Just a small anecdote that happened when working at the National Neurological hospital in central London - it's the most prestigious neuro hospital in the country.
Anyway, my friend made the headlines of the local tabloids because we were both working there as temp nurses, and we'd only worked a few shifts before, but the surgeon was used to the nurses automatically getting his cup of tea, but as we were new there, had no idea. But he didn't tell me to get the tea (maybe because I was a guy) but he asked my friend (who was female) where his cup of tea was.
She politely told him she was there to fetch his tea for him.
The doctor didn't exactly complain, well, nothing official, but he did speak to the charge nurse, who did excused the temp nurses actions and had a quiet word with her.
My friend wasn't happy about this, moaned about it to her friends outside of work, one of whom happened to work in the newspaper business, and suddenly her story is on the front page of the paper.
I don't understand this argument back and forth over a clinic closing for an hour. If a patient is having a crisis that simply cannot possibly wait for one hour, then that patient ought to head to an emergency room....as they are clearly having an emergency.
If the patient CAN wait for one hour before speaking to or seeing someone in the clinic...then they ought to DO just that, and WAIT. Why is it that the expectation is that all desires must be granted immediately? Sometimes it simply cannot be so...nor MUST it be so.
If my provider is in the office, and the office is open, should I expect to walk in and be seen IMMEDIATELY? I would think that incredibly presumptuous, to assume that OTHERS who are there have less importance than myself. If the clinic is CLOSED...it is the same as the provider being occupied with another (equally important) patient.
With respect, knowing nothing about the facts of the situation I mentioned, as you were not present, all you and others can do is conjecture. None of you know the particulars of the situation I referred to, as I did not mention them. So, saying x should have been done, or Y should have been done, or x was the situation, or y was the situation, is futile. No-one apart from me knows the details of the situation I was in. Do people really want to continue to tell me how I should have acted in a situation which they have no knowledge of, where they do not have full information, and where they were not even present?
Okay, I guess phenomenal was not the word I was looking for. Out of the ordinary? It certainly gives me an interesting read for the day, factual or not.
Cultural issues aside, and I am from Europe and am very familiar with the cultural importance of "tea breaks"; putting one's tea break before the needs of a patient, so that no physician is available to give advice over the phone to a patient/family member on an important medical issue, is certainly not patient-centered care. If you had an important medical concern would you like to be told that the physician is not available to give medical advice because he/she is on their tea break?!! How would you feel if you or your family suffered an adverse outcome because your own physician was too busy drinking tea to speak to you?
Susie2310, I don't understand. Forgive me, you are in my opinion being puzzlingly stubborn about this. Just as others have replied to you, I would seek out the nearest ER if my concern was serious enough that I simply couldn't or didn't want to wait for an hour for the clinic physician.
I actually always try to take regular breaks at work. That way I take care of my own physical and mental health so that I can provide the level of care and focus that my patients deserve. I've never viewed running yourself ragged as a virtue. Of course genuine emergencies take priority over my meals, but apart from that I take care of me in order to properly care of others. A tea break with your colleagues seems like a good way to recharge your batteries.
Does it not occur to you that there are circumstances that may fall into neither category?
Actually, no. I know the actual situation, and you don't. I am in possession of the facts and you are not.
Why don't you explain the situation for us? It might make us understand your point of view.
Actually, no. I know the actual situation, and you don't. I am in possession of the facts and you are not.
Maybe the doctor had diarrhea and "tea break" was a polite way of not saying he was pooping his brains out. For someone who works in the medical field, I would think you would appreciate the fact that you HAVE to make time to step away. Your demand for the doctor's immediate attention is unreasonable.
Susie2310, I don't understand. Forgive me, you are in my opinion being puzzlingly stubborn about this. Just as others have replied to you, I would seek out the nearest ER if my concern was serious enough that I simply couldn't or didn't want to wait for an hour for the clinic physician.
I actually always try to take regular breaks at work. That way I take care of my own physical and mental health so that I can provide the level of care and focus that my patients deserve. I've never viewed running yourself ragged as a virtue. Of course genuine emergencies take priority over my meals, but apart from that I take care of me in order to properly care of others. A tea break with your colleagues seems like a good way to recharge your batteries.
Why don't you explain the situation for us? It might make us understand your point of view.
Macawake, if you or anyone else wishes to engage in a discussion about what my situation was or was not, or what I should have done or should not have done, based on no facts about my situation provided from me, feel free to do so. This thread is actually about "fetching the doctor's tea."
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Occam's Razor. Unless you are willing to explain to us the incredible extenuating circumstances, we will continue to insist that it's either an emergency, in which case you should go to the ED; or it's not an emergency, in which case it can wait an hour.
Occam's Razor. Unless you are willing to explain to us the incredible extenuating circumstances, we will continue to insist that it's either an emergency, in which case you should go to the ED; or it's not an emergency, in which case it can wait an hour.
Anyone is free to insist anything they want; I would think that professional nurses who have presumably taken research courses would wish to find out the facts of a situation before asserting their opinions, but I have learned that this is often not the case. So, assert anything you wish - your assertion is meaningless without factual information on which to base that assertion.
JPINFV
17 Posts
2 quick questions...
1. Can I substitute a diet coke for tea?
2. Is it only attendings that get tea brought to them, or can residents get in on this too?
[and no, before someone gets all outragy against me, I have 2 good legs and can fetch my own darn caffeine goodness]