MD screaming at RN's in front of patients regularly

Nurses Relations

Published

I currently work with an Psych MD that is also the Medical Director of a psych unit. I've never met such a rude doctor in my life! I'm a pretty new nurse and have only been working at the hospital for less than 6 months.

She likes to raise her hand to dismiss us if she does not want to talk. If you say, but Dr._____ it's important" sometimes I get a "NO" AND a hand dismissal before I can tell her what is important. So of course I document and tell my charge. She is like this with other nurses and MHT's as well.

The other day she was heard throughout our small hospital, psychiatric youth unit, scream "GET OUT!!!!" to a new nurse and MHT. We have been using the medical treatment room to record height and weight (the only scale on the entire unit), take initial vitals, and remove clothing to do a skin assessment and contraband check. It's where our managment has told us to do it. We are in charge of all admissions and assessments on the unit, and often the ambulance just rings the bell and we have no clue what is on the other side.

Not to mention, this was done while a child was sitting inside the room, terrified because this was her first admission, with the door open to the community milieu, and her parents on the other side of the unit. How unprofessional can someone be? Apparently she had deemed this her "office", didn't mention it to ANYONE, and just went off because she can.

The tech who is a 20+ year veteran was hysterically crying and said " no one has every spoken to me like that in my life!" She was quickly given an extra 30 minute break by the appauled RN's to calm down. When this issue went up to management we heard one say "well, that's just the way Dr._____ is" while another manager came on the unit and told us he would handle it. He hasn't.

I've seen a tech told "you need to leave now, your not allowed on this unit" in a loud harsh tone as soon as she the MHT came into the room to listen to report. This happened in front of at least 15 people, including MHT's, Nurses and Therapists. I was later told by managment it was a "personal issue". Personal issue?! We were down an MHT, now having an unsafe level in staff because of a "personal issue."

One RN who took the issue to HR because of the verbal abuse was called the very next day by the DON to tell her that they didn't think that she was ready for a full time position and she would have to stay PRN, with no explanation.

I have worked with this nurse and she is attentive to our patients, never has any errors, is friendly with staff, and an all around great nurse in my opinion!

I would leave the facility STAT, but can't due to financial reasons and leaving a job this early into my nursing career seems like professional suicide.

If she was horrible all of the time it would be different, and more predictable, but she has many mood swings throughout the day and you never know what mood she will be in. Will she treat us like professionals or rip our heads off because we dare touch a chart (paper charts) that she hasn't reviewed yet. There is no way of knowing which charts she has reviewed while she is there so it's constant anxiety if we see her coming to put everything in it's "place." She is exceptionally more nasty with female staff.

I'm normally an assertive person. I've gone head-to-head with the Director of Nursing and the president of our school when an entire class was failed, and won! Almost the entire class, of mostly "A" average students were not kicked out of the program. The nursing instructor was fired, years of tyranny going out the door with her.

I've been nothing but respectful and "sweet" to this MD so it could never come back on me. But, enough is enough! It is not in my nature to not stand up for what I believe in. If she was not additionally the Medical Director of the unit, I wouldn't be as concerned with backlash.

What would you do?

Have you ever been insulted to a similar degree?

Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

In addition, I would like to add a conversation I had with another RN yesterday to add to this MD's ridulousness...

I was told to NEVER give a child an anti-anxiety medication or sleep aids that were prescribed by the on-call doctor, regardless of the child's mental state. That this MD does not believe in these types of medications and that I will "get my ass chewed." I actually truly appreciate any heads-up that anyone gives to avoid "getting my ass chewed."

It really should not be reprimanded if the on-call MD, that are also usually child psychiatrists themselves, write an order and not give it. Isn't it a fundamental rule that you follow Dr.'s orders unless they are detrimental to the patient? That if you call them about a heart rate in the 140's immediately after admission because they have been through something so traumatic that they just shake in terror and an order of Vistaril 25mg PO Q6 should not be denied because of the tirade you will recieve when she comes to the unit the next day. BTW, the anti-anxiety medications are almost always, with only very few exceptions, uncontrolled substances and the most liberal the MD's on call will be for insomnia is Benadryl.

Now that I think about it, shouldn't she be on-call 24-7 if we are expected to NOT follow a Dr.'s orders?

Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

I hope this post does not make you take a break from allnurses or keep depressing you. Thank you for your reply, although my post was not uplifting, it was out of desperation to be validated in my feelings by other nurses. If it makes a difference, your reply was greatly appreciated, and I thank you for it!

Holy crap. I think I have to break from these forums. They are depressing me.

And no, not all physicians are @#$%s.

Sounds like she needs some anxiolytics or something. I'd have to just look at her like she had 6 heads. She would not believe how persistent I can be, and I don't have to say a word.

I agree with the others. Sounds like yet another dump; b/c the other nurse got crap for support from management.

FIND ANOTHER POSITION. Seriously, and keep more than one--per diem, whatever. Too many places won't side with good nurses when they are right, unless they are somehow in the inner circle, politically speaking--and even then, people who were on the "inside," shoot, I've seen them get screwed if it worked in admins or someone else's favor.

Key survival tip: Always have more than one position in nursing--always have a back-up. You won't regret it, and you can more easily maintain your standards and not be an object of oppression.

I'm painting with a broad, anecdotal paintbrush here-- but in my experience many MD's/psychologists drawn to the psychiatric medical profession to begin with, are nutcases themselves.

Also my experience with those in this field....not wrapped too tightly, and quite prone to "self-medicate" with RX's and booze. This is ASSAULT, at least where I live.

you think that my incident reports will go through the proper channels?

I believe that it says on the IR, or at the very least I was told that an IR cannot be copied. Is this true? I do not want to violate any laws but I need a paper trail as was posted earlier.

!

Incident report formats vary by location, but most I have seen have a log number preprinted on them. I would NOT risk your license by photocopying, but have notes AT HOME that have the log # if there is one, date, time, and a synopsis of what you wrote, where and when you turned it in, etc.

I had a new unit manager like this....she later lost her license~she was using and selling drugs, even running them from FL to NY. Within 90 days of her taking over the unit, 60% of the RN's resigned, including all of the BSN's. Still, admin left her alone until they had the paper trail they needed for the BON and police. You can NOT be the first person to comment on this doc's behavior...

Specializes in Pedi.

This is a reportable offense. JCAHO has a zero tolerance policy for distruptive behavior from physicians/management:

JCAHO requires ' Zero Tolerance' for Disruptive Doctors and Administrators | Fox Rothschild LLP

http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/SEA_40.PDF

I suggest making copies of Incident Reports, because they can and do dissappear if the you know what hits the fan. I did not say to advertise that you are making copies of Incident Reports, just to have them handy if something comes up and the facility is ready to throw you under the bus.

No one has to know that your are making copies of the reports. Just keep it to yourself if and when the need arises.

Keeping your own notes is also a good idea.

JMHO and my NY $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Somewhere in the PACNW

Specializes in ICU.

When family experience this, close the door, look them in they eye, and say: You need to report this. Hand them a scrap of paper with a phone number.

Let the family know that this is not who we are.

I have done this and in retrospect I only wish I had done it sooner.

When family experience this, close the door, look them in they eye, and say: You need to report this. Hand them a scrap of paper with a phone number.

Let the family know that this is not who we are.

I have done this and in retrospect I only wish I had done it sooner.

Good idea. It's just that the families are in a vulnerable state and often don't know what to do.

Specializes in geriatrics.

Our Doctors regularly yell at staff and neglect patient care. This is an ongoing major issue, which we all document. Presently, our concerns will be addressed with their supervisors (everyone answers to someone). In addition, they lose staff because of this. A few nurses are quitting within the next six months, myself included. I can't tolerate it anymore, and I don't have to. I am fortunate to have enough experience to move on, but I have tolerated the abuse for 2 years. Not an easy situation to be in, and very unfair to their patients. Document everything!

I hope this post does not make you take a break from allnurses or keep depressing you. Thank you for your reply, although my post was not uplifting, it was out of desperation to be validated in my feelings by other nurses. If it makes a difference, your reply was greatly appreciated, and I thank you for it!

Hey thanks. It feels like there is general sense of oppression in nursing. To me this speaks of a hostile work environment.

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I've not experienced what you describe personally, but I've witnessed it and remained silent. I regret that daily. I always wonder what would have happened if I'd simply offered support for the nurse being yelled at instead of walking away.

It almost never happens anymore, at least where I work.

Specializes in Emergency.

Have her committed...

+ Add a Comment