All dummies.......NOT!!!

deespoohbear · Oct 6, 2002

I hear ya!! We have a couple of doctors at our facility that basically think the nurses on dirt on the bottoms of their shoes!! One of them is my age (mid 30s') and definitely has the God complex going for him. Does not take to suggestions well, especially from the nursing staff. Funny part is, this guy is definitely not God's gift to medicine, even though he thinks he is. :rolleyes: I don't let it worry me. If I have a suggestion and it is valid, I make it. Then he can do with it what he wants. The other guy is a surgeon who is just an arrogant jerk. (I wanted to use stronger language here, but it would get me in trouble). This guy has no tact (and no skill either). Plus he is condescening to the nurses and to women in general. I just figure that I am a better nurse than he is physician and let it go. I just make sure I document everything when dealing with these two guys. I am not going down because of their egos.

rebelwaclause, ASN, RN · Oct 6, 2002

Some are dopes/dummies/only a nurse. But some MD's are too (and are better suited as Oil Changer staff), so I squash these types of arguments by stating "people are people, and its dumb to generalize."

Also, my ego is not easily shattered because I know I'm competent and worthy in my trade.

micro, RN · Oct 6, 2002

I respect doctors, PA's, NP's, etc. for their knowledge and expertise. If they feel that my input has not merit, that is their problem, but I know of what import my contribution is in the care of the patients within "my scope of care" for 8-12 hours. What it takes is indeed a multidisciplinary 24/7 approach.

micro

spineCNOR · Oct 6, 2002

"Nurses are Dummies" is the general attitude of most of the surgeons where I work. Interesting, in light of the fact that as specialities go, surgeons are the most dependent on nursing staff to be able to do their job. I do respect their knowledge and skills, but it's not possible to respect them as people when it is clear that they view their patients as a source of revenue, not as fellow humans worth caring about.

I think their attitude is due to the combination of a huge ego, deep-down insecurities (that they are probably not even aware that they have), and a sense of entitlement-everything in the world is "all about them".

What's the solution for this problem? Beats me, but I'm open to any suggestions!

andrewsgranny, ASN, RN · Oct 6, 2002

Is it EGO? I mean do you get a Phd. and a big dose of ego?

Or do you get your Phd. and go to wal-mart and buy a big can of it?

We have to continue to cover their a$$ and they never know it. Then when the oppertunity comes for them to find fault in you they make you look stupid and feel stupid. I know you have to LET them do that. But I find that when I'm trying to explain.... I'm looking more and more like a fool. Even tho I may be right. So it seems better to me to just shut up and go on. If my Dr. I work for is uneducated in a certain subject we are talking about, He will blurt out some 15 letter word that we've never heard of and so then we will all shut up and let him have the floor for fear we will once again look stupid.

indynurse · Oct 6, 2002

How's this for a change of pace?

Last week I actually had an OB who made me go into a pt's room and tell her that she (the OB) was a complete airhead.

I had to call this OB at about 1430 to find out when she planned on seeing this particular pt and discharging her. The pt was wanting to leave around 1600hrs, right after the baby's newborn screen was drawn. This OB typically rounds before she goes to the office unless she has a delivery at that time or it is her surgery day. In those cases, she comes by on her lunch break. This day she hadn't been heard from and when I called the office to ask her staff when she would be in, the OB got on the line herself and told me she just totally spaced rounding on this particular pt that day. She told me to tell the pt what happened, that she was a "complete airhead" and would be over within the hour. When I said I would leave out the airhead part, the OB insisted that I do tell the pt. Okay, if you say so..... The pt just laughed and was relieved that at least she could still be discharged when she wanted because she had family coming into town that Dad had to meet at the airport after he took her and baby home.

night owl · Oct 7, 2002

The reason why I post this is because we have a particular resident who is showing signs of something and everyone else on my unit agrees also. He wheezes alot in the morning, so she did put him on an Albuterol inhaler which he refuses to use. Told her that since he refuses the inhaler, he'll definately won't go for the nebulizer tx. (Schizophrenic) Since he takes pills well, maybe ventolin tablets? "Oh, that's a really good idea maybe we'll try that." That was last week....nothing ordered except POx one time that was 93% on R/A. Then he's been having alot of edema in his face, his lips look like he has two on top and two on the bottom. When he's asleep and lying on his side, the bags under his eyes are so full of fluid they hang! His hands are edemetous and today his left hand was really much larger since I saw it last on Thursday. He gained 10 lbs in the last month which isn't from eating because his appetite is poor to fair on a good day. His bp's are high upon arising 200's/90's. He on Propanalol BID, but why so high in the morning??? I told her about the edema at the end of September and she doesn't seem too concerned. I've documented and documented somemore to CMA (cover MY as$) incase something should really happen. He's not a DNR. At least the doc spoke to his sister about making him one and she said she'd think about it. BUT nothing is being done for this man. No lab work, nothing! He's very resistive to anything. So neither the Doc or the PA-C is too concerned about him at this point. Tomorrow I'll hound them again and then document it all... again. Is there anything else I could do? What will it take?

pfleige · Oct 7, 2002

you bet, their ego gets in the way! You would think they will give you a pat in the back, but ironically only works that way sometimes.

deespoohbear · Oct 7, 2002

I would be going up your chain of command to get results. (Hopefully this doctor is not the medical director for your facility). Sounds like something is definitely going on with this resident that requires further investigation. Let us know what happens.

night owl · Oct 7, 2002

I was thinking that the COC :imbar

(Chain of Command) is going to be necessary in this case.