Difficult Doctors...Vent

Nurses Relations

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Hi Everyone

Early this morning, I called the MD to inform him that a resident had very low urine output (60 ml in about 6 hrs). The resident was very lethargic, distended abdomen, constipated. The Dr as usual was annoyed, did not want any info, and kept cutting me off as I was attempting to give report. His demeanor is nothing new, and he treats the nurses like we're morons. However, I feel I have a duty to report when I know that something is off. If the Dr chooses not to follow up, at least I know I did my job. Another time, a resident fell. The resident was fine, but I called the Dr before I went off shift to let him know. Again, Dr was annoyed. This Dr does not make rounds either, so if we didn't inform him of certain instances, he would never know. I just cannot believe how disrespectful and unprofessional this man is! It is very hard to work with him, and we all dread when we have to call...

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
I would love to report him. He should be reported and everyone knows it. I don't know if anyone has. Even my NM thinks he's a jerk. But I am a new nurse, so you can see how this presents a bit of a problem. I think we should all start a running list, sign it, and send it to the appropriate people. He has been practicing this way for years, from what I understand. And my residents are old. So it matters.

Joanna not being condescending but you do it ANONYMOUSLY. If it's bothring you that much, do something about it.

Specializes in geriatrics.

Thanks everyone for your replies :) Doctors like this can cause you to second guess yourself. And, I felt like saying, "You're on call. You are being paid. At least have the courtesy to listen!"

Specializes in Home Health.

We have one doctor that is like that where I work. He is like that to almost everyone, except me. I called him out on his bad attitude. If he gives me a hard time, I give him one back. Then, when he walks on the floor, sometimes I will tell him he looks nice or some other compliment. He likes me now. I basically killed him with kindness. BUT, I don't think I could have gotten this far with him if I only dealt with him on the phone.

Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

I once had a pt that was in his forties and in ICU he started having an MI. He was much to young to have one. I called his Doc who was on call and incredibily impaired to the point of hallucinations. I didn't know what to do. I called the ER guys and wouldn't come up. So I called the ICU medical director who was truly a terror on nurses. He yelled at me at first until I told him the guys age and what his EKG showed. He showed up in 15 minutes and took over the case. The guy lived and was in much better hands. His regular doc was suspended for some time. Sometime those doctors that are the worst on nurses will save you bacon.

There are doctors out there just do not like nurses period, they think we are incompetent or something. When they do their rounds, they refuse to acknowledge us, when we ask something, they never answer. We understand how hard the doctors work to become doctors, we understand that they are stuck up and conceited, but we do not understand how their parents never taught them the simplest manner you should have for human beings. It's sad, and I am pretty sure karma will come around...if not this life, for sure next life.

We have a urologist that hates to be called after 10pm. I had to call him a few months ago for one of his surgical patients. I made the mistake of calling at 10:15pm. He yelled at me for calling that late saying that "this is something that could have been addressed hours ago." Well, yeah....if the problem had presented itself hours ago!! He then came in the next morning and came up to me and said "some of you nurses just don't understand how hard we work. We get up at 6am and see patients and do procedures all day and it's very hard to be called that late at night." I smiled and nodded and told him that I was also very tired after my 7p-7a shift and unfortunately patient care isn't a 9-5 job. He replied that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. :rolleyes:

Specializes in geriatrics.

Much of this has to do with the fact that it's LTC. Even the Dr's have this perception that our residents don't matter, they're there to die anyway. Now, not all the Docs are like this, but many are. And since they are being paid, I will wake them up if I need to, because it would be that one occasion where we might think, "Well, I won't call, even though maybe I should." And something serious happens. Then whose fault is it? The nurses.

Specializes in LTC.

I work night in LTC and I always make sure if I'm waking up a doc I have a plan of care. With the gentleman with low output, loc change, and constipation what was nursing doing for him? My report would have been: "Nursing is encouraging fluids patient has had 100ml in this shift and 60ml out, urine is a dark amber color with a strong order, skin turgor is nice and elastic, patient's PVR is 75. Patient has had no BM x5 days despite MOM, Supp, and Fleets. I would like to get a soaps suds enema into him and daily stool softener to prevent further problems with constipation and think labs maybe appropriate to see what is going on with the low output. What would you like to order at this time?"

For the fall I would have just faxed the guy with an FYI.

When you wake up MDs early in the morning and force them to think on the spot sometimes you don't always get the best response. Most of the time I call a doctor at night with specific requests, as long as they are appropriate I get them.

Specializes in geriatrics.

Right. That is ideal, except this guy did not want to listen to any report. That's the problem. He was not interested. This is usual behaviour.

Specializes in LTC.

LOL then I nicely put the doc in their place. "I know it's early, but this is what's going on" "Yes I understand you're upset that I'm calling, but healthcare is a 24/day field." "Yes I know this is a cruddy system, but this is what I need from you."

When he gets extremely rude make sure to report it to higher ups in your system that he is not effectively doing his job and is putting residents in danger.

Specializes in geriatrics.

And when I called him re: the fall, it was 0730 am. He was awake. We are also supposed to call regarding a fall. That's the policy. We don't fax.

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

"Pt condition reported to Dr. Jackwagon. No orders given."

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