Abusive Doctors

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Ok, I recently started a new job. I am still orienting and at least 3 nurses now have warned me about Dr X. Apparently he cusses out the nurses, berates them, screams in their face, and often hangs up on them if they call him at night when he is ON CALL. He tells the patients they ( the nurses) are incompetent and blames them for his mistakes. I have yet to have any interaction with this man, but working on this floor I will at some point. He has been doing this for over 4 years, and in that time 2 nurses have been fired for talking back to him. Administration does nothing, and he is free to rant as he pleases.

I speak up, if this man ever yells in my face I am prob going to get canned. I can't believe this man gets away with this. Any advice on how to handle him? I honestly do not even think I can keep quiet if I see him doing this to someone else.

I am thinking nurses need to start documenting this. But obviously the admins are aware of his behavior.

Specializes in Medical-Surgical / Palliative/ Hospice.

Medicine is a seperate entity from nursing. Unfortunately, we have to work together, and unfortunately there are some doctors that make it impossible to communicate. I would like to think NURSING management would stand up for their nurses in a situation like you described. I have been lucky to have had very supportive and assertive nurse managers that will NOT tolerate his/her staff being verbally abused. The CMO at my previous job was very nurse-friendly, too, and actually encouraged us to email him with medical staff problems.

Most places I have worked have a physician reporting tool that is seperate from the incident report tool. Remember, this man has a boss, too...

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If someone comes at me like that they will quickly know that they have bitten off far more than they can chew.

That said, in my clinical experience all through school all the docs were fantastic. Sadly the same cannot be said for the nurses....

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Write it up and have any witnesses sign it. We had an attending that was like that...he was sent to HR 3 times, all three came back with anger management classes, etc. The 4th time he got fired. Didnt' matter that he was the director. Nurses have to stand up for themselves!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

i found an interesting article with advice.........

"abuse from physicians is difficult to handle because nurses are, for the most part, under pressure throughout the course of the work day. when abusively confronted, there is a loss of balance and personal control that arises first followed by an assault to the ego, which evokes an emotional response of anger, hurt and insignificance. because the ego needs to feel accepted at all times, this response is intensely uncomfortable and [color=#bf0000]painful. there are three choices when confronted with this type of situation: we can run from it or avoid it, handle it poorly or handle it well. the choice is ours but it is important to introspect and remain in control.

when dealing with difficult people, oftentimes it is not a surprise that they will act poorly and you can be ready for that. when we learn to look proactively for situations, it is easier to handle. first of all, you can watch the conditions that lead to poor behaviors."

http://nursetalksite.com/2012/03/05/surviving-modern-healthcare-dealing-with-intimidating-physicians/

i have always just considered the source and not taking a word that they said seriously....i can't help it if they have self esteem issues.:smokin:

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

All of you need to stand together.

Whenever he starts, not just one, but ALL of you surround him and just stare, while very obviously taking notes. They fired 2 for standing up to him? What will they do, fire the entire shift? Pull together, everyone, and have everyone sign the incident report as witnesses.

Refuse verbal orders. Our BON discourages them, the ENA says verbals are only for emergencies. JCAHO doesn't like them. If the doc has time to say it, he/she has time to write it. "I'm sorry doctor, because of the misunderstanding last time, I am unable to take a verbal order". Stick together!

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His orders often need clarifying so nurses have to call him often. He is a pinhead, but a surgeon that brings in a lot of cashflow. I am not afraid of him, I am afraid of getting fired because of him. That crap doesn't fly with me.

I hear in the OR there are several nurses that refuse to work with him, period. They have asked to not be scheduled in his OR apparently he has tantrums there, too.

All of you need to stand together.

Whenever he starts, not just one, but ALL of you surround him and just stare, while very obviously taking notes. They fired 2 for standing up to him? What will they do, fire the entire shift? Pull together, everyone, and have everyone sign the incident report as witnesses.

Refuse verbal orders. Our BON discourages them, the ENA says verbals are only for emergencies. JCAHO doesn't like them. If the doc has time to say it, he/she has time to write it. "I'm sorry doctor, because of the misunderstanding last time, I am unable to take a verbal order". Stick together!

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Might want to have 2 nurses listen in on all clarifying calls then, and both sign the phone orders.

There is hope, since the OR nurses that refuse to work with him are still there. I still say, gang up on him!

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Might want to have 2 nurses listen in on all clarifying calls then, and both sign the phone orders.

There is hope, since the OR nurses that refuse to work with him are still there. I still say, gang up on him!

Nursing is a team sport! Seriously this guy sounds like a piece of work. I'd give him my "crazy eyes." I have a look that makes people nervous. lol. You never know what this crazy B&^% might do! Ok, kidding. But I would give him the look.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

When you have to call him, put him on speaker phone for the other staff to hear. Then document and get witness's signatures. This is called "lateral violence" and your risk management department will be very interested in this matter, as well as Joint Commission. I've encountered several jerks such as this during my career. Trust me, it WAS handled.

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Yes, and I imagine he also drives a big truck.

A lot of nurses actually cry when he does this. Its ridiculous! All of the nurses have told me if he gives orders, write them down word for word and have the charge nurse verify them because he also blames nursing when something goes wrong and claims to have never said what he said.

The ALL TIME BEST response I heard to the above scenario was on this board.

BUT nursing admin had the staff's back, which doesn't seem to be the case here. The NM put a sign up in the staff lounge stating not to take Telephone Orders from Dr So and So as his memory was not good.

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I woudl use my old stand-by.......

If they are ranting and raving, I simply tell them to please call me back or come find me when they are no longer agitated.

Agree with the peer approach.I've seen it work beautifully.

On a more encouraging note, I heard recently that a fairly long-term cardiac surgeon was fired for abusing nurses in the OR. I believe it was somewhere in Ohio. Could be wrong on location part but the firing was certain.

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Any advice on how to handle him?.

Stab him in the liverz.

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