frustrating doctors

handyrn · Jan 6, 2011

Yep, I kinda figured he would get what was coming to him someday. Do you know what was particularly funny to me about this? (not funny haha) He was mad at me because I said his needle count was off. He blamed me for miscounting. THE WEEK BEFORE he had left a sponge inside a patient and a day or two later had to cut her open again to retrieve it. I'm guessing that the nurse that did the sponge count was afraid to tell him that his count was off. Anyway, point being, you would think that the Dr. would be glad to find out the needle count was off BEFORE leaving the surgical suite, not a day or two later when the patient is infected and needs another surgery.

By the way, we found the missing needles in the bedclothes.

Batman25 · Jan 6, 2011

If the OR NM is afraid to stand up to doctors she needs to find another job. She's a danger not just to her staff but more importantly to all the patients. It would be a cold day in hell I wouldn't tell a doc the count was off. Shameful and unethical. When they get sued maybe they will get it but I hope they don't kill a patient in the interim. Next time I hope a nurse calls the police as it's an assault.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Jan 6, 2011

The OR manager told me I couldn't write the Dr. up. Said if I did it would just get swept under the rug, lost, etc. Actually, this Dr. was a real bully and the nurse manager was afraid of him as well.
To be honest with you, I am a geriatrics nurse. Pretty much always have been, always will be. I just thought I would try out the OR to see if it was a fit for me. I was terrible at it! I was terrible and I knew it, so it was just easier to quit than to fight this Dr. I think my manager gave a big sigh of relief when I quit because she knew that, although I really enjoyed OR, I sucked at it!
And truth be told, I am not "sue happy" even when I should be. (Heck, a postal worker was opening my mail and reading my correspondence for a while and I probably could have cashed in then but I didn't.) I probably owe the medical community a big appology for not persuing the suture needle throwing Dr. as it just allows it to continue. Ok, sorry.

What does being "sue happy" or not have to do with what I posted? I only mention the wrongful termination IF they would have fired you for making a write up. That wouldn't get you money, it would affect THEM, though, for firing you for it, which they SHOULD be, had it come to that. (On a side note, I doubt you could have "cashed in" on the postal worker issue, either...the result would have been their reprimand and possible job loss, which would be justified). Neither situation, in fact, would be to really benefit YOU, per say, and I didn't mean it that way, either. It would mean that the people responsible for such behaviors be made to TAKE responsibility for it.

Don't apologize. I can't tell if that was facetious or not. The choice on how to handle it was yours and yours alone, and I'm not saying you did the wrong thing. It's a personal decision.

Shame on your nurse manager, is the bottom line. Politics like that have no place in situations like these, and that makes me angry. I don't care if this surgeon was God himself; if he behaved like an orifice, you should have been able to write him up with no one telling you differently, if you wanted to.

Biffbradford · Jan 6, 2011

What happens in OR stays in OR.

How some surgeons keep their jobs is beyond me, although I do know of one that was recently fired, so it does happen.

I'm not allowed to say what my most frustrating experience was. HIPPA and all that. Just let your imagination run free and then multiply it times ten. Yet, my personal experiences pale when compared to others. Oh, the stories that could be told!

Frustrating doctors - who are we talking about? Mad Man _____ ? Maniac _____ ? Sybil? :uhoh3: Oh, so many dear to our hearts.

Do your job to the best of your ability. Correctly, promptly ... and if you have to call the doc back every 30 minutes all darn night long, then that's what you do! Then when they do their rounds at 6am, give 'em a big smile and ask them "How was your night?" (either that or let 'em have it right there and then). :angthts:

I better stop now, before I really get going. :grn:

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 6, 2011

jackwagon

:yeah:

That's my husband's and my favorite name for dumbasses. From the Geico commercial.

almostdoneyah! · Jan 6, 2011

Handyrn; I am so sorry that happened, situations like that are what discourages good nurses from the profession, hope you doing what you enjoy now:D

muesli · Jan 6, 2011

Surgeons are crazy. Crazy. With a small smattering of good eggs mixed in.

I used to love hearing my husband's stories of when he was a scrub tech at a first-class hospital in the demanding open heart service and surgeons would swear at him and throw stuff at him. Usually other nurses/techs cowered in fear. But my husband, (5'9" muscular build and a deep, loud voice) would raise his voice and sternly tell them not to talk to him that way. And they would turn all red but have nothing to say and then later sheepishly apologize. :) Sometimes I think nurses need to grow some you know whats!

almostdoneyah! · Jan 6, 2011

I love that word! it fits certain people like no other word does:D

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Jan 6, 2011

That's my husband's and my favorite name for dumbasses. From the Geico commercial.

One of my favorite commercials! I also tell people to go back to Mamby Pamby land. Ahh...so rich.