[tammilynn]

Hi! I have a question. I am currently a nursing student working on my pre-req. I work in an extremely busy internal medicine practice as a medical secretary/medical assistant. My question is, how do nurses or even other medical personnal handle a doctor that treats you like dirt? I know that to even be the medical field you have to have "broad shoulders" but what is the fine line between showing respect or just plain humuliation? My doctor loves to put me in my place and push me around. I think he really finds pleasure in this. Am I being too sensitive? Internally it just tells me I am a whimp and I can't take criticism--how can I handle being a nurse Thanks for your support

[P_RN]

You are not a wimp.

You are being bullied by your "boss." All doctors are not this way, but still there are some out there who would take great delight in making nurses feel inferior.

This is abuse!It is also ILLEGAL. Check out this site.

http://www.provcomm.net/pages/joe/adult_bullying.htm

[fab4fan]

This is one of the unfortunate aspects of the profession. It takes time to learn how to handle it, and everybody handles it differently, it seems.

There should be a zero-tolerance for this...I believe it violates federal law to have a "hostile workplace." Proving your case can be difficult.

I have written doctors up, but the one thing that really seems to work (for me) is to just stop what I am doing and stare silently at the doc. Pretty soon, he/she looks like an idiot.

Like I said, you'll have to find your own way that works.

[SingingNurse2]

I agree fab4, my evil eye has helped me in many a difficult situation.

Speak softly and carry a BIG stick!

[renerian]

I would pull him to the side tell him how you feel and that you would like to be treated better. I have done that with several docs and got apologies from all of them.


renerian

[tammilynn]

Thanks for all the support. I was starting to think that all doctors were like this. I think all anyone in the medical world-nurses, secretaries, LPN-demand respect. After all, without us, who would carry out the orders of the doctor?

[Flynurse]

Doctor-Nurse Mutual Respect

[Tweety]

Quote from a wise one: sjoe say's "We will get exactly as much crap as we will take."

'nuff said.

[sjoe]

Or to respond in a somewhat less tactful way:

Your question: "disrespect or am I just a whimp?" can be most directly answered, "Yes, it is disrespect, and yes, you are a wimp--at least so far."

[AAHZ]

I KNOW THAT ITS NOT RIGHT, BUT I HAVE OFFERED TO HAVE FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSIONS IN THE PARKING LOT WITH A FEW DOCS THAT I HAVE MET. YOU NEED TO LEARN TO STAND UP, LOOK 'EM IN THE EYE, AND TELL 'EM TO "KNOCK IT THE "F" OFF".
REMINDING THEM THAT ITS ILLEGAL HELPS TOO.