Published Apr 13, 2012
NO50FRANNY
207 Posts
Sometimes the doctors I work with make me want to cry because they are so damn good. I know we all have our fair share of complaints but what are some of my fellow AN favourite doctor moments?
Here's a couple of mine:
Pt. behaving like a child (20yrs old), performing for attention, mum at bedside. All investigations pending, develops chest pain when told it might be a few more hours before she sees a doctor. Intern checks results, assesses pt., gives her an antacid. Pts' mother- but what about this terrible pain. "Well, all your tests are fine I'm afraid you'll just have to suck it up", while giving her a discharge letter.
One of our very senior consultants being verbally threatened with litigation because he said the patient could go home (she had the flu). "I WANT YOUR NAME" me hiding round the corner saying to myself "please spell it, please spell it.." our consultant "It's (spells it) " then calls security.
Deliver a pt. to pre-op and she decided to flick into rapid AF. I have ALS so ask the nurses for some amiodarone an ECG machine, and a doctor. Anaesthetist walks out and says "just do whatever she says" and walks away.
My all time favourite, consultant and intern chatting to a patient. The patient asks for a cup of tea. Intern- "Oh, one of the nurses can get that for you", Consultant- "Who is getting the cup of tea?" looking very intently at the intern, Intern- "Um, I am?" Consultant- "Bingo".
I am sure I will remember some more but outdo me.
mazy
932 Posts
I worked with a dr. who, when dealing with particularly nasty and abusive family members, would write an order that they couldn't come back to the facility for 24 hours. If they came back and acted up again, he would write another order. If they violated the order they were escorted out. And we did call the police on more than one occasion.
I don't think it was actually legal or binding but it made the nursing staff feel like he was on our side. And the family members fell into line. Usually.
sharpeimom
2,452 Posts
one very elderly psychiatrist who was in his mid-nineties, would order whatever he felt the patient on our locked department needed to
keep them from becoming violent and dangerous, as much as we could assure. his only request? please call him right away should the pt.
become unruly or disagreeable -- when at all possible -- and he'd come speak with the patient and try to calm them down. he was widowed,
mostly retired, and his patients would listen to him when they wouldn't take their meds or listen to any of us.
the surgeon who told the board member's wife in no uncertain terms, "no! you certainly may not go outside to smoke!" then confiscated
her cigarettes. every time he was on the floor when she was.
AnonRNC
297 Posts
We had a baby dying and the neonatologists asked that baby's nurse, the respiratory therapist and two other nurses in the vicinity if they agreed with the plan to let the parents hold the baby even though to do so would likely shorten the baby's life (by minutes, maybe an hour or two). I was one of the adjacent nurses. I had no "claim" to the dying baby; I wasn't her nurse...but we all work together and the doc wanted to make sure we were all okay. I felt respected.
FCMike11, BSN
54 Posts
Patient on bedrest for NSTEMI scheduled for a cath in the morning is screaming "I want to drink naturally, so I can pee naturally and poop naturally"
I was lolling in my head hard, she didnt mutter another word the rest of the night and was very compliant.
Dana1969
27 Posts
The GI doc, who ran from the room yelling, "I'm going to get some Haldol", when a pt punched me in the nads.
When I was able to stand and had stopped retching, the pt gave me a hug and said "I love you" (after the Haldol).
MomRN0913
1,131 Posts
I have only heard the story, but I surely believe it as this doctor is that kind of guy.
This certain dr, an older man, starts his rounds at 5am. One nurse was on the phone with another dr for admission orders and the doctor on the phone was yelling at the nurse for waking him up (of course) so the doctor doing his rounds asks the nurse for the phone and tells the doctor on the phone "Do not yell at these girls. They are doing their job and without them you wouldn't be able to do your job!"
This story is famous around the hospital and I can see why. he is a wonderful doctor and person.
K+MgSO4, BSN
1,753 Posts
I worked with a fantastic south African surgeon who I would let operate on me in heartbeat if I needed abdo surgery.
He was well known for his blunt bedside manner.
One pt of his was approx 50kg overweight. She needed a cholecystectomy but was too much of a risk to put under. He said.....I will be walking my dog every day on the beach at 6 AM if I do not see you there every day for 3 months and adhering to a diet (monthly clinic appt) I will not operate!
She did as she was told and lost 20kg!
He had a frequently flyer of a pt who had a wound that she picked at. He was the only doc in the hospital that would look after her because she had legal cases/complaints against the rest medical/gyane/ortho/urology the whole lot. He wrote in marker over the cover of her history. "this woman gets a special and a single room. No questions. Ring me any time if you have issues" She got a single room and a special every time. And it worked she didn't pick at her wound or accuse his team of doctors of anything!
Always_Learning, BSN, RN
461 Posts
The GI doc, who ran from the room yelling, "I'm going to get some Haldol", when a pt punched me in the nads.When I was able to stand and had stopped retching, the pt gave me a hug and said "I love you" (after the Haldol).
I am literally LOL-ing.
NicuGal, MSN, RN
2,743 Posts
When our docs hold our babies when we are busy and can't get to them, esp the withdrawl kids
mindlor
1,341 Posts
I am about to graduate with my ADN.
During all my time in clinicals every single doctor I have dealt with has been absolutely exceptional. I feel very blessed.
We have one young doctor in particular that is so kind and compassionate toward his patients that it really moves me.
He speaks with the vented , unconcious patients, will touch them on the shoulder or even brush the air out of their eyes if need be. You can almost see the kindness flowing out of him......
I have heard that med schools have really been focusing on this sort of thing and by golly it seems to be working very well :)
So a big thank you to all the fabulous docs that have been so awesome!!!!
Flo., BSN, RN
571 Posts
I was walking by a post ops room when I heard the pt tell our new surgeon that she needed to use the bed pan. The surgeon told the pt one moment and pops his head out of the room. I fully expected him to ask me to help the pt but what he asked instead is where he can find a bed pan. I offered to do it for him and he said to me "no I don't mind, you are busier than me right now. It's all about team work." He quickly became a staff favorite.