I need help and Im between a rock and a hard place

Nurses General Nursing

Published

An icident happened a few months ago , and I need advise on what to do, and how much further I should carry this issue...

I was in the Operating Room when a Dr that I was working the case for , became irrate and beligerant, and physical and began throwing things at me. The patient was awake , alert and oriented, and the case was a simple case nothing critical at the time. So alert that the patient informed me on how I just got my ass chewed out by the DR. , I went thru the chain of comand in the Or , director , medical director, and so on...The Dr the next day followed me while I was with another pt to the recovery room and basically accusted me there while I was trying to give report on the critical patient I was with....

I informed the Dr that it wasnt the time to discuss the matter, and that I wished for him to please leave me alone....

It didnt stop there, he continued until I dropped the patient the recovery nurse,and I left and went to the Or Managers office in tears for her to get him off me, and he even followed me into her office.

Well while the time of my assignment ending and the start of my new assignment(I had already re-signed a contract for the facility) The Dr has declined his position, to take another job in Maryland...

I found out while I was still in town (that the Dr had assulted a traveler , and a few other staff members in the hospital previously) and no one did anything including the hospital.

I have contacted an attorney and also the Equal Opportunity Board in which charges against him and the hospital are to be filed....

The question is ... I feel like a trator, I was taught to do my job and be the patient advocate, I feel like a trator because now that Im back at the hospital , and even though the Dr is gone, I have Drs now that dont want to work with me because I "can" be trouble...

I dont think Im wrong for standing up for professionalism, or the right of that patient to have the best care possible , but I didnt deserve the treatment I got from the Dr or the Medical Boards who gave the Dr in question a paid vacation, until "the heat cooled", (when I finished my assignment as a traveler ) and went back to my home.

What should I do , Im serious , should I just let this drop, and take this as a learning experience or should I stand up and take it on the chin and toughen up and wait for the outcome.

I have found out that this isnt the first occurance with this Dr, and that he has had several run ins with nurses , and other female staff members and they have written him up but the hospital hasnt done anything....

I NEED ADVICE.....PLease

Im so tired of holding this in I want to just leave and not deal with these people anymore but I dont feel anyone deserves this treatment and I dont find it ok just because He is a DR...

What happened to you is assult and battery. There are laws in every states that deal with this. If it were me, I would have filed charges with the local authorities.

Specializes in Critical Care.

Zoe,

Good for you for obtaining a lawyer. This type of behavior goes on because no one steps up to the plate and stops them. I encourage you to continue your legal process. The hospital won't take action unless it hits them in the pocketbook which is just what you have an opportunity to do. good luck and keep us posted.

Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

The first thing I noticed was the "just" part of your username. Along with the other suggestions above, you might think of why "just" is there, what it means, and maybe thinking of a new name. Like "ItsmeZoe" or "Amazon" or "ItsKickButtZoe" or something else with a little punch to it. Best wishes, I know it's a tough situation.

Specializes in ICU/CCU/MICU/SICU/CTICU.

Hi Zoe........ Oh how I can relate to the attitudes of doctors in the OR....... I used to work in the OR and dealt with the same thing on a daily basis until I finally stood up for myself........

You are doing the right thing, and dont apologize for doing it. The docs in the OR all have a complex that I think they took a class in, matter of fact one of the surgeons I worked with was asked if he took a "God-complex 101" class in med school.....

The administration of that hosp HAS to do something about the harrassment of the docs, otherwise they will continue to do it. The hosp that I worked at wound up instituting a harrassment policy because of attitudes like that and one doctor even lost his privileges there for awhile.

Nurses and surgeons have to work together in an OR, not against each other. The anesthesiologist should have said something to the doctor as well beings that the patient was still awake. Then he had the nerve to follow you to the RR and the mgrs office was totally unacceptable.

Fight for what you believe in and evidently that is being a patient advocate and being a professional!

((((((((((ZOE))))))))))

You are doing the right thing to get a lawyer and sue the pants of that doctor! I am so sick of abusive physicians! I would pursue it legally and I would also report him to the State Board of Medical Examiners. I would also see if the facility where you are working has an Abusive Physician form and complete one for each incident. I would also complete an incident report asap. Best of luck to you in pursuing this!! It is just a shame that no one else has ever stood up to this bastard in the past. Docs like this should not be permitted to continue practicing until they have their personality disorders successfully treated.

Take care!!

If he's done it before, then to you, he'll do it again. he obviously thinks he's king almighty. Had the hospital done something about it then when he was reported you wouldn't have had to deal with it. Go ahead and meet with your attorney and follow thru. That was HARRASSMENT. And he was wrong. Don't let it slide because he'll just continue doing the same thing to other nurses. God Bless.

You did the right thing here, don't worry about the other Doctor's or anyone else, you were correct when you stated that you "expect professionalism!" I wish there were more nurses like you. Myself included. I am getting better but it is hard to stand up alone in some cases. I admire you!! Good-luck to you, and thank you.

Y2KRN

I presume the hospital has a legal duty to provide a safe workplace, and they have not done so, with documented incidents not acted upon. Rather than you being a traitor, think on how they betrayed you, by not taking action before. The hospital may well have liability in this too! It sounds a fairly toxic place, especially if the other nurses "set you up" Go get them!

Nil Illegitimi Carborundum (Don't let the B******s grind you down!

Hi Zoe,

Sounds like you already picked your battle and have fought to get where you are at now with this situation. Why stop now? You know you need to do this for the sake of all nurses who have to work with this jerk. Also sounds like a case of cold feet.....you know just as everything is getting ready to hit the fan, the fear and anxiety takes over. You have my support and encouragement. Stand Firm Zoe!!!

Specializes in CVOR,CNOR,NEURO,TRAUMA,TRANSPLANTS.

Yes the Dr has done this before as of last count and documentations he has done this a total of 124 times , thats whats documented those are just the outburts and unprofessionalism , on the floor and thru other departments...

He has also done this in another state as well and was suspended and then apparently he came to work at this hospital. In the 3 hospitals in this area he has a total of 124 documented write-ups and no action except one that was settled out of court .

I have yet to find one male write up , all female...

Yes the hospital is responsible for workplace safety and enviroment, that I do know, I have the hospital , because the last person that he did it too that was settled out of court, was at thier facility... (My attorney is the same attorney for that case), and they have well documented proof of the incident and had to settle with a surg tech because he almost broke her arm during a procedure., thier punishment to him - he had to attend an anger management class... nothing else, and the surg tech was a traveler and her contract ended and she was gone...

In my case the hospital gave him a paid vacation because my contract was coming to an end, and they waited out, they didnt know until the supervisor informed them that we had already worked and signed a new contract prior to this incident...

So yes the hospital is waiting it out, the Dr offered me a out of court settlement, but I dont think I want it, I want his license to practice, I maybe asking for too much , but thats what I want...

I dont feel that anyone else needs to tollerate this crap from him , and I think if it hit the news some other Drs that need the OH GOD adjustment would get it , because if there is a first step then there will be pounding feet running to a lawyer for the treatment they have been given...

Zoe

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I guess you were the circulator? Those instruments were battery with a deadly weapon. Police report. The assault is the verbal diatribe.....incident report and if he touched me.........a knee to the cajones as a "reflex action." I once had a doc (resident) pull my shirt tight and remark on my breasts.....reflexively I reached back to where my hand hit his anatomy and GRABBED.

He would not stay in the same room with me for the rest of his five year residency.

Lawyer up kiddo you did the right thing. If a doctor refuses to work with you then that is discrimination and false accusation. Write them up too. And make a note to your lawyer while you are at it.

Look those docs and nurses who seem to 'judge' you in the eye and say to them :

" And if someone threw a pager at your head or the head of your wife, husband, or child, you would------??????

You appear to be so upset that just maybe you are projecting negative feelings from your coworkers. Not all of them feel the way you think. I, for one, would be PROUD of you for standing strong. Good for you. You are doing the exact right thing.

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