JERK DOCTOR!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in L&D, PP, Nursery.

I worked night shift the other night (which I do infrequently) and our 8AM induction came in at 3AM with labor complaints. After assessing her, it was determined that she was not in labor and my charge nurse said "When you call the doctor, tell him that we are not going to start her induction before 8AM because the unit is too busy" So, I called him at 4:30AM and he yelled at me for waking him just to tell him that the patient had arrived with labor complaints but wasn't contracting or anything. He hung up on me and called the charge nurse. She told him that she had instructed me to start the induction early and not wait until 8AM. My coworker was in the room with me and agreed that we were told to hold the induction off. Anyway, since then (this was almost a week ago), the doctor has been going around to every nurse he can find on the unit and talking about me, taking a poll as to whether or not they would have called him in middle of the night. Most of the night shift nurses told him no some others said yes. It is our policy that the doctor be notified if a patient arrives. When he approached me, I asked him what his reaction would have been if something happened and he didn't even know that the patient was there. He simply said"Nothing was going to happen, she wasn't in labor". I am furious! He's like a little child going around to the staff trying to make me look stupid! The charge nurse went to my unit director the night he yelled at me and she told her that I was right in calling him but he just won't leave it be 5 days later! I already told him I'm not steady night shift and I was following policy but he just won't forget about it! What should I do?

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There should be a printed policy find it copy it a give it to him. Anyway right or wrong in most hospitals you are in a unfortunate place: they usually support the doctor.

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Specializes in telemetry.

What should you do? Well I would write him up for sure. He is surley not acting in a professional mannor. Talking behind your back to co-workers?, Yelling then haning up on you?, Demanding you break policy and not call?, Using you as an example to persuade others to break policy?, Having an extended temper tantrum in the nurses station?

I think that he could use some education on how to work with others, put the patient first. Acting in the mannor that he did, treating you poorley and using you as and example for others to not follow policy needs to be written up.

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What a nimrod! What is he? Psychic? How did he know nothing would happen? You never know what could happen in situations like that. What is the deal with the CN telling you to do one thing then telling him she told you to do another? That's just ignorance and deception on her part. She needs to stand up for her nurses!

As for him beating a horse to death :deadhorse he needs to grow up. Just goes to show that you are far more mature than he is and if my guess is right, probably way more intelligent as well. Sorry you had to deal with that kind of reaction from a "professional". You did the right thing though, you followed orders. The CN probably had you call him because she didn't want to be the one to catch crap for doing it then could lie and pawn the whole thing off on you. That's just wrong in my book. :nono:

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

It seems that you've already confronted the doctor directly, and that your unit director is aware of the situation. Do you have union representation? That may be the next place to look for help. If not, what about seeking legal advice? If an attorney thinks you have a good case, they may be willing to write a letter to the doctor telling him to stop or face legal action. Another approach would be to wait for it to blow over, because it probably will. This doctor will eventually find something else to take up his attention. Good luck!

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What is it I missed? It seems to me your Charge Nurse put the knife in your back when she told him she told you to start the induction earlier, that is after she told you to tell him to start it at 0800. Besides, why would you be surprised at a doctor acting like a baby? Just roll with it and it will all pass over. Your co-workers know your skills, why should they be swayed by a doctor acting like a baby? And arent you also talking about him to others? If it persists and gets in the way of your practice write him up and write him up to the head of the OB docs.

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Am I reading your post correctly? The charge nurse told you one thing and then told the doctor that she had told you something else? She is the one I'd be upset with. That is what is making you look stupid in the doctor's eyes.

As far as the doctor goes, I would just forget about it, particularly since there is a policy that the doctor is to be

notified of an admission.

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Specializes in OB, HH, ADMIN, IC, ED, QI.

Morning-Glory:

All the above posts arer correct (except maybe the one that said you should "write him up"). That would not only fan the flames, it would officially declare war between you and that doctor. Obviously he's one of those "dog with a bone" types of people; and his actions proclaim his personality better than you ever could! LEAVE IT ALONE!!! What's done has been done; and if the administration wants to give him a copy of the policy, they'll do it.

I find that doctors I know are extremely edgey at this time, due to their worries about their known work world shifting, taking their inflated incomes along with it. They have taken out all the stops with commercials (erroneous), politicians shouting opposition (Republican....... OK, and some Democrats); and the government heading straight ahead with reform programs that doctors fear will provide superior, less costly care (as stated).

One of the things they're doing, is cutting down their office hours. My GI specialist left his office at 3:30 P.M. Thursday; and 10:30 A.M. Friday, without answering my message to him (dire). The staff at the office suggested that I go to the ER, which I don't think would be productive for me, and wastes taxpayers' money (I have Medicare). The last time I was there, I went in by ambulance, with severe GI bleeding and waited to be seen for 2 hours! That's another story........

It would be good for all of us to be aware of the fractious times now, and keep our equanimity. Reacting forcefully could cost jobs, but we do have to follow Policies and Procedures. I've found the best reply to a rant is, "You certainly do feel strongly about it".

If the same situation arises, get someone else to call him, but warn them to maybe wait a half hour or so, when it might be closer to morning....... I'd stay clear of his patients, if I were you, until this dies down.

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Specializes in OB, MS, Education, Hospice.

Notifying the doc is a policy on your unit because it is a STANDARD OF CARE. I would remind the doc of this--and be very careful... he will be the first one to hang you out there when something goes wrong--and (if I am understanding your post correctly) your charge nurse will be the one to drive the last nail in your coffin!

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care, Public Health.

as long as you maintain your professionalism and he keeps acting like a child, i wouldnt worry too much about what the others are thinking. They see him acting like a brat. Your reaction is the only thing you can control, and actions speak much louder than words do.

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Specializes in L&D, PP, Nursery.
What is it I missed? It seems to me your Charge Nurse put the knife in your back when she told him she told you to start the induction earlier, that is after she told you to tell him to start it at 0800. Besides, why would you be surprised at a doctor acting like a baby? Just roll with it and it will all pass over. Your co-workers know your skills, why should they be swayed by a doctor acting like a baby? And arent you also talking about him to others? If it persists and gets in the way of your practice write him up and write him up to the head of the OB docs.

I'm not talking about him to others. He came to me and said "I asked so and so, and so and so, and so and so if they would have called me in the middle of the night like you did and they all told me no". Then at the end of my shift, when I passed the nurse's station, he was telling another nurse. I said to him "Are you still talking about me to other nurses?" and he just said "Well, I just wanted to know if *** would have called me at 4:30 AM, too"

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my brother, a doc, says he'd have complained if you hadn't called him. i know it's not much to ease what you're going through, but you followed the delegation of your charge nurse, and policy.

you may want to start writing down these incidents with dates and times you catch him running his whiney mouth. i think vertical harrassment on the job is illegal (i'm not saying start something official over it now), and if it comes down to it you may want to have all of his unprofessional behavior documented in a diary.

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