Dealing with MD's

CHATSDALE · May 3, 2004

What's the best way to "handle grumpy MD's?"

make yourself invisible seriously do your job and keep them informed of what they need to know don t let the thought of them chewing u out prevent you from calling when necessary and remember they are human too with teen age kids and miserable spouses sometimes

NeuroICURN · May 3, 2004

"I'm not your maid"
"I'm not your mother"
"Get over yourself"
"Do you need some talcum powder for that diaper rash"
"Grow up"
These are but a few of the pearls of wisdom I've hurled at surgeons. The way I look at it, they get up each morning and put their pants on one leg at a time just like me. Of course, I work in a teaching hospital and the nurses have a lot of autonomy and don't take much from the doctors so I guess you have to temper what you say. I actually love almost all the docs I work with and consider them family but I've been known to be unwilling to accept any verbal abuse from doctors, therefore, I don't get much trouble from them.

Yeah, I hear ya on this one orrnlori! I also work in a large level 1 center and I don't take anything from any of the docs I work with....and I've been known to give it back when they try handing it out! I once had one of our ICU pulmonologists/intensivists who was just in a crappy mood and I was one the receiving end of his anger because RADIOLOGY wasn't doing their job. Well, out of respect for him, I let the first couple things he said slide (he is an AMAZING doctor & he's one of my favorites). But after a few minutes, it got real old, real quick....and I put him back in his place reminding him that it was not my fault and I wouldn't tolerate that behavior. He also apologized and we've been fine ever since.

What it comes down to is the fact that they are human too. And when you deal with doctors (especially neurosurgeons, ha ha), they can be more hormonal than any woman I've ever met. The thing is, they're human and we're all entitled to have a bad day every now and again! But when they're having a "bad day" every day and the behavior becomes abusive, then it needs to stop!

So how do I cheer them up?? I don't. Most of the docs I work with are almost always very friendly, very down to earth and we all get along very well! I guess we're lucky that way! :)

Also...one last note: How the docs treat you sometimes depends on where you work too....I don't think it's right, but docs treat different unit nurses in different ways. For example, ICU and OR nurses tend to be MUCH more relaxed and friendly with docs than floor nurses. Not because we're better, but because we spend sooooo much time together and therefore we know more about each other! I also call a lot of our docs by their first names, joke with them and "torment" them like any other coworker, but often they wouldn't tolerate that from someone outside the unit. I'm not saying it's right, it's just the way it is.

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 4, 2004

Yanno it's really funny ----when nurses are grumpy or having a rough time, you don't see MDs trying to cheer 'em out of it. We are simply "eating our young" or "b**tchy". Isn't that funny how it works? Why do we feel we have to cheer them up? Humor them? We are always having to bend over to please them, really it gets under my skin badly. We all have bad days, not just MD's.

Exactly! No offense to shiney happy people, but it is not my mission in life to cheer anyone up, doctors, nurses, coworkers anyone, except perhaps my patients (then it's more a matter of listening to them than telling them to cheer up.).

I get very offended when I'm deep in thought or stressed and some so and so comes up and says "SMILE"! I'll smile if I feel like smiling and you'd better get out of my face or I'll wipe that smile right off your smiling face. :angryfire :rotfl:

cannoli · May 4, 2004

Exactly! No offense to shiney happy people, but it is not my mission in life to cheer anyone up, doctors, nurses, coworkers anyone, except perhaps my patients (then it's more a matter of listening to them than telling them to cheer up.).
I get very offended when I'm deep in thought or stressed and some so and so comes up and says "SMILE"! I'll smile if I feel like smiling and you'd better get out of my face or I'll wipe that smile right off your smiling face. :angryfire :rotfl:

Oh, I agree totally with your second paragraph!

I haven't heard that in years, but before that I heard it all the time!, and how totally aggravating to hear it!

allnurses Guide · May 4, 2004

Exactly! No offense to shiney happy people, but it is not my mission in life to cheer anyone up, doctors, nurses, coworkers anyone, except perhaps my patients (then it's more a matter of listening to them than telling them to cheer up.).
I get very offended when I'm deep in thought or stressed and some so and so comes up and says "SMILE"! I'll smile if I feel like smiling and you'd better get out of my face or I'll wipe that smile right off your smiling face. :angryfire :rotfl:

I/agree........(my/computer/keys/have/dyslexia)

steph

CHATSDALE · May 4, 2004

You Are A Person After My Own Heart Keep Up The Good Work

heart queen · May 4, 2004

I may be in the minority, but I just keep getting nicer and nicer and nicer. It displaces their alter EGO and they just end up looking like an orifice. NO I NEVER take abuse, that's when I cut 'em down at the knees. I'm not a servant and will be quick to put 'em in their place, all while smiling.

You tick me off, I'll make a doc's life a living hell, but I won't let 'em get me into feeling inferior, angry or one upped...Remember...I'm the one up at 3am with nothing better to do than keep you up! All with a pleasant smile, wiping the smirk off their face.

heart queen · May 4, 2004

also, "If I was to grab another nurse to hear your response... would you want to repeat it?"

My favorite with the ultimate butts', "can you please repeat that so I can quote you correctly...."

Burnt Out, ASN, RN · May 4, 2004

Originally Posted by 3rdShiftGuy:
I get very offended when I'm deep in thought or stressed and some so and so comes up and says "SMILE"! I'll smile if I feel like smiling and you'd better get out of my face or I'll wipe that smile right off your smiling face. :angryfire :rotfl:

ITA.. :chuckle

Burnt Out, ASN, RN · May 4, 2004

also, "if i was to grab another nurse to hear your response... would you want to repeat it?"
my favorite with the ultimate butts', "can you please repeat that so i can quote you correctly...."

i'll have to remember those too... :)

critcarenurse16 · May 4, 2004

I offer them a cookie...if they pay for it. This usually gets them smiling. If they are just being a jerk for the day I let them know directly that their attitude is out of line. They get better for a 'short' while. (until the next batch of double devils food chocolate chips are done):)

zenman · May 4, 2004

I heard of one unit that put up a small white board and listed a doctor on their "Sh*t List." Other docs, being competitive, wanted to know what they had to do to get their names up there also!