Nurses and doctors...

[nursing 101]

Hi,

I am a senior nursing student that will be graduating in May. I just wanted to have your input on what I have been observing in clinicals... It just amazes me how nurses cater to md's and even some interns. Now i'm not saying that nurses should be mean or be nasty to md's but if an md can't even bother to say good morning or afternoon before asking a question then I have learned all the wrong things growing up.

I have seen nurses get up from their chairs for md's that didin't even ask for a chair. I have seen nurses say good morning to md's that have walked on the floor and never bother to stick their noses up from the patient charts. Worse I have seen md's act like they didn't even hear the nurse say hi. I have seen md's walk without say hi to anyone, sit at a computer, couldn't figure out how to manage the comp but nurse so and so comes running to offer her services. And I can sit here and add to the list. I have seen these things throughout my rotations at different hospitals...

Can someone please explain this general fear of md's? Is there something that I am missing? Is there a penalty?

Sorry it was so long...

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

If I'm in the doctors area then I get up and offer them a seat if the need one. They are there to do a job, and it's my responsibility to cooperate and collaborate. Sometimes the unit is a bit unorganized and chaotic and the docs need a little guidance and assistance to help them get the information they need, nothing wrong with a little manners to assist them.

I've also seen the flip side of the coin, nurses who treat interns and residents like 2nd class citazens and who don't give an MD the time of day.

[grimmy, RN]

there are a few doctors i work with that have some cultural difficulties, particularly gender roles, and it tends to play out when the "boys" get together and start getting rowdy. they start kidding around with each other, things start getting a little competetive, and as soon as you know it, some gender-bashing comment is made. :angryfire needless to say, the estrogen level of any given or is usually higher than the testosterone. this sort of situation happens maybe twice a month or so...not too bad, but they tend to be repeat offenders. other than that, when i say hello or good morning to anyone, be they md, rn, st, pct, or housekeeping, they say hello back. i don't give up my chair unless the other person obviously needs it, i don't need it, or it's a sit-down sort of case. there's usually enough stools or chairs in the room to make everyone happy.

[KacyLynnRN]

I'm sorry, but the OP should be in the real world of nursing for about a year and then re-evaluate this issue. Give her a few months of jerky doctors screaming at her for all kinds of stuff that isn't even her fault and making her days miserable, and she too will learn that sometimes going out of your way and being nice to a Doc can make the work environment a lot nicer.... If she thinks that that is being 'weak' and 'catering' to the docs, so be it. At least I can be friendly to the Docs and it makes my job easier to deal with.

[joyful nurse]

I don't think it's as bad in the ICU

[nursing 101]

I'm sorry, but the OP should be in the real world of nursing for about a year and then re-evaluate this issue. Give her a few months of jerky doctors screaming at her for all kinds of stuff that isn't even her fault and making her days miserable, and she too will learn that sometimes going out of your way and being nice to a Doc can make the work environment a lot nicer.... If she thinks that that is being 'weak' and 'catering' to the docs, so be it. At least I can be friendly to the Docs and it makes my job easier to deal with.

Please re-read the post before you start bashing me. I was asking a question since I will be in the real world in a few months on what I have been observing as a student. I never used the word "weak". I used the word "cater" because that is what I observed. I also asked for everyone's input on the issue which is not about being in the "real world" but about being a human being and being treated the same way nurses treat md's. That's all I wanted to point out.

But really do we deserve this as nurses? Should we be treated like this? Should there always be a big white fence between the md and the nurse? I think respecting someone commands more respect than being nice just because that person has MD after their name.

Yes I will respect an MD! But as you put it, this OP will make sure she is respected in return. And part of respect is being polite and nice to other staff members whether it's the janitor, the LPN, the CNA, the RN or the unit secretary.

Oh! yeah, my momma told me to say Hi or good morning when I walk into a room or approach people. And I believe the MD's momma did too, but they lost it somewhere between their 1st year in Med school and thinking they have become too big (which they equate as becoming an MD) to say it.