Bullying Doctors

[Breathing16]

What are some good one-liners to use when being bullied by doctors? When providers are disrespectful in general by discounting my position to flex their own ego, hang up on me, ask me to do their job, insult me, snap at me for paging them per facility protocols, etc., I often do not know how to reply.

So what are some frequent go-to responses you favor to meet doctors outlandish requests, belittling jabs and hostile tones of communication? I sure do appreciate your help, thank you AN

[JKL33]

No specific quips to recommend; I just do my best to abide by the principle of not replying in kind. So, as I'm thinking about it, oftentimes I end up doing the opposite of what they do or perhaps the opposite of what they hope I will do. Elsewhere I recently posted, "I will not let them get a rise out of me," and I do abide by that. If they yell, I speak in a steady, controlled voice. If they hang up on me, I call back. If they were to insult me, I'd use silence, or brief silence and then, "okay, but what would you like to do about this?"

I don't "sport" with them, EVER. They can look for someone else to huff and puff and cry and "sass" them back.

I vote "no" on one-liners. Just carry on professionally.

Oh, P.S., the real secret to this is to be non-threatened and non-plussed by it, internally. Don't let it frazzle you. Poker face.

[KIMMIEKAY11868]

Does anyone see Nurse practitioners disrespected due to their ability to fit in as just a nurse with a little more education?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Does anyone see Nurse practitioners disrespected due to their ability to fit in as just a nurse with a little more education?

What does this even mean?

Nurse practitioners who had several years of experience at the bedside before going through a good NP program aren't disrespected in my experience. Those who do the BSN to NP route without pausing at the bedside (and went to a diploma mill NP program) are often disrespected for very good reason. They don't know what they don't know, and many times are too "proud" to admit it to mere bedside nurses who could help them learn.

There are nurse practitioners for whom I have enormous respect. And then there are NPs who have no bedside experience and who have been heard to make comments to the effect of "The nurses here all hate me because I'm better than them", and "I'm an NP -- you can't tell me anything I haven't learned in school". Generally, NPs get exactly the amount of respect they deserve -- both from physicians and nurses.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

No specific quips to recommend; I just do my best to abide by the principle of not replying in kind. So, as I'm thinking about it, oftentimes I end up doing the opposite of what they do or perhaps the opposite of what they hope I will do. Elsewhere I recently posted, "I will not let them get a rise out of me," and I do abide by that. If they yell, I speak in a steady, controlled voice. If they hang up on me, I call back. If they were to insult me, I'd use silence, or brief silence and then, "okay, but what would you like to do about this?"

I don't "sport" with them, EVER. They can look for someone else to huff and puff and cry and "sass" them back.

I vote "no" on one-liners. Just carry on professionally.

Oh, P.S., the real secret to this is to be non-threatened and non-plussed by it, internally. Don't let it frazzle you. Poker face.

Why would you even WANT to bounce one-liners off an already annoyed or irritated physician? It's not going to make anything better and will likely make things worse.

If it's a one-off, just shrug it off. Physicians have bad days, too. If it's habitual, the above advice is golden. Speak in a steady, controlled voice. If they insult you, take a moment of silence to allow them to see how ridiculous they're being, and then ask for specific orders. Be professional even if they are not.

We teach people how to treat us . . . if we expect to be treated well, we generally are.