Yelling Doctors, How do you handle them?????

Nurses Relations

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The other night at work (I work 7PM shift), I admitted a new patient. She was seen at her doctors office a couple days before and was started on PO antibiotics TID. She did not take her antibiotic all day. At my hospital we are to clarify meds upon admission and she could not remember the dose perscribed. So I had to page her doctor, which has a reputation of being mean at 11PM (not that late). He interrupted my question by yelling/screaming at me, asking me how he would know the dose (he prescribed it), demanding I answer why it couldn't wait till morning while huffing and puffing on the phone!!! I know if I didn't address it, the charge nurse or someone would of had my neck due to policy...Can't win!!

I've only been a nurse for 8 months and I haven't had much experience with this.

My question is... How do you respond to a doctor who talks to you this way- I mean screams at you this way?

Specializes in Medical Surgical.

This is very common on my unit, many of the people admitted are elderly and have no idea what medications they take, when or the dose. I ask for the pharmacy they use. We have 1 24hour pharmacy in my town, I work 15-2330 shift, so if they utilize that one I am usually able to have the med reconciliation form complete for when I call the admitting doctor for orders. We also have a 24 hour policy that allows us to complete the form in case of complications such as their primary not being the admitting doctor, and such.

As far as screaming doctors, you always have the MD's that think they are some how better than everyone else, like they could ever do our job...lolso Joint Commission has decided to step in and create abusive MD's and even nurses into a Sentinel Event

http://workplacebullying.org/press/clinrev011709.html

http://jcahohospitalpolicies.com/JCAHO-Phenomenon-Bullying.html

http://search.jointcommission.org/search?q=yelling+doctors&site=All-Sites&btnG=Search&entqr=0&ud=1&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&output=xml_no_dtd&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF-8&client=jcaho_frontend&proxystylesheet=jcaho_frontend

Hope the links work, I found the material very interesting.

Bertina R.N.

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Re: response from "TiredMD" - letter #4:

I don't think this is a fair answer to this nurse. You know that ALL nurses have gone thru this sooner or later, I'm sure that you have also, if you are a nurse. So, if you ARE a nurse, you must know how debilitating it can feel, that when you are trying your best to take care of your patient, that you have some doctor yelling at you in your ear - just for doing your job! In no other profession do people have this kind of license - to yell at others in the condescending, rude and obnoxious manner that doctors do with nurses! I'm sorry, but you are wrong and something needs to be done about nursing to change this so that this barbaric way of interacting with others isn't allowed to continue. And for all you nancy nurses out there who are saying, "I don't know where this nurse is coming from, I never have problems with doctors", you're living in a dream world. Either you've been lucky enough not to have to call anyone late at night yet or you put things off and don't address situations when you should have, or you're a new nurse and just haven't been in the game long enough yet. At any rate, this kind of abuse has to stop!

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

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Well, I usually agree with your posts, but I'm gonna call you on this one.

It was a newbie mistake with a rude dude, not a rude nurse. [if she did this continually, yeah, maybe he could be frustrated or whatever, but STILL... two rudes don't make a right.]

It's just plain childish to have fits like that. You can say anything you want to convey your desire to be let alone, but this yelling/tantrum thing I just don't get, and never will.

rb

Not only that, but - we aren't dealing with courtesy calls or family chit-chat. It's not the same thing. This is your JOB. Yeah, I'd hang up on a telemarketer at 11 pm. But that's not what this is. This is your job, your responsibility, to answer questions and make clarificiations while you are on call. That's part of being a doctor, and me calling you is part of being a nurse.

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Hmmmm.... I don't care how mean they can be at 3am...if they are on call, its their job to respond. Just like we work 24 hrs, so do they. Get over it. I spent most of my career at a teaching hospital with JMRs, SMRs, clercks etc etc. They were there 24/7. As they should be. I left for 3 years and worked in a rural environment, half the Drs on call ere responded to pages. My big city attitude, if your going to operate on them, follow up. Period! I got gasme

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I think it would be better for the site to be just for nurses. It doesn't say

allhealthcaregivers.com. Unless we're inviting doctors from the beginning of the

discussion, it's kind of unfair to have a discussion about doctor abuse toward

nurses and have doctors chiming in as they please.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Specialty Infusions.

I totally agree.

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Specializes in telemetry, medsurg, homecare, psychiatry.
I think it would be better for the site to be just for nurses. It doesn't say

allhealthcaregivers.com. Unless we're inviting doctors from the beginning of the

discussion, it's kind of unfair to have a discussion about doctor abuse toward

nurses and have doctors chiming in as they please.

Actually, I wouldn't mind hearing what doctors have to say. I am pretty sure I would be more than entertained to listen to their ideas, suggestions. As a matter of fact, intermingling and the exchanging of thoughts has to be one of the best ways for the two professions to learn to work in harmony.

:nurse:If there are any doctors out their please please please give us suggestions on "how to handle a yelling doctor".

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I don't mind doctors or other health care professionals here. Maybe we can learn from each other and learn how to deal with these situations better. We don't like calling them at 0300, they don't like being called at 0300. :zzzzz However, it has to be done sometimes, other times maybe it can be avoided. Maybe if we could all talk about it, we could work together better, it would mean better patient care/outcomes. :nurse: I like to hear others point of view with these kind of things. I do NOT like being yelled at for doing what I am required to do for my job, though.

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I think it would be better for the site to be just for nurses. It doesn't say

allhealthcaregivers.com. Unless we're inviting doctors from the beginning of the

discussion, it's kind of unfair to have a discussion about doctor abuse toward

nurses and have doctors chiming in as they please.

I think it is beneficial to hear from all walks of life and roads of experience,I know that doctors can be rude,condescending but lets not be like them,eh?

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.
I think it would be better for the site to be just for nurses. It doesn't say

allhealthcaregivers.com. Unless we're inviting doctors from the beginning of the

discussion, it's kind of unfair to have a discussion about doctor abuse toward

nurses and have doctors chiming in as they please.

I have to respectfully disagree with you, having other members of the multidisciplinary team participate in these discussions helps to enlighten both sides about each others feelings and attitudes towards them.

Personally I don't see how it can be a productive discussion if only one side is contributing, it's then a one sided rant. That's doesn't mean I agree with the opinions expressed but with open discussion we have a chance of improving the understanding between our 2 professions.

In the UK (or at least in the hosptial I work in) we don't worry about calling our doctors at night, they work shifts and the rules to medics sleeping on nights are the same as nurses sleeping on duty. They are there to work and expected to do so.

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Specializes in Med/Surg - Home Health - Education.
Re: response from "TiredMD" - letter #4:

I don't think this is a fair answer to this nurse. You know that ALL nurses have gone thru this sooner or later, I'm sure that you have also, if you are a nurse. So, if you ARE a nurse, you must know how debilitating it can feel, that when you are trying your best to take care of your patient, that you have some doctor yelling at you in your ear - just for doing your job! In no other profession do people have this kind of license - to yell at others in the condescending, rude and obnoxious manner that doctors do with nurses! I'm sorry, but you are wrong and something needs to be done about nursing to change this so that this barbaric way of interacting with others isn't allowed to continue. And for all you nancy nurses out there who are saying, "I don't know where this nurse is coming from, I never have problems with doctors", you're living in a dream world. Either you've been lucky enough not to have to call anyone late at night yet or you put things off and don't address situations when you should have, or you're a new nurse and just haven't been in the game long enough yet. At any rate, this kind of abuse has to stop!

THANK YOU CUBBY777

This behavior must stop. I have been in nursing for 44 years. In the ancient days, we had to stand up and give our seat to the doctor, when he (very few female doctors) came to the nurses' station and was going to write his progress notes, orders, etc. Doctors got away with yelling at the nurses.

Then I reentered the U.S. Navy as a Nurse as a Nurse Corps Officer, and rose in rank to LT, and Lcdr (Lieutenent Commander). I then out ranked the doctors. So when one started this type of behavior, I disciplined the doctor. I would not stand for the behavior.

After leaving the Navy, and returning to civilian practice, I continued NOT to tolerate the behavior. In some hospitals I was supported, and in others, I was not supported.

When I climbed the ladder and became a Nurse Administrator, I definitely would not tolerate the behavior. My nurses knew I would back them. Now, if the nurse was getting ready to do something that could be harmful to the patient, yelling might be in order. Otherwise, it is not. If a doctor has a problem with a nurse, he/she should go to the Nurse Manager and let them know. The Nurse Manager investigates the complaint to see if it is valid. If so, the nurse is counseled. If not, the doctor is informed that the nurse used proper nursing judgment, and the complaint was invalid.

Nurses, seek out the Nurse Administrator. Have your Nurse Manager invite him/her to the next staff meeting to discuss this problem. I really think that in today's environment, the Nurse Administrator/Executive will support the nurses.

Again, Cubby, thanks for your response. I agree completely.

Tom

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