Doctors getting angry??

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Dec 7, 2008

Finally, I think the idea of getting back at one another is kind of juvenile and just perpetuates bad relationships between doctors and nurses....like, it would be inappropriate for me to order q2 vitals just to **** off the nurse, just like it's inappropriate for the nurse to call me every 5 minutes to report normal vitals.
Just my two cents.

I agree, to a point. If I give D50 for a diabetic who is hypoglycemic, or if I start an IV on a patient who is getting sicker I would expect to be backed up. Some docs won't do that- they need everything approved. In the ER that just doesn't fly well. So if the doc says they didn't order that IV, or that D50, then I'll call/interrupt them if I have a 2yo that needs Tylenol, until they unclench a little.

Likewise, a doc that orders continuous O2 sat on an active toddler is just making my life difficult because when that kid is awake they are constantly moving, and the machine is constantly alarming. It's a CYA move for the doc that doesn't benefit the patient. If you trust that the nurses are assessing the child with full vitals and lung sounds you can trust that we will increase sat checks as the patient gets sicker, and take off the probe if he is up dancing to Elmo.

Sorry, this was a pet peeve of mine. A central moniter that is constantly alarming gets ignored, and that's dangerous for all the patients.

ivorybunny · Dec 7, 2008

At the hospital where I work there were two MDs known for throwing things and screaming at nurses. Both were suspended, only one ever came back, and he is sweet as pie now. Best one was one of the doctors had a specific rule about no ice in the patient's water... if he found it, he threw the cup out into the hallway. Housekeeping loved him too...

rngolfer53 · Dec 7, 2008

I knew of this one doctor that was so rude and very nasty, that if he wanted something done and if you did not do it, he wanted to you to call him at home just so he could yell at you. One time a staff member told me that he wanted me to call him at home because I endorse a tx to another nurse. The res did not want the tx to be done until a certain time which was on the on coming shift.

Certainly, I would gladly call him at home..........at, say, 0312. Should make for an interesting conversation. :argue:

emtj · Dec 7, 2008

What I am learning from this thread is that nurses have the ability to make doctors as miserable as they make them.

Nurse2Doc2008 · Dec 7, 2008

I agree, to a point. If I give D50 for a diabetic who is hypoglycemic, or if I start an IV on a patient who is getting sicker I would expect to be backed up. Some docs won't do that- they need everything approved. In the ER that just doesn't fly well. So if the doc says they didn't order that IV, or that D50, then I'll call/interrupt them if I have a 2yo that needs Tylenol, until they unclench a little.
Likewise, a doc that orders continuous O2 sat on an active toddler is just making my life difficult because when that kid is awake they are constantly moving, and the machine is constantly alarming. It's a CYA move for the doc that doesn't benefit the patient. If you trust that the nurses are assessing the child with full vitals and lung sounds you can trust that we will increase sat checks as the patient gets sicker, and take off the probe if he is up dancing to Elmo.
Sorry, this was a pet peeve of mine. A central moniter that is constantly alarming gets ignored, and that's dangerous for all the patients.

Point taken. Actually, funny you bring up the monitor example.......sometimes i just FORGET to D/C it and was just having that discussion with one of the nurses on the floor a few minutes ago.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Dec 7, 2008

40 lashes with the sat probe for that one. :)

wooh, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2008

40 lashes with the sat probe for that one. :)

Nahh, just make her sit in front of the monitor with your pager buzzing in her pocket at the same time for about 10 minutes. :)

Medic09, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Dec 7, 2008

I know this is the opposite of the topic, but there are docs who genuinely know how essential nurses are to good patient outcomes.

My wife did her Family Practice residency in Worcester, Mass. There was a particular med floor, South 6, where the residency program admitted their patients. When the residents finished that rotation, they received a t-shirt from the nurses that reads 'South 6 Nurses Taught Me All I Know'. It was a humbling reminder for some.

My wife, an attending for some years now, still proudly wears that shirt.

It could be we need to start making some t-shirts for some our docs.

wooh, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2008

I'm lucky in that I work with some truly great docs now. There's the occasional one that gets on my nerves, but most are really great. I think it's important to remember they're people too. We all have bad days. I've been abrupt with some docs just as they've been abrupt with me. There's no excuse for being regularly rude, but I can forgive the random misstep as I'd hope they'd forgive me (and they've had to on occasion!)

RedWeasel, RN · Dec 8, 2008

What bugs me about angry doctors is how they can be really mean to you (whatever cooks their goose) then get embarrased by their behavior and the next time you talk/call/see them they are all nice and take the suggestion or question you had in the first place and make it their own. No I don't try to tell doctors what I want ordered but sometimes you end up asking a question like..."We tried 3 xs to place an NG (-ended up needing it done fluor-)do you want to start an IV in case we need access...." Oh the heat from the other end was hotter than the breath of a pt with a 104 degree temp (that is another story)...then half hour later they call back to order an IV....

Valerie Salva, BSN, RN · Dec 8, 2008

I've seen several docs yell at nurses in front of staff/pts.

I saw one doc grab a stack of charts, throw them on the floor, and leave.

Of course, the binder rings came open and all the papers came out and mixed together.

abbaking · Dec 8, 2008

For most of my career I have had excellant relationships with doctors. Most of the nurses on my unit have also had great doctor-nurse professionalism. On the RARE occasion an MD yells, degrades, or becomes physically intimidating, I have either walked away or told the offender to knock if off, grow up, and be a muture adult. Most of the MD's i have seen with behavior/communication malfunctions are mentally and socially immature. I firmly believe that because of all the years of schooling they go through, they sometimes miss out on social awareness, proper communication skills, and relationships.