Cried at work... in front of a doctor!

[scorpio82]

A doctor lectured me today and got so upset with me over a misunderstanding and lack of communication for one of his patients. As he was lecturing me, I started to cry. I know I should be more tough and hold the tears for later... but I just couldn't help it. I felt so bad that I made a mistake and I got the doctor that angry. I felt so unprofessional and I can't help but wonder what that doctor or the 4 others that saw the whole situation thought about me. I'm a new grad and have been working for only 10 months. Was it really bad to look at and totally unprofessional? Thanks everyone for reading.

[putuwinda]

keep the spirit...

[scorpio82]

Thanks everyone!! I feel alot better now. I think I just truly had an off day at that time and was stressed. Luckily, the MD apologized for upsetting me and explained to me that it's nothing personal, it's only to improve communication and our skills. Of course, I knew that and next time, I definitely won't start any waterworks in front of a colleague. I also told him that the mistake won't happen again. Thanks everyone for your support, it's great to know that we are not alone and there's always another nurse who has been through what you've been through and we can have a shoulder to lean on and a wonderful website like this to vent on. :)

[Rob72, ASN, RN]

Ortho: "Hmglmph."

Me: "Well, we want her to get better and go home, don't we? And you can't blame her for and she won't do her therapies if she's in this much pain. How about some Vicodin, at least?"

Ortho: "She wasn't complaining about pain when she left the hospital."

Me: "That was hours ago. She's now sitting in our therapy room, crying."

Ortho: "So whaddaya want me to do about it?"

Me: "GIVE HER SOME PAIN RELIEF."[/i] The unspoken "you moron" hangs in the air but is never actually said.......nor does it need to be, as the doc promptly gives me a telephone order for Percocet 5/325, 1-2 tabs PO Q 6 hr. PRN moderate to severe pain. :smackingf

I have been known to add, "..., or you can come down here so she may bask in your healing aura. Personally, I'm betting on the 2 day supply of Lortab, until she can get in with pain mgmt, but if you want to put money on it..." Yes, there are advantages to being a guy.

scorpio, it sounds like you have a good doc, if he came back to apologize. Strong personalities express themselves forcefully, but good ones are more than willing to nurture those less who are not quite so "hard bark".

[K.Rawls]

Ask any nurse if they have cried at least once while at work/in front of a doctor or coworker and I promise you at least 99% will say yes. And that 1% I would be worried about!! If this doctor was very rude, I would think about talking to your manager about it. Most hospitals have policies against this type of behavior. If the doctor has a history of treating nurses in this unprofessional manner then the hospital administration should intervene and speak with the doctor about their behavior. And remember MD does not equal GOD!! Next time try to remember its not personal, this doctor was upset at a situation or an outcome, not you. Most of the time the nurse is just the target for the doctor's anger. Wish you well with your career..

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

It bites rocks to have to deal with the jerks- but it has to really bite to actually BE them ! :cool:

[Jenni811, RN]

I've never had a doc made me cry (yet)-- i'm new nurse too so i know its coming someday! just hasn't happened (knock on wood).

Although today i had a concern about a patient, as did ALL the other nurses on the floor. and i addressed it to the doctor.

This is what i get:

Doc:"Ok. So? what do you want me to do about it?"

Me: Just my responsibility to inform you of changes like this.

Doc: Well if it doesn't hurt her, don't take time out of my day to tell me.

I actually told the resident that was assigned with this patient, and he too was stumped and took it to the doctor. i was like "Yea, i'll let you take it this time. Let me know how it goes."

eeeeek, but i'm super shy so i kinda left it at that and notified the next RN who is the type that "means business" she was like "Psht, She won't be saying that when i call her 10 times waking her butt up during the night. She better do something about this." yay for brave coworkers!

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

I worked on an acute neuro floor the first 3 years in TX (6 months after graduating). I had a patient who got hiccups from Decadron, and wanted to get some low dose Thorazine (the thing we used back then) to help the guy out....I called the neurosurgeon, and asked for the med. He told me " all you can do for hiccups is put a bag on their head"... SOOOOOO...... I wrote the order-

Paper bag to head prn hiccups TO Dr.________/J_______.RN That shut him up for a while. I told the patient what I was told, and encouraged him to bring it up with the doc.... the poor pt had the hiccups for hours for NO reason since help was possible. I was mad.

[nola1202]

One day you'll laugh about this...but not for a while. I've cried, the residents and medical students were the first to pull me aside and tell me not to worry, they've had days like that too. I saw a new nurse in tears on a telemetry floor after a well known idiot...ehemm MD yelled at her about something minor. The nurses all gave him the cold shoulder for a long time.