How do my beliefs affect my work?

I was posed this question during my class. "To what extent do my beliefs, prejudices or biases influence my thinking in terms of providing service in my profession?"   This is a hard question to answer, because no one wants to believe they have prejudices or biases.   

I'm really trying to come up with something, and am forced to think if I treat any of my patients differently....

We treat all sorts of patients where I work.  All different ages groups, poverty levels, body types, etc, but for the most part they are white (not because we don't accept others here, we will treat anyone that comes in happily!).  I work in a small town of just over 5,000 people with other hospitals less than 30 mintues away, so many people don't even stop in to see us.  

I've found myself being leery when i see a  patient sitting in the room talking to a police officer, but I shouldn't be because the officers come in for so many different reasons.  They sit and talk to Domestic Abusers, traffic law breakers, victims of accidents, the abused etc.  My personal experience with an ex may be what makes me leery towards those with the officers. He was one of the abusers and though i got out, it wasn't unscathed.  Seeing the police, my brain sometimes jumps to "be careful" or "watch out" especially when the patient is a male sitting talking to that officer.  That is something I am personally working on to fix.

Now according to the population statistics I've looked up for another class, only about 1-2% of our towns population is not white. That limits my experience medically with anyone else ethnically, so I can't speak to that, but I do have experience with drug seekers.

I believe I have (and many of the doctors and nurses all around the world) made assumptions about certain people that come in only looking for pain medicine.  I get many of them that come to my department for xrays on areas that hurt (yet when someone isn't looking they are magically able to use that part with no pain).  I do find myself having less patience with those patients.  I sometimes take a look at someone that makes a lot of visits,is disheveled looking, moaning in pain, etc and roll my eyes before taking them over to the department.  

   I should watch that because some day a "regular" may come in with an actual injury.  Everyone deserves to be treated well, because you never know if they are really in pain, or injured.  I will work harder not to become impatient with patients.