Doctors are Bullies

Nurses Relations

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Has anybody got a link to an article which was in the nursing journal from the ANA last month about doctors and how to deal with them as bullies??

I cannot find my journal as I need to find a copy and take it to work.

I had to challenge a Doctor yesterday and he couldn't believe it, but I refuse to be treated like a second class citizen by a Doctor from a third world country who down treads his own woman and thinks he can do the same to the nurses. I informed my manager that I was fuming and what I had said, she was fine with it because all her staff are fed up to the back teeth of the hospitalists in my hospital.

I am sick of not being given respect, and I stood my ground.

The doctor had a grievance but in my opinion when the wrong way about it and his arrogance and god syndrome wont wash with me.

The nurses where I work are afraid of the doctors and worry when they have to page them incase their head gets bitten off-what kind of behaviour is that-bullying is what it is. They stomp around the floor muttering about the nursing staff and the incompetence of the nurses but dont ever ever take a nurse to one side in private and discuss with them the problem they need sorting or to question why an order wasn't carried out. We dont need parents, we are not children who need to be scolded-we are professions in our right who deserve to be given respect.

Well I for one am not and I repeat not putting up with it any more and I shall be putting in my own grievance. So watch this space

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.
Maybe the doctor has some repressed anger because he was living in a mud hut for so long in his third world country and had to study medicine by moonlight so he takes it out on you. It's a possibility because you know only doctors who don't come from third world countries know how to treat nurses with respect.(sarcasm)

:banghead:

Perhaps these characterizations prompted some of the negative response to your post.

You are totally right. One's place of origin has nothing to do with one's behavior or treatment of others. In fact, I receive better treatment at my work place from MDs from Asian and African countries. Not yet sure if its due to their increased number of brain cells (hah!) or their culture that emphasizes on respect :bow: and politeness to those around you. Btw, I have met the worst wife beaters at the hospital who are the most polite and adorable MDs around.

Specializes in Utilization Management.
Yes you may have a point there. But I honestly believe that the culture begets the initial problem.

I agree -- physician culture, that is. ;)

Specializes in L&D, Surgery, Case Management.

I am an OR Circulator. One weekend we had a "scheduled" emergent ortho case that posted on Friday night. So anesthesia was late getting there and I did not go get the patient until I beeped the surgeon to make sure he had not been delayed (when anesthesia arrived it was 10 minutes after start time). He did not respond to the beep. He came in a few minutes later and we were all sitting at the control desk by the phone. He asked where his patient was. I told him the above and his response was " I am going to kick your a$$ all day long " His face was red and he was banging stuff around. He had pushed me out of one of the OR rooms the year before so I knew he did not control himself well. I did the case then I called my Director and House. I did an occurrence report. Two weeks later I met with the CEO...... I say all of this to you that in retrospective I should have reported the assault (pushing) from the year before. He continued abusing the staff because no one had pushed back and reported him to management. I will never let another physician physically or emotionally abuse me again. Also, the CEO stood behind me. :yeah:

I don't know. As a new grad, I was afraid of these guys for about the first two months ... now, if they get rude, I get very rude and short right back. Usually they calm right down and apologize.

I have been told NOT to apologize for calling them because that is our job to call them and keep them abreast of their patients.

As a mom, I've had to deal with and fight with so many pediatricians, I just look at these docs as the same thing and I just fight right in there with them.

I don't care -- they are NOT my boss. I try as best I can not to waste their time by having every question ready for one call, by going through the SBAR steps, etc. -- but I will not be abused. They get rude, I get rude. Or, I sort of give them a blank look and keep the focus on the patient, where it ought to be.

I think for a lot of them it must be a "thing" to be rude and mean to their nurses. It would be interesting to hear their take on things.

I do prefer many of the Korean/Oriental doctors -- they are very respectful and a pleasure to deal with. They are also for the most part, very intelligent and talented -- seems if you have class and intelligence, you don't NEED to be rude and disrespectful to anyone.

Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

Bully MD's are the same as 6th grade bullies. When stood up too they will more than likely back off you, but until everyone stands up it won't change. It works for me but there are some nurses who just let these jerks do what they want. One day I guess I didn't feel well after many ot shifts,I was watching monitors and the meanest one of them all started chewing me out for something that didn't even concern me. Plus he had a gaggle of Interns with him. He left the unit and I just sat there stewing mad. I just had enough of his crap. So I found him in the doctors conference room with his gaggle. I couldn't help it. I asked him what gave him the right to attack us for things that didn't even concern us. Now I will take a butt chewing if I deserve it but c'mon enough is enough. Then the jerk said"You weren't suppose to take it personal" WHAT??????? It was aimed at me of course I took it personal. All I said was "Good Grief" turned around and walked off.

The guy never said anything nasty to me again and was actually nice to me from there on out.

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I have been fortunate since I began working at this new facility. While overall, it's the most difficult hospital I've worked in so far, with a rather low nurse retention rate... I have to say that the docs are mostly pretty great. There are only a couple that I would consider "bullies", but I don't put up with any crap from them and I'm very straight and to the point when calling them.

Where I worked before, there was this little mousy, ex-military surgeon who had a major case of the short man syndrome. He could be the biggest butt, especially over the phone. He was one that would always tell you to not take it personally, but it was often hard not to, you know?

Specializes in Mursing.

The days of nurses in their white uniforms and hats standing to the side as the doctor walks through has passed. Doctors, nurses, RT, dietician, housekeeper, distribution, OT, PT, whoever - we are a team. That's why we see Allied Health Care being said nowadays (which I enjoy).

I applaud the nurses that stood up to their colleagues. Doctors are not bosses, nurses are not hand maidens. Let's continue the advocacy for nurses that our previous generations fought for.

Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

I guess I am really lucky, I work side by side with the docs in my unit and I can quite honestly say I have never had a problem with them. I'm not sure if it's because in the UK they'd be called into the office and told exactly how they should and shouldn't speak to the nurses, or because the senior medics where I work have a great deal of time and respect for the nurses so this filters down to thier juniors.

I wouldn't accept anyone being rude or bullying any member of staff that am responsible for, I don't care if they are the cleaner or a consultant surgeon we are all there to do a job and it makes it a much nicer place to work, and a much better place for the patients if the team that is careing for them gets along.

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I do prefer many of the Korean/Oriental doctors -- they are very respectful and a pleasure to deal with. They are also for the most part, very intelligent and talented -- seems if you have class and intelligence, you don't NEED to be rude and disrespectful to anyone.

My exact point to the initial thread....most of the docs from foreign (third world) countries are a pleasure to work with...very intelligent...more brain cells?:confused:

You are totally right. One's place of origin has nothing to do with one's behavior or treatment of others. In fact, I receive better treatment at my work place from MDs from Asian and African countries. Not yet sure if its due to their increased number of brain cells (hah!) or their culture that emphasizes on respect :bow: and politeness to those around you. Btw, I have met the worst wife beaters at the hospital who are the most polite and adorable MDs around.

I disagree with this. The ones who come from places where the women are expected to walk three feet behind the men expect that to happen in this country too. I've seen it happen too many times in my neck of the woods.

Specializes in CNA, Surgical, Pediatrics, SDS, ER.

Oh I've had a few incidence w/ some docs they have no respect for nurses. :nono:

I had a pt one noc when I was just off orientation fresh out of school and my pt had ativan as a prn no allergy noted. After I gave it the pt got confused & flushed, this pt was in his 40's normally w/ it. I checked w/ another experienced nurse b4 calling and she you should since chng in LOC. So I called doc probably about 2am r/t to the changes in this pt. I said I think this pt is having a reaction to the ativan he's had a chng in mental status and is flushed. He rips me a new one he said "Well what did you expect was going to happen?" :no: I was like WTH :confused:you ordered this med I was only carrying out the order and now I'm getting chewed becasue he had a reaction to it. Not the only incident I've had w/ him. He is just a jerk and to this day I try to avoid him at all costs. I think that he takes pleasure in insulting you and making you feel like an idiot. Hopefully someday I'll grow a back bone and stand up to him if it happens again. I know if I don't it will only continue to happen.

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