Does MD really stand for Mad Diva?

The diva part only made the think of one thing- One of the med docs here who wear short skirts and high heels.

Cracks me up to see her RUNNING to a code halfway across the hospital. I expect to see her back with an ankle injury one of these days.

Sorry the doc's are being such buttheads! I wish I had some good advice to give, but I don't.

When are the administrators and nursing supervisors going to realize that the way doctors behave contributes to the continuing shortage of nurses?

Whenever some of them take their head out of their rears.

Reading this just makes me think of all this customer service trend that healthcare is going through. In the midst of customer service being for the pt., visistors, and doctors, the nurse was forgotten.

Md =

All those examples are completely inexcusable. I couldn't work for a hospital where that happened, and where it's basically encouraged by nursing management. NURSING MANAGEMENT! You'd think they would have been in those shoes before, and want to stick up for their own.

I don't know what I would do if that behavior happened and was tolerated everywhere around me...I sure as heck couldn't tolerate it.

:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

Three little words, "hostile work enviorment"...

start mentioning, loudly (exps. around creep dr's) how people are getting sued for this now...

If that doesn't help, start metioning it around andministration.

If that doesn't help, start metioning it TO administration, and document EVERYTHING

If that doesn't help... well, the yellow pages are FULL of lawyers.... make sure everyone around you knows that!

I can't help but notice that your info states you are in alabama. I grew up in the south, and currently live in the south, and I have noticed that this attitude is more accepted by admin here. And before anyone flames me, I did not say that the doctors were more obnoxious here, but that administration was more tolerant.

I worked previously in AK for 6 years, and the only rude and obnoxious doctor I encountered was a resident, and the surgeon cut him off at the knees, in front of the nurses, for his attitude. Never had it happen again. I still smile when I hear that surgeon's name. :chuckle

Administration at the hospitals I worked at there where very intolerant of abusive doctors. A no tolerance policy was printed in the employee handbooks, and was stressed at orientation. When I was first hired, I rolled my eyes when reading it, thought "yah, I'll believe when I see it". But they were very serious. Write up's were taken seriously and doctors where warned, punished and even dismissed at times.

I don't know how to change the attitude at your hospital. But remember, there is always another job available. I think we should all get together and contract out our services, just as the doctors do. I'm an er nurse, so all er nurses would, as a group contract out there services, with the appropriate listing, and billing of all services provided of course. What do you think the appropriate charge should be for cleaning up a code brown? Do you charge by the number of wash cloths needed, or the number of chuxs needed?

OH WELL, just a lovely dream.

MD stands for "ME DOCTOR"

Have to say, being male I do not get the same tudes from these arrogant children doctors. Plus, being a retired cop, I relish the chance to show them how some people simply find it impossible to be impressed by them.

Most docs do not know my history, and man is it funny to see them look at me when I smile at them and their tantrums.

But that is only because I have experiences in dealing with all kinds of people. The more we do it, the better we get. Just know that you are most likely a ton better in the personality and likeability department. That makes for wider smiles just as we fall asleep at night. :)

PS, out of 1000 med students on graduation day, the one with the lowest score is still called doctor! Seems you met that one :)

Three little words, "hostile work enviorment"...

start mentioning, loudly (exps. around creep dr's) how people are getting sued for this now...

If that doesn't help, start metioning it around andministration.

If that doesn't help, start metioning it TO administration, and document EVERYTHING

If that doesn't help... well, the yellow pages are FULL of lawyers.... make sure everyone around you knows that!

An OR nurse I know was pretty livid after a podiatrist squirted her crotch with Betadine solution. He was laughing and having a grand old time. She pushed the issue and used the magic words, "Hostile Work Environment," and poof... the doc was no longer permitted to have patients at the hospital.

Them 'thar are purdy specific words.

MD stands for "ME DOCTOR"

Have to say, being male I do not get the same tudes from these arrogant children doctors. Plus, being a retired cop, I relish the chance to show them how some people simply find it impossible to be impressed by them.

Most docs do not know my history, and man is it funny to see them look at me when I smile at them and their tantrums.

Ha! Good for you! :)

Pissy docs are typically emotionally lazy people. They pick on those they can. If someone doesn't permit it, the creepy docs are usually too lazy to persue their behaviors. They find a new target.

I certainly don't understand how some of these docs retain their license. I had one the other night that I called with a pt's BP 192/98 and HR 110-120's. He prescibed Lopressor 25 mg. Well, that worked for the HR, but midnight vitals gave me a BP of 204/92. I called him again, he prescribed a Catapres patch & advised me not to take any more blood pressures on this patient until the morning time...after 8 am. He was nice enough about it, but I was shocked since this patient's normal BP was something like 130/80. He simply didn't want to be bothered anymore on a Friday night. Ridiculous!

Needless to say, I did recheck it & it was slightly improved = 185/77. I then documented very specifically what he ordered. I'm not gonna risk getting in trouble because a doctor doesn't want to be bothered.

Jen

Doctors have to be reminded that they are not demi gods from time to time. A direct approach is rarely effective and as many can attest documenting anything short of violence or sexual harassment is useless. So I choose to be more diplomatic, maybe even passive aggressive in my approach.

I.e.

Doctor yells at me over the phone "I'm sorry I can't hear you" click. I page them again, doctor yells at me again "I'm sorry I can't hear you" click.

I did this once and on the 4th page got orders in a civil tone.

Doctor yells at me at the desk. I sit quietly listen and don’t respond. Later that night (about 2 am) I page them. They call back and I answer "I'm sorry no one here paged you" 15 min later (just enough time for them to drift off again) page them again "I'm sorry no one here paged you". Wait an hour rinse repeat. They get the idea.

Once I had an MDA yell at me in front of a patient. He was having trouble placing an epidural. He had been able to give her an interthical so she was comfortable but he was unable to get the catheter to thread in. He was getting ready to make his 3rd attempt when my patient gave a subtle but unmistakable look (she was complete) I knew she was even though she didn’t say anything. So I tell the MDA "I think I should check her cervix before you try again" He yelled "Why! I don’t see any indication she is about to deliver do you?" I said "your the doctor" 30 seconds later she let out a little grunt and he said "ok go ahead and check her" as I caught her baby I said "are you sure it's okay ...... Doctor?" He has never yelled at me again.

Called a doc for urine output of less then 30 cc an hour x 2 hours. "He tells me this something that could have waited until mourning!" I said "it's common practice to inform the MD when output is less then 30cc for 2 hours" He says "just don’t call me anymore!" I wrote it as an order. He came in the next day and threw a fit but hasn’t given me crap since

I once had a doctor yell at me for transferring his patient to post partum before he had given me the order so the next night I paged him and asked for an order for a water picture, then later for ambulation orders. He yelled at me and I said "well I don't want to do anything without an order" He was silent for a moment and then apologized for yelling at me the day before.

The same type of approach works with nurse mangers. Your manager was so out of line. As an RN you should never take crap from an employer. You can get a job anywhere. I have only had one situation with a manager that was similar to that one. I listened, took a breath and just said, "I understand that is the way you see things. Please consider this my 2 weeks notice I will give you a written letter tomorrow." The situation was rectified and I received an apology when I came in to give my written letter.

Always remain calm and speak matter a factly. Sometimes just staring blankly is effective. As nurses the hospital sees us as expendable so you will rarely be backed up in a confrontation with a doc. Yet we don't deserve to take abuse for simply doing our jobs. We have to find ways to defend ourselves. Just make sure that it's done in a way that doesn’t harm anyone. Make it so the doctor and you both know what is going on but that they can't prove you were doing anything to them. If they try to call you on it, don't admit to it just play dumb.