I have a dilemma that I would like to share and get some feedback on.
I am not a nurse yet (half way done with school! yay) but work in the hospital in a tech capacity. I found out today that a family member of mine was to have surgery done by a surgeon with notoriously bad results. I dont want to flame this doctor...but he is bad. Ive worked with him and seen how he works and I wouldnt recommend him to my worst enemy. I immediately had a mini panic attack. I wanted to tell my family member to please think about getting a second opinion but I didnt want to get fired.
I told the secretary and the charge nurse of my dilemma. Both of them knowing this doctor, agreed with me and told me in my position they would do the same.
So I did...I did it professionally. I just told them that I felt he should have a second opinion and that I could speak more with them when they were discharged from the hospital. I could see that what I said was scary for them and the family that was there.
Thankfully..they took my advice and when the nurse came to preop him they aked about their options and THANKFULLY went with the other surgeon of that specialty that was available.
I know I could have said nothing...but if something would have happened to them and I could have prevented it...I wouldnt have forgiven myself. Also, if this gets out, could this be grounds for extermination? What would you have done..?
I would definitely tell my family to go to someone else if I knew a doctor had a reputation for high patient morbidities. I'd be willing to face the consequences if it did get out that I warned them. Imagine how you'd feel if you DIDN'T say anything to them and they became another statistic.
ALWAYS feel free to intervene in a professional manner if you see a loved one, (or even a not-so-loved one!) going to a doc you KNOW has a record of bad outcomes.
I can think of two surgeons off the top of my head. They were wonderful gentlemen, wonderful bedside manner, gentle, kind, compassionate. All their patients thought they were the best! They were very good men. But they were awful surgeons, had high rates respectively of infections and other complications (dehiscence, horrible scars, etc.). WHY on God's green earth they continued to do surgery when they HAD to be aware of their patients' miserable outcomes is beyond me.
I remember reading one of those true life nurse books, don't remember which one at this time. In it, a family member asks the nurse what she thinks about the patient having surgery there. The nurse just keeps repeating, "Well........I hear that X hospital does very good with this sort of thing." After the fifth time, the family catches on and asks to have the patient transferred.
I think, as you did, that there are ways to get the point across in a professional manner. And you did well.
i wouldn't have given it a second thought. this is your family you're talking about. i can seriously see myself saying.....don't let dr. butcher cut you......a phone call to the next of kin while off duty would be enough and i'd sleep well that night
When my niece was to have open heart I went up to the peds floor and asked the nurses about the surgeons and the anesthesiologists. They knew me from school several weeks before and they were more than happy to tell me there two favorites for each. My mom did the same thing as she new several of them as well. So we got the surgeon and the anesthesiologists changed. It was one of the fastest recoverys for a 6-month old the nurses had seen.
Thanks you all! I feel justified now. I was seriously scared that it was grounds for TERMINATION (i know the word now that Ive slept!!..lol).
I just felt so bad b/c he was literally minutes away from surgery when I found out that it was my cousin having this surgery by this doc...I know I scared them badly when I asked them to change doctors but couldnt say why.
I just felt so bad b/c he was literally minutes away from surgery when I found out that it was my cousin having this surgery by this doc...I know I scared them badly when I asked them to change doctors but couldnt say why.
Scrubby
1,313 Posts
I would definitely tell my family to go to someone else if I knew a doctor had a reputation for high patient morbidities. I'd be willing to face the consequences if it did get out that I warned them. Imagine how you'd feel if you DIDN'T say anything to them and they became another statistic.