I'm very curious. I'm sure we've all been there. We've dealt with doctors from all spectrum and mindsets. Most are very good at their jobs and have sound ideas!
But sometimes docs just say and do the craziest things
My example: at my last LTC facility I had one doctor seriously outright refuse/fight giving and prescribing pain meds (for patients who really, really needed it/were on vents/dying) because he honestly believed that these residents who had been stuck in a bed for years were going to get better and go out to buy/smoke crack cocaine.
According to him "prescribing narcotics leads to methadone and crack usage." These poor residents have been here for years taking the same medications and pain meds for years...just WHAT?
I used to work in LTC, and we had this quack doctor who would come in every week (which I give him credit for, at least he came in, unlike some) and change every one of his patients' meds to what we used to call, "the medication of the week." If a new drug came out, everyone who could possibly be on it went on it.
I later worked with a Iranian psychiatrist who would start a patient out on one drug, and if the patient had side-effects, or what they thought were side-effect, he would add another drug, and then another one for that side-effect and so on until his patients were getting 8-10 medications. For example, a patient went of prozac, and developed decreased libido. He would order viagra. Then the patient would get stomach ache from the viagra, so he'd put him on prilosec, then the patient would get xerostomia so he'd put him on saliva substitutes, and so on. It was like he'd never heard of titration or alternate medications. Basically he'd order a med, if a possible side-effect was reported he'd look up the counter to that, and so on.
Sounds like most of the docs I work with in LTC. Either that or you have to ask them ten times for a drug for a patient before they order it.
OMG! "he chucked the hard chart at me, which bounced off the back of my head" What about zero tolerance policy?
They didn't have those policies back then. Doctors used to routinely physically assault nurses with all kinds of things -- surgical instruments, scalpels, scissors, etc. The nurses were expect to basically put up and shut up. thankfully all that has changed.
not an RN yet but I heard this one while bringing a patient in to the ER with my ambulance crew. Situation was a 90 yof with abdominal pain. New resident came in:
Doc: On a scale of 1-10, how bad is your pain?
PT: 7
Doc: When was your last period and was it regular?
PT:...well nixon was the president at the time.
The rn in the room just started laughing and left the room.
Yes I recall being asked the last period question when I presented to ER with kidney stones. I told the doc January 1, 1993.
I had a very obese patient that had an MRI ordered. We tried, but he wouldn't fit in the machine. The doctor asked why we couldn't "make him" fit... I asked him if he had any suggestions for how to do that and after thinking for a minute he just walked away without saying anything.
As long ago as fewer than 14 years ago I was goosed by a doctor. I was so flippin' shocked when it happened. I turned my head around so slowly (like in exorcist) that the surgeon opened his eye widely, threw his hands up and profusely apologized.
At least he apologized.
In 1980 one of the staff physicians ran his hand between my legs, up to my crotch. When I told him to stop and took a step back, he laughed and said "You know you liked it. And you won't say anything, because I'll deny it, and who would they believe? You or me?"
Yes, he was a total ass. This happened at the Nurse's station.
I like my current doc, but he was doing my first H&P when I established as a patient with him and already had my surgical history as part of his ROS. Then he gets to the GU part and still asked about my LMP. I just matter of factly stated, "June 2, 2010." Then he said, after realizing it was years ago..."Oh, just kidding, you had a hyst."
I think sometimes we get so used to asking in a systematic manner, it comes out.
Yes I had a hysterectomy too. that is why I recall the date so well. I also had given the doc a list of all my surgeries and dates. But I was also over the usual age of a non-surgical menopause. I just thought it was humourous.
In 1980 one of the staff physicians ran his hand between my legs, up to my crotch. When I told him to stop and took a step back, he laughed and said "You know you liked it. And you won't say anything, because I'll deny it, and who would they believe? You or me?"
Yes, he was a total ass. This happened at the Nurse's station.
My friend told me a doc examine her breasts in way too friendly a manner. She reported him and he was fined $20,000 but still practising.
I had a pt many years ago vomiting profusely after lap chole. Bright yellow....so called surgeon. Lap chole was a new procedure for the hospital.
Give 6.25 mg Phenegan orally & don't call again. Hung up before I could ask about NG tube.
Obviously this did NOT help. I called back & was told my pt couldn't be vomiting unless I didn't give the Phenergan! & was hung up on again.
I got house supervisor involved. We dropped an NG on the ER doctor suggestion. He came in as I was taping it down. Already had a canister full & I hadn't turned suction on yet! My pt was wheeled to OR & had another operation, but by different surgeon.
His original surgeon said pt was jaundiced because I dropped the NG tube! What??? Pt was jaundiced when she came out of surgery. The "glowing" kind. Strange that she wasn't before surgery OR the next morning....
I just love those orders to add a progress note page or another order sheet. Yesterday we had an order to move the patient to a room across the hallway "for a different view to decrease boredom" & pt WALKS outside to smoke several times per shift!
I had a pt many years ago vomiting profusely after lap chole. Bright yellow....so called surgeon. Lap chole was a new procedure for the hospital.
Give 6.25 mg Phenegan orally & don't call again. Hung up before I could ask about NG tube.
Obviously this did NOT help. I called back & was told my pt couldn't be vomiting unless I didn't give the Phenergan! & was hung up on again.
I got house supervisor involved. We dropped an NG on the ER doctor suggestion. He came in as I was taping it down. Already had a canister full & I hadn't turned suction on yet! My pt was wheeled to OR & had another operation, but by different surgeon.
His original surgeon said pt was jaundiced because I dropped the NG tube! What??? Pt was jaundiced when she came out of surgery. The "glowing" kind. Strange that she wasn't before surgery OR the next morning....
I just love those orders to add a progress note page or another order sheet. Yesterday we had an order to move the patient to a room across the hallway "for a different view to decrease boredom" & pt WALKS outside to smoke several times per shift!
Yeah, we wouldn't want them to miss their smoke breaks, would we? Maybe this doc is friends with a pulmonologist and is eager to get referrals to him.
Think about it - when we are in our 20s, making normal life milestones, being grown ups with jobs and kids, they are still in school and residency with little time to be in the real world. Many of them get their first job ever after residency, which would be at no younger than 28. That has to affect normal development of EQ, social awareness and maybe typical coping mechanism/conflict resolution skills.
I have Hashimoto's. My PCP told me to stop taking levothyroxine after my thyroid hormone levels came back within the normal range. This doctor also told me to go to the hospital immediately to have my thyroid removed. Apparently, she thought I could just request a thyroidectomy at the information desk?
I still take levothyroxine and I still have my thyroid. I no longer see that Doctor.
ActualNurse
382 Posts
Sounds like most of the docs I work with in LTC. Either that or you have to ask them ten times for a drug for a patient before they order it.