Don't you love it when the doctor compliments you?

RNforLongTime · Jun 15, 2002

Twice I've had docs compliment me. I was taking care of an 87 yr old man with swallowing probs and suggested to his doctor that perhaps a speech eval and a cookie swallow were in order. She ordered one and left. Well about an hour after she left, she personally called me on the phone and thanked me for my astute nursing care of her patient!!

Another time, one of the Renal docs, was in my patients room and this was a real difficult pt and difficult family too. I don't know what I was doing but he looked at me and said, right in front of the patient, that I was a good nurse.

I know that I'm a good nurse but positive reinforcement always helps. Especially from doctors!

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jun 15, 2002

I like compliments but think that we should be looking to our peers for positive comments. We gotta respect the opinion of our fellow nurses, they know what we do every day and know better than the docs who is doing a fantastic job and who sucks eggs.

micro, RN · Jun 15, 2002

actually, I truly do like it when the doc's compliment me, because to me that is them almost relagating me to their peer status, k'

I know what you all are thinking........

well you know, I am a good nurse and I also know what i need to to get along........

plus the awesome unit i work within'

Sleepyeyes · Jun 15, 2002

5 a.m:

Had a pt. who was in resp. distress, but satting at 92% on 3L. I called the PCP who got right on the line, and as soon's I told him the patient's name, he then said, "OK, what do you want to do?" like he trusted my judgment....

(Maybe it was 'cause I sent the same guy out about a month previous for +4 dependent edema at 3 am and the on-call swore at me and wanted to know how come I hadn't called sooner , to which I told him that, as house RN, I had just been notified myself.... since the pt. was on BR, the CNA's didn't get it when they saw his privates and hands all swollen. )

So I 9-1-1'd him out over the objections of the other, more experienced RN (of course, the pt was a full code :eek: ) . Poor gent died late that evening from CHF.

So it was a mixed feeling in the end....

catlady, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2002

Had a consulting neurologist ask me who wrote the nurse's note on a particular ICU patient, because it told him everything he needed to know....after I got over the amazement of a doctor even reading a nurse's note, I admitted, of course, that I had written it. :)

deespoohbear · Jun 15, 2002

Canoehead:

I do enjoy getting complimented from my fellow nurses and like to compliment them too. We are co-workers and friends. I was just observing that the doctor actually took the time to say something about my nursing judgement. We all know that doctors usually aren't as "open" about complimenting us on our skills. Like Micro said, it does make you feel like a peer when the docs say something positive. Way too many of the docs are just willing to jump our case when we screw up, so it is nice to hear from the ones who think we actually have a brain.

adrienurse, LPN · Jun 15, 2002

Hey, I'll take all the complements you can deal out.

I have been a nurse now for 4 years, and I finally feel like I'm coming into my own. Nursing really got off to bad start for me due to a poor choice of employer who felt there was nothing wrong with putting a GREEN RN only one month off probation in charge of a 300 bed PCH on the night shift. :eek:

Needless to say I got burned a few times as well as yelled at by a doctor or two before I got smart and got the hell out of that place. I'm lucky nothing serious happened due to my very inexperienced decisionmaking skills.

So now that I work in a decent place, with support and mentorship and realistic demends on its staff, I gladly accept compliments from MD's. I have arrived and I'm a damn good nurse after all.

adrienurse, LPN · Jun 15, 2002

P.S. Most doctors don't give complements very often. So when they say it, they mean it.

LasVegasRN · Jun 15, 2002

Many many moons ago, after the single worst code I have ever seen and was involved in, the attending gave me a hug. Maybe because I was standing there looking "shell-shocked" wondering where to start to clean up after it had all ended and everyone else walked away. That hug spoke volumes to me.

Amy ER Nurse · Jun 15, 2002

The pt in CHF, did he not sound WET? Did the RN that objected to sending the pt out assess breath sounds. I have not seen someone with edema so bad their testicles are swollen, but still have clear breath sounds. mmmmm

Sleepyeyes · Jun 15, 2002

Originally posted by Amy ER Nurse
The pt in CHF, did he not sound WET? Did the RN that objected to sending the pt out assess breath sounds. I have not seen someone with edema so bad their testicles are swollen, but still have clear breath sounds. mmmmm

Well, first off, they were 2 different times. And wet? Heck the poor guy was so wet, I could hear him outside the door. :eek:

The other nurse kept saying, "He always sounds like that, he's satting at 92%, what're you doing?" But he didn't always sound like that.

The reason his testicles swelled, the first time, was that he was totally on bedrest, and so they were the most dependent body areas. And you're right, he never sounded great.... but there were no changes in his breath sounds that particular night.