A worn out topic

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Ok, I know the question has been posted over and over. I've not seen any real definitive information.

I recently witnessed a doctor who decided to saunter into the hospital to see a patient, and as he walked towards the patient's room he passed the nurses station and barked the question of who the patient's nurse was. Someone pointed and he used a jerky hand gesture to beckon the nurse to follow him...as one might a dog....

I've also seen a doctor walk to a nurses station and bark out the charts he needed...the charts were directly on the shelf in front of him.

I was told in nursing school to never give up your chair just because a doctor was present. I've seen nurses scramble out of the way to give a doctor their seat just because he was standing close by (and there were plenty of empty seats elsewhere)

My question is....is this not the year 2010? I sometimes feel like we're living in the 18th century.

No, really, my question is.... are doctors really our colleagues as some nurses have emphatically stated? Or are we their subordinates/pee ons ready to jump at their beck and call (and I can tell some doctors LOVE that and use it often)? I've noticed some doctors can't wait to rip into a nurse for every insignificant thing...and the nurse just stands there and takes it. So where is the line (please don't say there isn't one...there has to be an accountability line even if it's on the border of professionalism)?

I'm not a docile person, especially if there's a male barking orders at me...I tend to have a problem with that (and mind you, I understand reasonable and professionally communicated disagreements, but throwing charts..scoffing, rude language, calling names, making inappropriate references to a nurses' intelligence...I just feel like if they open the door, I have a right to slam their fingers in it ;-p )

Honest and objective opinions?

Zombie thread!

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I prefer that the OP wanted to update the community!

OP I'm gald you found your niche!

Specializes in Utilization Review.

and???

Specializes in Utilization Review.

thanks. there's nothing wrong with updating old posts.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I agree with the others. I love it when the person who authored a thread comes back to update it! Thanks artistnurse!

thanks. there's nothing wrong with updating old posts.

I think this is one forum where it's completely appropriate, actually. I think nursing isn't stagnant and in many cases there's no reason for a thread to be, either, as long as it's not rehashing old news - which I don't think this is. If more old posts were resurrected, it might stop a lot of the dead horse beating on some topics. :) And I mean that very good-naturedly.

I work at a teaching hospital and we call our NPs, residents and fellows by their first names. I guess once they become staff they are then Dr. So&So?

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I don't think there is one standard for that as both teaching hospitals I worked at had rules that were based on formal/informal. If someone has earned their MD they were usually called Doctor ______ except by people who knew them or had a more informal relationship. We would still use the title in front of patients.

Personally I think the issue to focus on is patient education - ie "doctor" does not automatically mean "Medical Doctor". I don't find fault with people who think that way as it's been ingrained in our popular culture for a very long time. I've seen some creative ways nurses with doctorates introduce themselves that let the patient know they are "doctor" but not MD.

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