Dear Annie: I have a job where I work for a doctor. He has two offices. He has four people working at one office, and I work alone at the other. On clinic days, which is when the doctor sees patients, I am supposed to have help. The other staff that come from the other office either take the day off or, when they are there, they don’t help me. They just sit in the break room and talk, and I run the show by myself.

I have gone to the manager, and even the manager above her, and they are hiring someone but are not sure when she is starting. I went to the doctor recently and told him that I was tired of working by myself and that his staff should come help with the clinic. He called me inappropriate for saying that and said I need to just continue to do my job. I asked him, “So it’s OK for me to be alone then?” He said nothing. I am not sure what to do. — Losing Patience

Dear Losing: You’re in a frustrating predicament. While the doctor’s reply was less than helpful, I can’t blame him: You’re more likely to have luck speaking with the manager again or another supervisor who assists with staffing and personnel decisions.

Arrange a meeting with one of your higher-ups to calmly and rationally explain your side. Ultimately, without proper staffing, the patients are the ones who suffer the most. If your managers are not serious about hiring extra hands, it’d be prudent to start looking for other job opportunities, where you feel not only set up for success but like your needs are heard and valued.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].

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