With April Fools day upon us, it brings to mind an April Fools joke that went bad. Years ago I had kidnapped a co-workers stuffed animal. I then took pictures of it in various positions, ie. Next to a knife, next to a gun, in a frying pan, etc. Each day I would put a different ransom note on her desk with one of the pictures. We all had a good laugh. We now have a co-worker who has a little duck on her desk that she cherished as an old friend gave it to her. I decided to do the whole kidnapping thing again. I took the duck after she left for the day, brought it home, put it on my kitchen table and was going to get my camera and all the props. I was distracted by a phone call, getting dinner ready, etc, etc. Later that evening, I got ready to do the pictures and ransom notes and THE DUCK WAS GONE!!!!!. I searched everywhere and getting more panicky by the minute. I finally found the duck. My dog had gotten it off the table and chewed the head. Now I am feeling awful because I know how much this little duck meant to her. All I could do was fess up, so I wrapped the ducks head in a bandage, put a little drop of red fingernail polish on it and tell her what happened the next day. Lucky for me she saw the humor in it , and she now cherishes the duck even more.

Often, the front office is the "hot seat" for dealing with difficult patients. Some of us are better at handling these situations than others. Be aware of the members of your staff who are adept at dealing with angry, defensive, or just plain rude people. They can be an asset on a busy day! When dealing with difficult patients yourself, here are a few tips to keep in mind.