cussed out in the OR

Published

A surgeon ripped me apart today in front another nurse, a CRNA and a PA. I fully plan to write him up, but now I'm not sure that I should submit it or just keep it in my files at home since I received an apology which I felt was sincere after the case.

The incident that prompted the behavior was actually rather minor, but he was particularly irritable today andI think that it was a "straw that broke the camel's back " kind of thing. He is pretty volatile, and does have a reputation for not apologizing, and in fact seemingly forgetting the incident quickly. He has been written up many times before and sent to anger management.

So do I give him a pass on this one time? I honestly think he was sincere in his apology.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
So do I give him a pass on this one time?

Nope. Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile.

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Sigh. I know, you're right, I just have to stiffen my backbone and do it. Thank you.

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Specializes in GENERAL.

What could it be?

Such unusual behavior for a surgeon.

I've never heard of this before.

Quite possibly this outlier behavior was brought on by something very unusual in the world of this physician.

Like multiple divorces, substance abuse or even mental illness. (so unusual)

Or maybe you just caught him on a bad day.

Wait a minute though, you did mention "anger management."

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He is crazy as a ****house rat, although I think his substance of abuse is bacon. He has been written up 4 x in the past 3 weeks ( yes I am one of the four). I have never gotten any kind of feedback any time that I have written any surgeon up, so I don't expect any now. And yes, he's been to anger management, and I don't think that he has punched out any computer monitors since then ( that's why he was sent). It hasn't changed the verbal abuse, though.

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if it wasnt documented, it wasnt done. Must report for a record...0% chance anything will happen if no one reports it, hopefully its more than 0% chance something will happen if people continue to report it. Also, if immediate management doesnt do anything, as long as you are following chain of command, go above and beyond until someone listens. Does your place have an ethics department?

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Write him up. I waited forever to write up a surgeon that belittles everyone in the room and makes rude and condescending comments throughout the day. In five years there were probably multiple times I should have written him up and I just let it go, shrugging it off as "surgeon behavior." Then a few months ago, he yelled at me and pointed his finger in my face in the OR while the patient was still awake in front of not only my scrub, but my nursing student and the anesthesiologist as well. I had absolutely no problems writing him up for that. Now, I not only work with him way less, but according to the nurses that work with him often, he has more pleasant to work with. Seems like the behavioral meeting he had with the "higher-ups" did him some good.

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He is crazy as a ****house rat, although I think his substance of abuse is bacon. He has been written up 4 x in the past 3 weeks ( yes I am one of the four). I have never gotten any kind of feedback any time that I have written any surgeon up, so I don't expect any now. And yes, he's been to anger management, and I don't think that he has punched out any computer monitors since then ( that's why he was sent). It hasn't changed the verbal abuse, though.

I think that you should write him up for all of the normal reasons BUT also because if anyone in any job is written up 4x in three weeks, there is something going on with them and they are in need of serious assistance.

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