How do you go about handling a rude Dr.

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I am still in my first year of nursing. I have 3 more months til my year is up, and one of my biggest complaints is having to put up with rude dr. i mean, nursing is stressful by itself especially on the floor that i work, vascular/renal stepdown unit. I just recently started the nightshift as well. One day last week a doctor(resident) got smart with me when i was only doing my job and it really ticked me off. are we nurses suppose to just sit there like a sitting duck and take this kind of treatment. i was really upset, all i could do is walk off not responding to his comment and find other things that i could be doing. Of course the same dr. needed my assitance some minutes later. This happens a lot and is one of the reasons why i don't think i will be renewing my employment after my year is up. This was not in my job description nor did anyone tell me that it would be like this once i started. Where would the physician be if there were not nurses, where would the patients be, ( i hate to think) Yet we are suppose to sit there and take this type of treatment. How do you handle a rude dr. What is the best way to handle this situation? I have 3 more months of this and then, i am gone. And i have to ask myself, they wonder why there is a nursing shortage. I didnt come into this profession to be abused. How do you handle a rude dr, i would really like to hear some suggestions or advice on this topic.

I like my way of dealing with that type, I just give them a look like I'm going to rip his freaking head off. But then again I'm a 6'1", 230lb, big hairy man nurse:devil:. They don't need to know I wouldn't hurt a fly. This has worked well for me to this point but doubt it will for most others.

Tom.

I like the way you describe yourself. With a few exceptions, i really enjoyed working with male nurses and as a charge nurse, felt fortunate to have them on my team.

It does make us think about the male/female dynamic when it comes to treatment by docs. There were times it seemed the male nurses did not get the brunt of unprofessional, and unkind treatment as the female nurses did. Maybe it was the floor i was on, or the hospital i was in, but i doubt it.

Specializes in ICU;CCU;Telemetry;L&D;Hospice;ER/Trauma;.

I am not big or hairy enough...heheheh!

But....if a doctor gets snotty with me, I sure as heck am NOT going to let HIM/HER run me out of the profession....HECK NO! I am going to stay around as long as possible....as reminder that I cannot be broken by some silly snotty comment...it takes alot more than ignorance, prejudice, cliquishness, or any other "ness" to move me from my profession.....

I hope you don't let one rude person control you this way...

take back your power....and hold up your head....and if you have to, kindly and gently and privately, let this person know that their rudeness is not okay....get them to focus on how this sort of thing affects patient care....usually that will pull them off their high horse long enough to understand EARTH....

Hang in there....don't let the skunks stink up your world so much...

crni

my favorite one was to say during a face to face rage is: " dr. ***, do you realize you have a bugger hanging out of your nose?." that always throws the doc off long enough to give the opportunity to start another project. always works for me.

Specializes in Trauma/Burn ICU, Neuro ICU.

This thread is so much fun!

1) Ruby Vee - you rock!!

2) reesern60 - love the Latin! And yeah, you're right!

3) Emmanuel G - you are hilarious

Specializes in ER.

Well, I am not a nurse yet, but I am on my way. I can, however, relate to dearling with Dr. Rude. I work as an HUC (fancy name for secretary) in an ER and on the floor from time to time. I have ran across several Dr Rudes in my 7 years at my hospital.

Where I work in the ED, the secretary is responsible for notifying consults, and calling physicians at the request of the MD or nurse. If I am not too busy I will call the consults on patients being admitted to the floor (not my responsibility unless critical or cardiac). There is certain Neurologist that really, really hates being consulted and one day decided to take it out on me and scream at me in the ER, in my face, [evil]"WHY AM I BEING CONSULTED ABOUT THIS PATIENT!!!" [/evil]Well, I had enough of his rudeness (having dealt with it every time I called him) - I kindly informed him that as he could very well read, the attending phys, Dr. So and So ordered it for, and if he had an issue, he should speak to Dr. So and So and I would gladly page him so that he could take it up with him, after all, I am only the secretary. The second incident with this man was on a weekend, he was on call - we had a consult in the ED for him and another MD was sending a patient over with AMS and wanted me to notify Dr Rude that he was being consulted. Usually I don't call a consult unless I have an order from the ED doc (verbal or written), but since I was calling Dr. Rude anyway - I just gave him the information anyway. OH BOY!! He commenced to giving me grief over the 2nd consult since the pt was not even in the ED (pt was coming EMS and had a neurological hx). I asked him, kindly, if he would rather I wait untill five minutes after he left the hospital to call him, or just give him the "heads up" now.

:lol2: I try to kill them with kindness, they all know me by now, when my voice turns syrupy sweet they know they have done something wrong. Now, I am not a nurse (yet), but I know the golden rule - DO NOT PISS OFF THE SECRETARY!!!!! She can make your day heaven or hell!!! After all, she is the one who reminds the ED doc to write "consult in the am" if it is a routine consult for an admit during night shift (other wise Dr Rude #2 will be getting a 2 am wake up call for fever: unk etiology).

Anyway, we secretaries have to deal with our fair share of rudeness coming at us from all corners - docs, nurses, techs, patients, and visitors. Too many incidents to write all of them in this post. I know that under stress, I too can be guilty of being rude (not on purpose). Sometimes you have to stop and think, could this person be having a bad day?? Sometimes it boils down to respect, I truly believe that respect is earned. I have not always had such a good relationships with the doctors in my hospital, it has only been after time has proven that not only do I know my job, but I strive in little ways to make it easier for them. I have certain doctors that will call me when they are coming in to see a patient because they know that I will gather everything they need (orders, progress notes, index cards, consents, etc) and have them on the chart and hand them the chart the minute they enter the ED (I've tried that with Dr Rude - no result - he is just a miserable man and I let it go in one ear and out the other nowdays).

Good luck to you and don't let Dr. Rude get to you. Remember, there will always be a Dr. Rude somewhere, and each one is unique - some just want to be acknowleged "Good Day Dr. Rude, how are you today" and others just don't want to be bothered. I hope this helps.

Don't forget to thank your secretary - where would you be with out her/him :bow:??

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