A physican where I work called a patient a "FAT PIG!"

[JomoNurse]

A GI doc on my floor had to do abdominal surgery on a very fat woman. As you know, these surgeries take longer. It was his last case and he was very tired by the time it was completed. The family was very angry that the surgery took so long. Anyway, after the patient was placed into her room, her family joined her. The MD walked in the room to check on her and as soon as he walked in her husband said angrily "What took you so long!?" The physician responded back with "She's a fat pig, what did you expect?" and walked out of the room. He got a phone call from administration as he was driving home and was told he had to go back to the hospital and apologize. And that was it. No other consequences.

A nurse would be terminated on the spot if he or she did something like that. It's not fair.

[nurseejones]

I was in the hospital having my 2nd child, in Philadelphia PA and the MD came to give me my epidural, he came in sweating...rather exausted, stated he was behind and they were short staffed.....okay I am in pain here I really do not care just give me my much needed 2 hour ago epidural, so the nurse began to check my BP, and the cuff was too small, so it popped off, well he was on the other side of the bed and he thought he mumbled I guess....FAT COW! well through contractions, fatigue, and Anxiety......I was almost 100% sure I heard him correctly but given my situation and his position, I second guessed myself. Well I didn't know why but the look on the Nurses' face, and the fact that her face was Bloody Red...gave me indication that I heard correctly! Well after my delivery, I was too ashamed to tell anyone, and too prideful to cry but I felt horrible inside. My going home day, the nurse came into my room handed me her card and said to me, "do not let what he called you, hurt you.....you need to report this and I will back you fully!" and she hugged me and walked out! well needless to say I did let my cry out! Contacted the Administrator, they informed me he was already on his way out of the door due to similar reasons, sent me a letter of apology and that was it!

Wonder where he is today?

[rachelgeorgina]

Whomever asked why a GI doc was performing an abdo surgery....

GI = gastrointestinal. Your intestines (large and small) and a variety of other accessory organs to the GI system such as the liver, spleen, appendix, gallbladder and stomach are all in the abdominal region. Why WOULDN'T a GI doc be performing an abdo surgery?

[NotFlo]

Well, I think that family should just have been happy the patient came through the surgery safely and without complications and that the doctor took as long as necessary to perform the surgery properly. On the other hand, I think the comment was totally uncalled for, but it doesn't surprise me.

I've heard it all from doctors related to patient weight. We have one doctor who would never exactly be called thin or in shape himself, who constantly ******* about the bariatric patients, stating that they should all be shipped to an island and starved etc., that he hates them, etc. It just happens I'm pretty fat myself, and it's always just so lovely and encouraging to hear exactly what this doctor thinks of people like me. It's enough to make me never want to go to the doctor again.

[Coriander, BSN, RN]

Wow. I can't even think of anything to say after reading that.

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

THe doc was totally wrong and there is no excuse for what he said, no matter if the lady was huge or not.

[CaitlinLiz]

Holy moly... how incredibly rude...

I just don't have much to say to that.. but how rude.

[southernbeegirl, BSN, RN]

I agree, he should apologize.

that said....

exactly what gives families like this the "right" (for lack of a better word) to raise cain on a surgeon about how long it took??? it's not like going to an office appt for God's sake! who do these people think they are?

i blame administration for this! they have babied these rude patients and family members so long that there is absolutely no respect for the doctors OR the nurses.

so while i think he should apologize...i bet it felt good to say it!

(and before i get flamed...if you check the obese thread, i'm very obese)

[RN4NICU, LPN, LVN]

Whomever asked why a GI doc was performing an abdo surgery....

GI = gastrointestinal. Your intestines (large and small) and a variety of other accessory organs to the GI system such as the liver, spleen, appendix, gallbladder and stomach are all in the abdominal region. Why WOULDN'T a GI doc be performing an abdo surgery?

Gastroenterology is a subspecialty of internal medicine. It is not a surgical specialty. Gastroenterologists (GI docs) do not perform abdominal surgeries. They do endooscopies, liver biopsy, polyp removal, and things like that, but not abdominal surgery. Abdominal surgeries are usually done by general surgeons.

[justiceforjoy]

So how should he have said it in a non-rude or offending way? I get very uneasy addressing people's weight because I know it can be a touchy subject.

"It took so long because surgeries on overweight people can be very difficult." Is that offensive?

[southernbeegirl, BSN, RN]

"It took so long because surgeries on overweight people can be very difficult." Is that offensive?

it shouldnt be!

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Regardless of how hard a day the doc had or how "provoked" he felt by the family's attitude, to call someone a fat pig is just inappropriate behavior from a so-called professional. You are correct, if a nurse had said this they would have been facing disciplinary action.

[DuluthMike]

I believe OP has the title of the surgeon incorrect.

I can totally see why a surgeon would snap at a family reaction like this. They had just put in a grueling day of work in a surgery that was complicated by morbid obesity. Instead of a grateful family they are greeted with accusations. You could snap too, we all could. Dealing with ungrateful family members isn't easy, especially under these circumstances.

With that said, he was wrong and should appologize. I certainly cannot fault the surgeon for snapping though.