Blame nurses

Truthfully? I think it depends on how much responsibility each has in the patient outcome.

I've told this story before, but here it goes again. I once went to a c-sec for fetal distress as part of the nursery team. Which consisted of me and a doc, btw. They give me a limp, blue, mostly dead child. I give meds, chest compressions, bag, all the usual stuff. The doc helped, of course, but was much more hesitant due to the fact that the docs just didn't go to many deliveries, and the nurses were easier with the process. Well, the baby finally lets out a weak cry. The OB on the case said "Lets hear it for Dr. soandso!" and everyone cheered for him. Well....I guess I was chopped liver, lol. Anyway, I guess I do believe that adage in some situations, obviously!

Why do you think that doctors STILL think that we don't do anything unless it is ordered by a doc? Why do you think that a doc can be an unprofessional jerk but it is the nurse that is counseled and sent down the road to termination?

Nurses do not bring money in to hospitals. Nurses only cost the hospitals a fortune. The general public is groomed to accept the doctor as all-knowing and the nurse is the one to wipe their butts.

I've told this story before, but here it goes again. I once went to a c-sec for fetal distress as part of the nursery team. Which consisted of me and a doc, btw. They give me a limp, blue, mostly dead child. I give meds, chest compressions, bag, all the usual stuff. The doc helped, of course, but was much more hesitant due to the fact that the docs just didn't go to many deliveries, and the nurses were easier with the process. Well, the baby finally lets out a weak cry. The OB on the case said "Lets hear it for Dr. soandso!" and everyone cheered for him. Well....I guess I was chopped liver, lol. Anyway, I guess I do believe that adage in some situations, obviously!

Why "LOL"? You did the work, he got the glory. That does not deserve a laugh. You should have spoken up and said, "So what am I, chopped liver?" where everyone, including the 2 doctors, could hear you. It would certainly make them think.

"The general public is groomed to accept the doctor as all-knowing and the nurse is the one to wipe their butts."

And we're all to blame unless--with every appropriate opportunity--you give families and the general public ten reasons to believe otherwise.

Regarding the c-sec story. I would have hoped the nurse involved would have piped right in with, "How about lets' hear it for the nurse?!"

Remaining dutifully silent and expecting perspectives to change is a dream.

No Courage, no change.

I think the "LOL" is one of those things that if you don't laugh, what else are you going to do since it was probably a "no win" situation for the nurse.

Why "LOL"? You did the work, he got the glory. That does not deserve a laugh. You should have spoken up and said, "So what am I, chopped liver?" where everyone, including the 2 doctors, could hear you. It would certainly make them think.

It is not verbally stated as it would be seen as unprofessional in front of the patient. I think the nurse handled it the only way she could and was entitled to her feelings about the situation.

momma taught I can think what I want, "but I had better not say it in some instances"

I think it is a great story, and who knows what is unsaid might be the nurse gave the doctor a discreet look which said more than words could ever have said.

That reminds me of yesterday. I had a patient with a trach who probably hasn't eaten anything for over two months. The SICU resident orders her a purple popsicle and gives it to her. She did good, tolerated it just fine and is so very happy. I had to tease him about it..."Sure, I wipe her butt and don't get a thank you but you're her best friend after giving her the popsicle."

Medicine is a high-prestige profession. Society bestows a great deal of unquestioned respect upon physicians, whether or not they arrive at the correct diagnoses. By the way, the diagnosis is correct only 59 percent of the time.

Nursing is a low-prestige profession. Society bestows only a very questionable amount of respect upon nurses. As an example, the general public will attempt to become bossy with a nurse or give him/her directives. However, these same people would never tell the physician how to proceed.

Members of the high-prestige professions (medicine, law, business, engineering) tend to be forgiven by the public for any mistakes they might make. Members of the low-prestige professions can do 1,000 things correctly, but the one mistake is the highlight of their careers.

What is odd is that this is very true, yet in all those Gallup polls, nurses come out #1 ahead of the docs.

I wonder if that is because the patients don't like the docs because THEY pay the docs and feel cheated, but patients don't pay nurses directly or have nursing care itemized on their insurance bills? Whatever the reason -the public doesn't have a clue either way.

It took me a long time to learn how to brush stuff like this off. You'll be a lot happier if you learn how not to think like that & try not to get caught up in too much of the drama. I try to generally keep to myself. There are people who say, "what's wrong with him?" Or something to that effect. Truth is, I could really care less. I go in, do my job, try to deliver the best care I can, & right now try to deal with the bumpdown b/c I failed my boards twice. I just smile, do my job, and that's it. Most of the residents I work with are pretty cool & some of the older docs are the ones w/attitude b/c they are super control freaks. That's just the way they are. Unfortunatly we have to deal with it. You could always cuss them out in your head. That works for me too.