Consultant went nuts.

[paris2]

I am a clincal nurse specilist and see my patients where ever they are, ie opd, day case ward etc.

Last friday patient going to theatre was not ready hence there was a delay. as i walked on duty a consultant march up to me and asking me justify my hours, what time i start, what is my role etc, and that it is my responsiblities to get patients ready for theatre, in quite threatening manner.

Whilst i stayed calm, i said to him that i share your frustation but it is the ward manager he should be going to and not me as running of the ward is not my responsiblities.

Delay going to theatre is an on going issues.

However his threatening manner was so bad that i don't feel like going to work. Why do they have to behave like this.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

They are only given a set number of hours to operate in. If their list runs over by 2 or 3 cases they get extremly agitated and stressed because then they have to deal with pt and their families answering why they didn't have their surgery. Also they have targets to met as part of the NHS or billing of private pts.

I agree 100% with you however that he should of taken the issue up with the ward manager and the theatre reception nurse time for calling for the pt to give the ward a chance to get organised not you.

I would go and talk to him when in the next few days when he has cooled down and state that you felt that you were berated and this made you uncomfortable. However you have to do it soon as the consultant will probably forget about it and be wondering what you are on about.

Also talk to your line manager and the ward manager about implementing a process for faster transfer times to theatres.

[XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN]

Sorry you feel so upset by this encounter Paris, could I ask if he knows what your role is, I know that I often get mistaken for senior ward staff because I wear navy.

There's no excuse for being rude but I do know that cancelled or delayed lists cause havoc for the surgeons as I am sure you will know in your role.

If your going to have to deal with him again it may be worth making time to meet with him and discuss your role, put it in such a way that it's to try to support him and his patients and to clarify what you can and are doing to help.

[paris2]

Sharrie and Karenmaire,

Thanks for your support. I work with 5 consultant and he is one of the newish one. Basically ward nurses do not do ward round so when i go on the ward my prority is to ensure my post op pts are supported during the ward round. That morning i was with one of the other consultant doing post op ward round, but this consultant wanted me to do pre-op ward round with him. He said my priority was to sort out pre-op pts and not post op. Although i know were he coming from, getting preops pts ready is ward nurses issues, my priority is post ops as they have greater needs, vomiting, headaches etc.

However, i have written to him asking him to make an appoinment so that we can discuss this. My line mamager is on holidays and will be back on the 10th, so will see him thereafter.

I will also give him my job description, he can have look although it is very generic, but it does not itemise where i should be working. As a Clincal nurse i work where my patients are. This is in the best interst of the patients and not the doctors.