Finally gave a doc what-for, and got praised for it!

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Well, it finally happened.

Yep, I'm leaving this job in 3 weeks. Yep, I'll miss some of the people. Yep, I want to go out with a good record.

However, as of yesterday, my give-a-hoot is officially busted.

I digress. There is a certain doc at the hospital that will consult us for the DARNDEST mess I have ever seen. Some other docs do as well, but this guy takes the taco. Oddly enough, I love him to death as a person (or i would have killed him the day he came up behind me and pounded me on the back. I am EXTREMELY jumpy, and everyone knows it. As it was, I screamed so loud I scared him and half the folks on the floor), but after the three bogus consults from the day before (and my boss' ensuing near-meltdown), I was not amused by what was said (at the time).

I had come up to do yet another consult, and had already had to chase down the others, as no one was in their room. I was hot, tired, and was doing my best to maintain when Doc asks me about a patient that we had already signed off on, or so I thought. Our locums doc had written in the progress notes that she would be transferred for a test, and Doc wanted to know the status. Well, having no knowledge of any of this, and not having seen Doc Locums that day, I told him I'd call and find out for him. I called, found that our big boss was setting it up, and left a message with his nurse (he was in clinic that morning). I told Doc that I'd either call him or track him down with the answer as soon as I had it.

His response? A big sigh and, "You know, Cardiology gives me nothing but trouble."

I lost it. "Well, you know, Doc, I could say the same thing about hospitalists."

"No we give you WORK. You give us problems. You don't hear about it, but you cause all the delays, and the I get slammed."

"Well, Doc, I have good news for you. In about 3 weeks, you're looking at one problem you won't have to deal with anymore."

He immediately started backtracking, so I let it go.

A few minutes later, as I had just told a nurse that Doc was the attending on a patient, he walked in again.

"Well, Jenny, speak of the devil."

He replied, "No, no dear. The devil does not wear (insert the color shirt he had on), but YOU will be a devil-ess (she-devil) no matter WHAT you have on."

Then he noticed that the whole of the unit was staring at him with their collective jaws dropped, and he put his arm around me and added, "Not that you're not always charming and look very nice."

To which I said, "Well, you know, us she-devils have to be charming, otherwise we'd have no followers."

Thing is, he and I get along great, we always bicker back and forth like that, and neither of us gets mad. I guess yesterday just did it with the crack about my profession. So, I told the office staff about the incident, just in case. Good thing I did. The docs are not amused. I mean, first he sends all manner of train wrecks our way, then he insults us.

I was told I could not have handled it better.

Anyone else ever do the same?

Thank you for reading my dissertation, lol.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I'm standing up and saluting you...

[TXPediNurse]

Good for you, its nice to know that I'm not the only "she-devil". LOL

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Um yeah, my manager told me tongue in cheek that I need to be more opininated and vocal.

I had a nice discussion with a CRNA the other day. He hit me with attitude. After getting the problem fixed, I told him that I didn't appreciate his tone and I wasn't some wet-behind-the-ears grad, but someone with over 20 yrs experience. The next time he called, he was pretty nice.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Good for you!

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

When I first started nursing, we had a doc who was a character, to say the least. He also liked to see if he could get a reaction from nurses. One evening, I was standing at the computer, putting in orders. He was behind me, and I found a ziploc bag, with a cute little stuffed animal placed over my shoulder. I kept on doing what I was doing, until I was done. The doc didn't say anything but just stood there. After I finishing the order, I looked closely and the cute little stuffed animal was a dead animal. Ahem. I was so stunned I didn't really know what to do, but I took the bag, turned around, and asked the doc if he wanted it back. He burst out laughing and so did I. He tended to give new nurses a hard time, but after that moment, he was great toward me.

The moral of the story is, keep your cool, and stand up for yourself, assertively, and you'll gain the respect of people...

[GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN]

"NEVER ALLOW SOMEONE TO BE YOUR PRIORITY, WHILE ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE THEIR OPTION"

[Redhead28]

Yep. When an ENT's patient started having stridor, called MD who was getting out of the O.R. to report. Heard him sigh dramatically and say he would be up. When he hit the floor and saw the patient, I let him know that I know what stridor sounds like and I also know a sarcastic sigh when I hear it and I don't appreciate either one! He apologized. Off subject Angelfire RN are you from NM? My home state!

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

Good job..I think my "give a hoot" is busted too..I've been much more assertive at work and some are wondering if something is wrong. Yup, there is. Tired of my good nature being rolled over so I've let my b***h flag fly.

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

No, Redhead, born and raised in Alabama. Having a healthy dose of redneck in me helps with the busted give-a-hoot, lol!

[SWS RN, ASN, RN]

Angel,

Not a lot to add...other than, you go gurl....

So glad you posted...I needed a dose of Angelfire! You have been quiet lately.

always love to hear about your perils!

s