Why are doctors so rude?

thn5625 · Mar 23, 2005

Heres a quote on what is considered harassment.

Any unwelcome conduct -- verbal, physical or visual -- that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment is harassment

Yes even doctors must abide by fed. law. Document everything if you have a problem.

This is something to think about. Doctors nor anyone for that matter cannot create a workplace that is "uncomfortable". Where it effects your job and well being in the workplace. Its federal law and most people dont realize that its their right to feel safe and secure in their workplace. In extreme cases you can press charges for harassment, sexual harassment, racial, age, gender, handicap discrimination ect.. But the premise is still the same. The laws are in place to protect us. So dont stand by and let people berate you at work. It may be against the law. Doctors are not immune to prosecution in spite of their status. - or anyone for that matter.

thn5625 · Mar 23, 2005

But also note that being rude because thats just how you are isnt harassment. Some people are just abrasive. However, intimidation is considered harassment. There is a difference

Heres a quote on what is considered harassment.
Any unwelcome conduct -- verbal, physical or visual -- that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment is harassment
Yes even doctors must abide by fed. law. Document everything if you have a problem.

Speculating · Mar 23, 2005

Doctors are rude and nasty at times are this way because we allow it. Trust me it one time to get right back in their face to let them know it's inappropriate and your not going to allow it. You can make it stop just as quickly as it starts. Once you let them get away with it a few times your in trouble. I've only had two doctors that I had to set staight they became quite respectful after we spoke and I never had any trouble with them again. The key is you have to stop it as soon as it starts.

Cassinia · Mar 23, 2005

I remember my first lecture in my first nursing class, which was many years ago. The instructor made the comment the doctors have the letters MD behind their name and many have a complex where they think it means "Major Deity". Through the years, I have found it also means "Minor Deity". Yes, many doctors think because of the letters they have the right to be rude. However, no, they don't.

I've worked with many rude doctors and the best way to handle them is:

1. Be totally professional. Don't feed into their rude behavior.

2. Confront them in a professional manner. Do it out of view of all other staff, unless it's bad enough you need to have your supervisor present. Remind them you, as well as they, are professionals and should be treated as such. Many times, you will develop a whole different attitude from them. Still, there will be the ones who believe in the MD complex.

I had one MD who was so bad, I wrote her up on an incident report; my supervisor told me one night the md was to come in or call me to apologize. The md, of coorifice, told me my perception of the situation was wrong and she was just joking. Sorry, but yelling at me in the ICU nurses' station in front of the family saying 'I killed the patient' [the patient was actually alive at the time, she died 3 days later from sepsis; she was an cancer pt who was crashing] when, actually, we found she was getting septic and got her off our unit to the ICU after having to code her, is not joking or professional. I got another job at another facility and was out of that place within 2 wks since the hospital wouldn't do anything about the fact the MD still wouldn't apologize. And, sometimes, you have to walk away.

thn5625 · Mar 23, 2005

Whats funny to me about the doctor you were talking was that she brought up the idea that you the nurse was responsible for killing the patient. If I were the doc treating the pt then I wouldnt even joke about death instead I would feel the one most responsible not you or anyone else. Docs have a license which gives them a lot of responsibility but also much liability. I think some docs are so burdened that they take it out on the staff. I wouldnt last very long in that environment.

I remember my first lecture in my first nursing class, which was many years ago. The instructor made the comment the doctors have the letters MD behind their name and many have a complex where they think it means "Major Deity". Through the years, I have found it also means "Minor Deity". Yes, many doctors think because of the letters they have the right to be rude. However, no, they don't.
I've worked with many rude doctors and the best way to handle them is:
1. Be totally professional. Don't feed into their rude behavior.
2. Confront them in a professional manner. Do it out of view of all other staff, unless it's bad enough you need to have your supervisor present. Remind them you, as well as they, are professionals and should be treated as such. Many times, you will develop a whole different attitude from them. Still, there will be the ones who believe in the MD complex.
I had one MD who was so bad, I wrote her up on an incident report; my supervisor told me one night the md was to come in or call me to apologize. The md, of coorifice, told me my perception of the situation was wrong and she was just joking. Sorry, but yelling at me in the ICU nurses' station in front of the family saying 'I killed the patient' [the patient was actually alive at the time, she died 3 days later from sepsis; she was an cancer pt who was crashing] when, actually, we found she was getting septic and got her off our unit to the ICU after having to code her, is not joking or professional. I got another job at another facility and was out of that place within 2 wks since the hospital wouldn't do anything about the fact the MD still wouldn't apologize. And, sometimes, you have to walk away.

lifesaverwv · Mar 23, 2005

To SAGARCIA,

I work in a very small hospital where we only have a handful of male nurses. Over the years I've seen docs rant & rave to a female nurse about a mistake that she made but, I've seen similar mistakes made by male nurses & when the docs find out it was a mistake made by a male nurse 9 out of 10 times the docs will overlook the mistake or say that's ok. I guess it's a "guy thing"? :uhoh3:

Littlewonder · Mar 23, 2005

I think one of the reasone some physicians are rude is simply because they feel threatened. You think about it, at least for some family practice docs, they do a little bit in all areas. Meanwhile, in each of the areas they work in, there are experienced nurses who spend all their time in that one specialty. So there are times when they feel threatened by the knowledge of those nurses. And very few doctors like to look like the nurse may know better than he does!

thn5625 · Mar 23, 2005

No matter what your gender if you are made uncomfortable and intimidated then you should confront the issue. I hope its not a guy thing but that thought truly makes me uncomfortable since we should all be treated with respect.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2005

Note "the commuter" has started another thread looking for dirt on nurses as well....troll alert.

I am not a troll. That's highly insulting.

CRNAgirl · Mar 24, 2005

Why are many doctors so rude when in the hospital setting? I was at clinical practice recently when a doctor screamed, ranted, and fumed at the nurses. I've noticed this mean-spirited behavior from other physicians as well. I asked one of the nurses, and she just commented, "well, they've got a lot of education." Why are many docs rude? Why do plenty of nurses tolerate it?

This is my opinion. They are rude, because most of them were spoiled children that kept their noses in a book all the time. You would be amazed at their lack of people skills and social skills in medical school. Then....in residency, the attending doc yells at the sr. resident, who yells at the jr. resident, who then yells at the intern. Their behavior is dispicable and it is rampant. I don't tolerate it at all...and it has been my greatest dissatisfaction with the medical field. They are arrogant, because they have completed years of school and think that they are better than everyone else. A lot of them truly feel that way.

LydiaNN · Mar 24, 2005

Among the doctors I know, I would say arrogance is a more common trait than outright rudeness, and I would say it is more prevalent in them as a group than in other professions. I do think there's a explanation, though. Being a doctor takes an extraordinary amount of confidence- just to get through the pre-med program and apply to med school, then all that's involved with an internship, residency, and all the responsibility that is heaped upon you when you start to practice. Definitely not for me. I am not saying all physicians are this way, just that a disproportionate number of the ones I happen to know are. Lots of them are really nice, too.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2005

Thank you. I knew many docs acted rudely; however, others tend to deny this fact.

This is my opinion. They are rude, because most of them were spoiled children that kept their noses in a book all the time. You would be amazed at their lack of people skills and social skills in medical school. Then....in residency, the attending doc yells at the sr. resident, who yells at the jr. resident, who then yells at the intern. Their behavior is dispicable and it is rampant. I don't tolerate it at all...and it has been my greatest dissatisfaction with the medical field. They are arrogant, because they have completed years of school and think that they are better than everyone else. A lot of them truly feel that way.