Commenting Without Engaging Brain

I am employed at a Pediatricians' office. I love my job. Working with children is very rewarding for me and I'm good at what I do. I work well with people and I am an exceptional secretary (sorry to toot my own horn, but I've been told this by many different people and I've finally come to believe it must be true). My job is good for me. However, I was recently seconded to the hospital who owns our office to cover for a colleague who is on maternity leave (to deliver her twins for whom she did not seek fertility treatment to concieve and stated to me she hadn't wanted to have for another few years - but that's another story). I enjoy working at the hospital less than I enjoy the Pediatric office.

One of the main reasons I enjoy the hospital less is the co-worker with whom I share an office. I don't think she intends to be as prickly as she is, but she manages all the same. If I ask her a question, she repeats herself several times in slightly different ways despite my acknowledging that I understand what she's saying. She acts as though I don't grasp these bits of information she's sharing with me. I find it highly agitating. An example of a recent conversation:

Me: I think we're going to have to reschedule this test. I don't have a precertification on file from the insurance, so we won't get paid if we do it without the precert. I'll call the doctor's office to schedule it for the next day and to get the precert.
Co-worker: Oh, but on that insurance we used to see them even if the precert has not yet been approved.
Me: Oh. Well, I was told by [supervisor] that we could not see them without the precert being approved first now. We didn't get paid last time this happened.
Co-worker: I'm just saying, we didn't used to have to have the precert first.
Me: I understand. However, [supervisor] said that we had to have a precert in place first. I'm going to do what I was told. I'm only filling in and I don't want to go against what I was told.
Co-worker: Yes, but I'm just saying we used to see them whether the precert had been approved or not.
Me: Yes, I get that. We don't do it that way anymore.
Co-worker: I'm just saying......

You get the picture how this conversation went. I know what she was telling me. I just find it very difficult to get through to her that I understand but had been told to do it differently.

However, the pressing conversation that has me shaking my head today went as follows:

Co-worker: These stupid people get on my nerves!
Me: Oh?
Co-worker: Yes, they come up here coughing, sneezing, running fevers....don't they know when you're sick you stay home! You don't come to a place of business to get the people who work there sick. Its selfish of them and stupid! They're showing no care for anyone else. They need to go their butts home! I don't want their sickness!
Me: {Stare blankly at Co-worker, shake my head and return to my work.}

I mean, HELLO?!?! We're a HOSPITAL for crying out loud! Where are sick people supposed to go if not to a hospital?!?! I thought it was a clear sign of her commenting before engaging her brain to think about what she was saying.

I will keep you abreast of any other {shake head} moments.

In IF related news - still no sign of AF or O. *Sigh*