Work Environment / Work Culture - How to Improve in Orthopedics?

[logique]

I work within a health system and am charged with the task of finding articles about improving the work environment (work culture) within Orthopedic Surgery. For instance, how to improve relationships between orthopedic nurses and orthopedic doctors. The person who assigned me the task said that Orthopedic Surgeons are very hard to work for and that the culture is generally a rough one... Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you!!!

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

My only advice is to be nice. Courtesy is never wrong. Even using your ladylike charms such as offering a coke and a cookie instead of a snappy comeback, may help any situation.

[november17, ASN, RN]

Typical that they'd assign a person to solve a problem that doesn't really know much about it. Haha. Maybe we work for the same healthcare system

[logique]

I am not assigned to solve the problem :) The person in charge is having me do the "grunt" work (aka internet search).

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Me? I was just a first shift person filliing in for 3-11 when the first gulf war took 12 of our staff. I t was fun though seeing the change.

[dimples38]

Boy, I feel very fortunate. Our orthopedic docs for the most part are wonderful. The nurses and docs have a great rapport. Of course, there are always certain circumstances where "things" aren't always easy, but we really can't complain here at the hospital I work at. We have a great orthopedic joint program here and our docs are very involved with that.

[november17, ASN, RN]

There is an orthopedic surgeon on my unit that is known for being a real stickler;

One time this one particular orthopod wrote an order for a particular patient to use crutches. PT/OT went in to do the crutch teaching and decided that the patient was not ready for crutches, so they gave the patient a walker instead. Patient used the walker to get up to go to the bathroom all night.

The next morning, the surgeon was doing his rounds. All the sudden everyone in the hall heard a crash and saw a walker literally flying out of the patient's room into the hallway. Next, the surgeon came out, fuming and furious. He jumped on the patient's nurse, then the PT/OT people, then finally the unit manager.

There is also a story about him writing notes in black magic marker about how he wanted things done all over the walls behind the nursing station, resulting in the the whole section had to be repainted several times

When I first started working there all the veteran RNs made him sound like a man to fear. Certain things had to be a certain way. Tissue box in reach, the CPM on/off switch tied to a particular spot on the bed (NOT on the left, the right), foley bag hung in a certain way, walker a little to the left, bedside table over here, GOOD GOD NEVER TOUCH HIS DRESSINGS except to reinforce, and if there so much as a spot of blood or a cookie crumb on the sheets when he rounds watchout!!! And woe to the nurse that forgets any of that stuff!

Personally, I've never had a problem with this particular surgeon; and I've found him to be a pretty nice guy. He's in his mid-50's and I guess he married some blond 25 year old hotty a few years ago, had a kid, bought a camaro, and ever since then I guess he's been a lot more easy-going (so I hear from the nurses that have been there for a long time).

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

See all it would have taken is a couple cans of Pepsi and a few do-nuts and he would have become tamed.

That is SO outrageously funny now-I doubt it was at the time though.

"MY" pod got so spoiled he would have us go to other floors with him to help change dressings etc. when his patients were on progressive or icu etc. I do miss those days. I still love ortho though it's not like it used to be before DRGs.

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

I am just starting with an ortho floor. i think that the position i am in, having been a student on the floor, and then precepting up there and then working there has helped me a lot. many of the nurses and students wont talk to the md or approach them, much less say hello passing in the hallway. heck, i am a pretty loud and blunt person, saying hello to all! i have heard some nasty things about some of the MD's, and i am trying to just start out on the right foot.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

How on earth can they NOT talk with the docs? They're missing out on a lot of knowledge and sometimes some lifelong friendships. And sometimes just plain fun when you invite the docs to join in on a covered dish lunch. We had one once a month on our weekend to work. Met some nice people that way.

[stefano]

nice! P_RN