Do doctors and nurses hate each other?

Flo., BSN, RN · May 30, 2011

I didn't know that Shaw has a PhD in English. Now it almost seems that she went into nursing to write about it. One thing is for sure I would not want to be her co-worker.

The docs that I work with are great 90% of the time. The other 10%well they are human. I am included in decisions, expected to contribute to the plan of care, and never made to feel incompetent if I ask a question.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · May 30, 2011

I am a nurse. I don't hate any of the OBs nor pediatricians I work with, and I don't think any of them hate me.

I sure haven't hated any of the OBs that saw me during my pregnancy, and I don't think the OB who caught my baby yesterday hates me. Even when I was screaming, cursing at him, and in general acting like the Exorcist chick.

This is to me one of them things where if you go looking for conflicts you will find them. If you go looking for mostly decent people trying to work together, you will find that as well.

worked hard and long · May 30, 2011

Did the above post Google the author and read any material written? While I have not read 100% of her articles, she portrays what we nurses engage and embattle on a daily basis only she has a forum and soapbox we do not.This forum built through colleagues under a different profession has a conduit to explain to the public the hardships a nurse face in a way we forgot because we are forced by time constraints to constantly talk in a shorthand so few can understand. KUDOS to Flo I wish I worked in your hospital!!!!

nola1202 · May 30, 2011

It's more about the person, less about the specialty. Some people would rather do their own thing and leave, others prefer a more group oriented process. The biggest problems I've run into are more about people who have a personality disorder. Face it some specialty areas really favor Narcissistic personality traits.

sweetnurse63, BSN, RN · May 30, 2011

This article is right on point in relation to doctors and nurses. Both team members are often under a lot of stress and we all know that stress can lead to an unpleasant attitude. All doctors and nurses are not the same, so i would never stereotype, I can only say what i have personally experienced especially in the hospital setting. Yes i am going to say it, as an african american nurse, sometimes i question if what i am experiencing is racism along with arrogance. I have always embraced everyone no matter the race, gender, or career. As nurses, we must provide care without being biased against anyone for any reason. I am the kind of nurse who loves working in a positive environment and when i come on the floor i usually say "hello" to everybody. I smile even when i don't feel like smiling; but i have been in a patients' room getting ready to give meds and all of a sudden three or four doctors will come in and don't say one word to me, as if i don't even matter or i am just a plant against the wall. Out of respect, one of them could have at least said, excuse us or something, even when i'm at the nursing station it is the same way. First changed bandages have been taken off patients at change of my shift and just before their breakfast is served and doctors expected me to drop what ever i was doing to apply new drsgs. Don't get me wrong, i have worked with some doctors who are respectful and friendly without the high and mighty attitude which makes a difference. Also, I have talked with doctors over the phone that were nasty and made me feel like i only had ten seconds to say what i had to say. So, i have had to develop some thick skin to not let it effect my care to my patients and remind myself that i am a highly educated compassionate nurse who will always be an advocate for the patients under my care. When doctors are in school or in their internships, i believe that it is important to address how to respect and initiate good communication and working relationships between themselves and nurses. We are not their handmaidens or servants!!!!!!! but we are their highly trained co-workers who have a state license to practice just like they do and we all should be able to work together to produce good outcomes for the patients entrusted in our care. There are different levels of skill, expertise and degrees, but we all are human and should respect each other. :nurse:

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · May 30, 2011

After I just got my ass ripped by a doc for his boneheaded move, i would say they dont hate us. Just lots of stress and well, you yell at the first person you can yell at.

sweetnurse63, BSN, RN · May 31, 2011

ThatGuy we should not have to be yelled at because of their stress level, we as nurses are stressed as well, but it gives us no right to yell or disrespect other staff. Some doctors have been doing this to nurses way too long and we need to stand up and say "WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE"!!!!! even if we have to march all the way to congress. We need to stand up for our rights as healthcare professionals and stand up against bullying in the workplace. :mad:

eriksoln, BSN, RN · May 31, 2011

I think there are many forces out there, both imagined and real, that put doctors and nurses in a position to consider one another opponents. I've stated before though on other threads that I dislike the doctor bashing that some nurses tend to take on.

I see it this way: Everyone has heard some admin./manager repeat the mantra "Patients come to the hospital for the doctors, not the nurses." To a very large degree, I would say the are correct, but would quickly follow with the part they leave out, which is "Doctors choose their hospitals according to the nurses."

Imagine the pt., sitting in their PCP's office, finding out they must get a renal mass removed. Said doctor rounds at multiple hospitals. So who is he going to tell this pt. to go to? The hospital that is efficient or the sloppy/just get the day over with style one? The one with compassionate nurses or the one with a low workforce moral known for having an excess of nurses who just want to do the minimum?

If you understand the relation with doctors attracting the money, but nurses being a large part of what makes said doctors choose one facility over another. Understanding this concept, I in turn understand part of what I am to do is to help make things easier/smoother for the doctor. I want them to consider their experiences with me positive, and hence think the same of my facility. Nurses who enjoy doctor bashing are not living up to this role, and it is an important role to play.

As far as the doctors who don't seem to care for nurses go, I can't help but think they are that way with everyone, not just me because I'm a nurse. We have more than our share of grumpy dwarf doctors and I don't think they act that way just with nurses.

middleager · May 31, 2011

From the outside, while I have seen some Dr's treat the nurses as part of a team, over all my observations has lead me to be less than impressed with how Dr's treat/regard their nurses. I had to see a dermatologist one time after I was burned in a house fire. I went for the first visit, he was fine, the visit went fine, as I was doing the paper work at the end, one of the nurses asked him something and his response was so condensending and snotty I was stunned. He treated her more like a servant than college educated professional. The receptionist asked me if I would like to schedule a follow up, I told her in front of him and the nurse who had been dressed down, "no I think I need to find someone who knows how to treat people, I could never feel comfortable with someone who treats people like that". He looked at me, smiled, shrugged and walked away. His nurse mouthed a "thank you". I don' t know if that tainted my opinion but I really have not been overly impressed with most of what I see, though I understand I don't see it often and I understand it isn't universal,

Lilnurse0803, RN · May 31, 2011

Congrats on your new baby, Elvish, hope all went well for you. :)

I am a nurse. I don't hate any of the OBs nor pediatricians I work with, and I don't think any of them hate me.
I sure haven't hated any of the OBs that saw me during my pregnancy, and I don't think the OB who caught my baby yesterday hates me. Even when I was screaming, cursing at him, and in generally acting like the Exorcist chick.
This is to me one of them things where if you go looking for conflicts you will find them. If you go looking for mostly decent people trying to work together, you will find that as well.

Caffeine_IV · May 31, 2011

I don't think doctors hate nurses as a general rule. I think the rude doctors fall into multiple categories

1) being stresssed and annoyed then take it out on nurses because we are the there

2) buttholes who feel superior because they are MDs and will take any question or concern as a personal insult to their intelligence or MD eliteness.