Do give up your seat for a doctor?

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In the unit I work on attendings come in the rooms/pods to round with residents on pts. All of the older nurses leap out of their seats to let the doctors sit. If I 'm charting or doing some other sort of meaningful work I will remain seated (if I was reading a magazine. I 'd get up). I thought it was old school...nursing giving up their chairs for doctors

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTAC, Critical Care.

If it's a Doc I like and/or respect, I will offer a seat and attempt to assist in any way possible, even if it ain't my patient. I've learned that really good Docs who actually care what the nurse has to say are a rarity these days. You gotta take care of them when you find them.

On the other hand, if it's a doc I can't stand, I ignore and avoid if I can.

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I know there are limited computers/chairs, but I have to wonder if it is really that hard for some people to share?

While I was doing some charting, I once had a doctor take the chair away from me by lifting me right out of it. I was not impressed!! I know that I am small, and was only a "student nurse" (I was still in school at the time), but I would have moved if I was asked. Brute force is not necessary; use your big boy words to ask for what you want! :madface:

Luckily, that is the only bad example I have encountered with doctors and chairs. That man was arrogant beyond belief!

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Specializes in LTC, Subacute Rehab.

I'll offer a seat to anybody (CNA, other nurses, docs, therapy), but they usually decline.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

when i went to nursing school back in the 1970s, we were taught to give up our seat for a doctor. i was young then, most of our doctors were old. (30s at least!)

now i'm 50-something. i have a bad back and bad knees. the only person i give up my chair for is our medical director who is the same age as me and has bad hips. not that i have a choice about it. he just waltzes into the room and takes my chair, and if i happen to be sitting in it, he invents a reason for me to have to stand up and then he takes it. that man is a jerk, but i digress.

no, i do not give up my seat for a doctor. or for a visitor, either. i figure i need to be at the patient's bedside, the family can go sit in the waiting room if they get tired of standing. our our management, in its infinite wisdom, could spring for chairs for visitors.

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ITA w/ you, but I think the author of that quite was being facetious.

Oh for God's sake, I should not be allowed to post after a 12 hour night shift. I'm an idiot at that point.

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It depends. If I'm charting or busy with the computer, paperwork, etc, then no I won't. If I'm just sitting around talking then yes I will.

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Specializes in PACU, OR.

No, why should I give up my seat? He can go and find his own!

Mind you, I might let him sit on my lap, if he's cute enough....:D

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Sure...I can grab another chair or sit in the report room to chart or just stand at the desk. Once our patients are asleep, unless we have an ER come in, we have plenty of time to sit. If a doctor is on the floor when I am at work, it usually means we called them in, so I have no problem letting them sit. I'll give up my chair for the EMS crew too. I also make coffee, raid the kitchen for cookies, and make sandwiches for them when I have time. They make runs to the convenience store to get us nachos or pizza, they bring us biscuits and gravy from the local diner, and bring us their leftover chicken soup. One very distinguished acting doctor even went to the grocery store to get a nurse tampons once...I have no problem giving them a chair.

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