind of boob jobs they would get! Meanwhile you know.. Me..... waiting.....
Doc eventually comes back with test results and tells me I have a virus and writes me a few prescriptions to clear it up. He asks if i'm hearing any better? I say no. he says "the nurses haven't washed out your ear yet?" me: "no" He goes and tells the nurses again to wash my ear out. A moment or two later I hear nurse 1 explaining to nurse 2 how to insert the tube into my ear for the drops. She comes in, gives me drops, and then sends me on my way. The result? Nothing.
There was also a small side convo where the doctor badgered me about my name to the point 1) he laughed 2) told me I should lie about it's origin and 3) insulted my parents for picking it. I did not laugh. Not amused doc.
So here's where it became bad service. In the rush I had forgotten to tell the doc that I don't swallow pills (even though the nurse did write it down) so I take the prescription to the pharmacist to see what i've got. He tells me that i've got two antibiotics in pill form. That was a little weird, but I couldn't put my finger on why. By this time the doc is closed and I can't get it changed anyway so i go home and google "antibiotics and virus" and get confirmation for that gut instinct I had...Antibiotics do not cure viruses. Ever. So i'm holding a useless piece of paper.
After another week of no hearing I go to another doc that's essentially a doc-in-the-box, but for after hours. One look at my ear and they say "no biggie we'll just wash it out". Thinking i'd already had that done, I tell them another nurse has already given me drops and they didn't work. Nurse gets a funny look and says "no when your ears are washed out they flush warm water into your ears until the loosened wax is removed. Did she put water in your ear that felt like it was coming through a hose?"
And that's when I learned the extent of my bad service. Doc gave me a useless prescription, as well as ignoring the nurses original notes. The nurses ignored doc's instructions in favor of carrying on their own conversation and then when they got around to it, decided not to do it at all. And to add insult to injury, doc decided to make fun of my name. Gotta love it. Thank goodness I have insurance and I was only out my $20 co-pay.
the happy ending? It took two nurses, a doctor and 2 different sized syringes, but I can hear now! And i will never ever use q-tips in my ear again!