Can nurses report MD;s and to who

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We have this MD on staff at work who is notorious for being rude to the nurses to the point of neglecting or out right abusing our residents. For example in an emergency the other night we had to call him by order of our NM to ok a prn aeresol because res heart rate was EXTREMELY high and she was concerned that the treatment would make matters worse. So we called him he was very PO'D and rudely said "use your damn prn orders and dont even think of calling me again tonight" He does this sort of thing all the time. He has hung up on us, told us not to bother him and refused to give us needed orders. He has been allowed to get away with this for far too long. We nurses do not feel that he should remain on staff. Since management does not seem able or willing to do anything about this we nurses have decided that when he is on call and we are instructed to or need to call him that we are going to tell the on call NM that she will have to make the call as we will not. Now I know it is not appropriate to mouth off to management like that but we are tired of his abuse and we are not taking it anymore even if it means losing our jobs. Ok back to my question. Can nurses report MD;s to the AMA or somebody and if so how do we go about doing it?

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Document document document

Each person willing to step out should keep a notebook, write in date and time every time you call, what the problem was, what you told him, and write down his reply verbatim. If there are ill consequences from his inaction, note those as well, with the time and date of the assessment of the consequence. Then call him back and tell him what happened, and document his response to that .

When you have enough documentation to show that you are not just complaining about isolated incidents, make copies and give them to management (not your originals). If you don't get an adequate response, send the copies registered mail so that you have proof that you submitted them.

Call your Secretary of State's office for your state's procedures for reporting malpractice. There should be an ombudsmen that is responsible for investigating complaints of patient abuse.

When someone is in serious trouble and you don't get an adequate response from him, call your medical director. Call him over and over, until he (she) gets sick of having to cover, so that he will take action as well. If you are not in a hospital situation, (ie nursing home), call 911, ship out to the ER. THAT will get you some attention.

Good luck and God Bless:kiss

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Notebook? I'd put every word in the patient's chart. If a person goes bad because of his refusal to cooperate, I want coverage.

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Specializes in ICU.

Do both and it is ANNOYING to say the least to get home after a busy shift and have to sit down and re-document. Although it is not as reliable as documenting then and there it is still admissable in court. The other thing you can do is get a recorder but you will have to let him know that you are going to record his conversations to be any good in court however it would show management directly what you are up against. Be careful about recording conversations though it could turn around and bite you. Go to your union if you have one. Talk to them but the bottom line is that no-one has to put up with workplace violence.

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You need to write him up, with a copy going to your Nursing Manager, Nursing Director, and the Medical Chief of Staff. There are discipline methods for the MD's to use. If nursing staff continues to write him up each time he is abusive and rude, I feel sure that the Medical Board will do something about it. Good Luck!

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I may be out of date on this, but I know it used to be that in some states here in the U.S. only ONE person is required to know that a recording of the telephone call is being made for it to be admissable in court - Check on it to be sure but if this is the case in your state and you are making the recording you would not even have to tell him

But telling him that you are recording the conversation in and of itself could be the wake up call he needs to let him know you are fed up and that the situation is now to the point where he is going to have to do some answering for his actions (or inactions as the case may be) Bottom line is that you only want what is best for your patients and to be treated with the dignity and respect you deserve right?

And I agree with gwenith that recording is a double-edged sword that could turn around to bite you if you aren't careful!

Best of luck

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Originally posted by JBudd

When someone is in serious trouble and you don't get an adequate response from him, call your medical director. Call him over and over, until he (she) gets sick of having to cover, so that he will take action as well. If you are not in a hospital situation, (ie nursing home), call 911, ship out to the ER. THAT will get you some attention.

I can't support this idea enough. I would even go so far as to say if you have already had enough of this bull go to the medical director now and formally complain about past instances. Then when a circumstances arises when the doc is behaving in such a manner the med. director is already aware of the behavior so it will not be a 'i had no idea' type of situation (AKA...good old boy behavior).

I would also be forthright (and i 've done this once) that when the doc is yelling ridiculously into the phone just say outright (cut him off if necessary) :"thanks so much. I 've actually decided that I will call Dr Medical Dirctor instead to see how he would like me to handle this patient if any more problems arise"

I always say this "if a nurse ever behaved like many of these docs her/his butt would be in the office the next day with a copy of the warning on it's way to HR'.

we all deserve better than this. we are not morons!!

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I would write that BS as verbal orders in the patients chart.

"Do not call me again for any reason"

verbal order, Doctor X

Families love to see that kind of thing

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Specializes in ED staff.

CYA!!!!! It's your license on the line. I don't care if he says not to call, call him anyway. I agree with everyone else, document whatever he says when you call him. If Mrs. X has COPD and is having difficulty breathing and you want to give her an albuterol breathing treatment but her HR is 160 and you arent sure what to do and you call him and he gives you no orders....

Contacted Dr A. Hole, reported Mrs. X's SOB, O2 sat of 89 and HR of 160. Dr.A. Hole issued no orders other than to not call him

again tonight. Nurse Nancy RN

Then I would chart what happens next, if you contacted the DON, called 911 or whatever happened. But I would especially chart everything you did to help the patient.. positioned in an upright position for better breathing etc, etc.

We once recorded one of the doc's when we had to call and wake him up because he USED TO act like this guy you're describing. We played the recording for him the next day, he was ashamed of himself.

Being a nurse is tough, many times you find yourself between a rock and a hard place. Do your best, but be sure to take care of you and realize that you aren't wonder woman and you can't make the doc stop behaving the way he is. He has to want to change, you CAN however make his life a living hell by not doing things that are just expected by him that aren't part of the protocol or written as orders. He may WANT to change by the end of the week. Good Luck, Wendy

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We had an ER Doc like that when I worked in the community (very) small if the attending MD was not available it was common practice to call ER for Orders esp. Heperin / coumadin

This worked for me

thank You Doctor and say " I'll write that order word for word" have a nice evening. then write the order, document his rudeness and report him to the Doctor who supervises for the entire hospital if there isn't one write a concise letter to the AMA

P.S. this DOc got hauled over and I never had a problem after that. LOL The girls at work use to say Oh no so-so is on at ER can you phone for orders. He never refused a requested order nor did he every treat me like I was an idiot again

Good Luck

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Originally posted by fergus51

I would write that BS as verbal orders in the patients chart.

"Do not call me again for any reason"

verbal order, Doctor X

Families love to see that kind of thing

Agreed!

I've actually done this before. One time the rude doc brought the chart to me the next day, stuck it under my nose, and said, "What if this went to court?!" Having anticipated that he might do such a thing, I had an answer ready.

I just smiled at him and said, "Well, you just might need some other nurses to testify that you would never, ever, say such a thing when we call you about a patient with a problem!"

Two of my fellow nurses later told me they had to leave the area quickly because they couldn't control their laughter when they witnessed this!

BTW, never had problems with him again...

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

I liked tha JEMB and Fergus

Now in the old days I could wait in the parking lot and report him to the order of the Back Hand. Notorius for taking care of problems, however things being what they are today all wimpy and no fun anymore. I would setlle for the passive aggressive approach of writing the order.

The King of passive aggressiveness is me,myself,and I

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