Ever had a Dr. mad at you?

Nurses Relations

Published

How do you deal with it. At work this week, it was overwhelming crazy. I got a pt right after I took one pt to the unit. At my hospital, we are using computer charting and get orders on the computer as well. Some doctors still write orders in the chart as well. Well I didn't even realize I needed to initiate any orders on my pt all day and the doctor came up and was livid, called my boss, and everything. My boss wasn't mad, she just told me to go apologize and learn from it. I cried all the way home.

Anyone have similiar experiences you want to share with me?

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Patients are in the hospital for a reason, no? There are going to be orders ...

Now you know better.

Specializes in ICU, transport, CRNA.
Patients are in the hospital for a reason, no? There are going to be orders ...

Now you know better.

It's not the nurses fault the hospital has a system problem. Computer order entry AND hand written orders in the paper chart? Sounds like a huge problem to me. Even if it is the nurses fault and she missed the orders it is totally inappropiate that she be subjected to the anger of a physician. If she has made an error it's up to her manager to correct her. The physician can report her failure to her manager, he shouldn't be allowed to express his anger at her.

I am so disapointed that so many nurses here seem ready to tolerate such inappropiat behavior.

Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Patients are in the hospital for a reason, no? There are going to be orders ...

Now you know better.

*** Uh, no. Reguardless weather the nurse made a mistake or not (and reading the OP I am not so sure) she is not his daughter, or hand maiden, or subordinate. He doesn't get to go around acting unprofessional to nurses who have upset him. His behavior has no place in a hospital. If it had been me I would have made sure to seperate the issue into the two issues it is. Forst the issue of missed orders should be dealt with by the charge or nurse manager. Second the issue of the behavior of the physician should be adressed.

t

I am completly shocked that there are so many nurses out there who encourage this bad behavior in physicians by tolerating and even apologizing for it. Shocked and sad.

I don't encourage bad behavior. If I (or my peers who I assume care of a patient from) am wrong I apologize. I don't tolerate being 'yelled at' or any 'bad' behavior by physicians, PAs, NPs (or anyone really). It's not bad behavior to be upset, bad behavior is when upset or anger is handled or expressed in negative ways. It's possible to have a conversation in which one expresses displeasure or anger without being petty or rude. I'm probably not gonna apologize to the physician throwing a fit and screaming because their patient's tele wasn't removed the second the order was put in...more likely I'll take the time at the end of my shift and write them up :yes: . And this is from someone who has called security on another staff member for unreasonable behavior at work...

I worked in credit card customer service for 4+ years during high school and college. It's amazing how one little apology or calm statement can go so far to diffuse a situation that is starting. It also shows, if patients or other coworkers are around, that there is genuine concern for their care or their work. The apology doesn't make it right per se, but it is a verbal recognition that their concerns have been noted.

It's not the nurses fault the hospital has a system problem. Computer order entry AND hand written orders in the paper chart? Sounds like a huge problem to me. Even if it is the nurses fault and she missed the orders it is totally inappropiate that she be subjected to the anger of a physician. If she has made an error it's up to her manager to correct her. The physician can report her failure to her manager, he shouldn't be allowed to express his anger at her.

I am so disapointed that so many nurses here seem ready to tolerate such inappropiat behavior.

One of my jobs it was computer orders only (two if you count where I worked as an assistant in school). Another CPOE was the goal but some strongholds in the older docs kept the paper around. Where I work now, it's a procedure area, most of the orders are verbal and some written.

It is insane having to check the entry system and the charts for orders. I did it for 9 months. I got into a system of checking at specific times because coworkers tended to miss things.

I agree though, with paper not being standard the physician had no grounds to be angry. Well, they can be upset the orders got missed, but the RN should be able to apologize (use it to diffuse a situation if you have to) and state there is already a fix (situation has been addressed). It is certainly something the supervisor and/or charge in absence of manager/sup should be able to address with the staff RN but we all know it's probably not gonna go down like that.

Not being there, I can't say specifically what 'mad' was. Sometimes, in my career, mad has been a grumpy statement like 'Mrs XYZ had order ABC and it's not taken care of - what happened?' And in that case a chart check with an apology and fixing the situation (taking care of the order) is sufficient. Anger via yelling or throwing is something else and should not be tolerated, but yelling back surely won't fix it. It is potentially the path of least resistance to apologize, fix the situation and write their butt up later.

Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.

I had a doctor yell at me the other day, in front of everyone. The tech got a BP on my patient of 79/something. I went in to check on her and she was perfectly fine, completely asymptomatic. She had been running in the 80-90s range so I wasn't entirely worried. I was on my way to page the doctor when he found me. They were doing rounds and saw the number on the screen in her room. He was very unhappy, said the patient could have died and she needed immediate medical attention. Not like the doctor would have done anything in a timely manner anyways, answering pages is forbidden in my hospital I think. :yawn:

Okay yes, not a great BP but for her it wasn't THAT low. He never went to my manager though. I would try to forget about it, you will be yelled at occasionally because there are some a**hole doctors that think they are better than nurses. In your defense though having paper and computer orders would probably mess me up too!

+ Add a Comment