Doc tells me pt killed her baby

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Specializes in many.

OK, so yesterday toward the end of my 12 hour shift I get a new patient who had an IUFD last year and is now 38 weeks.

Work her up... have a good conversation... talk for a minute about all she went through last year.

Doc comes in and discusses plan of care, doc goes out and I translate some of the info, i.e. what pitocin is, what a glucommander is and who will be caring for her over the next day.

Change of doc's, new resident in to perform U/S on pt who was admitted from the clinic for NRNST, I am in and out of the room collecting care and IV supplies.

The doc completes the U/S then pulls me into the hall to tell me with brows knit and teeth clenched "this patient killed her baby last year". My response "Oh my goodness" :eek:

Now I have to go back and face the patient with info in my mind that is clearly detrimental to our relationship and try not to let it get to me. I think I did a pretty good job and the patient thanked me kindly for my care when I left her at the end of the shift.

It turns out that the resident who performed the U/S had cared for the patient last year and had attempted to educate and admit her for blood sugars out of control but the patient had refused leading to the IUFD.

I did not feel comfortable letting the doc know that I was not happy about her attempt to turn my mind against the patient...

Any one like to respond?

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I would like to know what the heck that meant.......

and how she knew this?

There has to be more to the story. I am sorry. I am tongue-tied, for a change.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

I have a feeling this particular physician is under the impression that since the woman refused to be treated as she (the physician) saw fit and there was a demise, that the patient "killed" her baby.

Not a good bed side approach and certainly not good rapport with you, the nurse.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

i agree w/siri.

this is not appropriate.

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Wow. When I first read this, I thought the doc was saying she killed a baby outright. As in murder. I sure hope this doc didn't say that outright to the patient. That's a heck of an accusation to be making.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

That is quite an accusation. I would like to know the whole story though! Either way it was wrong for her to tell you something like that and leave you hanging. It's one thing to give you the details of her last pregnancy and let you come to your own conclulsion, but this is a-whole-nother thing. How horrible.

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Specializes in many.

The doc came by her opinion by way of previous treatment. This doc had treated the patient with the last pregnancy and had scads of "cya" notes about how she-the doc- had tried to convince the patient to be admitted for blood glucose control last time around. Which the patient refused and the doc believes directly contributed to the IUFD.

When I was in the room during the U/S I was wondering why the resident was so quiet. I thought she had seen a problem with the U/S, but she was just stewing and steaming about last the previous IUFD.

I didn't hear anything that the doc may have said to the patient before I arrived, but I asked the patient if she remembered the doc from last year and her response was just "yes" in her usual tone of voice. So either the doc said nothing, or the patient was not willing to discuss her feelings on the subject.

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Specializes in Case Mgmt; Mat/Child, Critical Care.
The doc came by her opinion by way of previous treatment. This doc had treated the patient with the last pregnancy and had scads of "cya" notes about how she-the doc- had tried to convince the patient to be admitted for blood glucose control last time around. Which the patient refused and the doc believes directly contributed to the IUFD.

When I was in the room during the U/S I was wondering why the resident was so quiet. I thought she had seen a problem with the U/S, but she was just stewing and steaming about last the previous IUFD.

I didn't hear anything that the doc may have said to the patient before I arrived, but I asked the patient if she remembered the doc from last year and her response was just "yes" in her usual tone of voice. So either the doc said nothing, or the patient was not willing to discuss her feelings on the subject.

Just curious...you refer to "the doc" as well as a resident. Are these one and the same individuals? This "doc" is a resident who tx'd the pt last yr and is seeing her again in OB now?

Either way, it doesn't really matter, this "doc" is being inappropriate.

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

I'm speechless....

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Slanderous

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I think the doc was just venting frustration over the situation last year. Considering you are a co worker and a professional on the case, I don't think it was inappropriate.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
I have a feeling this particular physician is under the impression that since the woman refused to be treated as she (the physician) saw fit and there was a demise, that the patient "killed" her baby.

Not a good bed side approach and certainly not good rapport with you, the nurse.

My thoughts exactly.

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