What Made Me Smile...

... the other day at work.

I had a patient from a local prison (Yes, we treat prisoners, too. Even they get sick...). The protocol is for them to have 2 prison guards with them at all times. The guards usually just sit near the patient (whose ankles are still shackled) and watch TV most of the day. Honestly, sometimes it's a little awkward interacting with these patients and the guards because 1. there's always a small audience for whatever I'm doing/explaining, 2. the guards don't care 2 cents what's going on with the patient medically so they seem kinda bored all the time (as opposed to the over-anxious or appropriately-anxious family members of regular patients), and 3. the guards usually want to make small talk, when my priority is the patient... so if I'm gonna make small talk with anyone on a busy day, it's gonna be the patient. Sorry, officers.

Anyway, what made me smile was this little scene:
I walk into the room, where the patient and guards are attentively watching TV. [Let me remind you that TV isn't common in prisons, and at the hospital the patient has the TV remote, not the guards, so I'm always interested to see what these prisoner-patients choose to watch... hospital visits for these prisoners can be like a mini-vacation, so they are pretty mindful of the opportunity to watch TV and choose what meals they get to eat...]. As I'm preparing to give a medicine, I look up at the TV to see what I'm interrupting (and what the patient chose as their once-in-three-years-TV-viewing-opportunity). They're watching none other than one of my all time favorite TV shows...



Law & Order.