Assignment Guidelines
Case Study
A young mother and her two small children, a toddler and a 3-month-old, leave their apartment at 7:00 am for a 9:00 am. clinic visit. In the rush to leave the apartment to get to their appointment, the mother forgot her cell phone. With the baby in a stroller and the toddler at his mother's side, they head for the bus stop that is four blocks from their home. The first bus is late because of icy conditions. She must transfer three times to get to the clinic and walk two blocks to the clinic building. She arrives at the clinic 45 minutes late for her 9:00 am. appointment. The medical assistant at the intake desk looks at the clock as the mother signs in and says, "Couldn't you have called if you were going to be late?"
Assignment
Read through the case study and answer these questions:
1. Do you think the medical assistant cares about the complications the young mother has faced?
2. Would it make a difference if the young mother were to explain why she was late?
3. How could the medical assistant improved her greeting? Provide an example of respect and person-centered communication.