Any Good Doctor Stories?

Nurses General Nursing

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There are a lot of posts about the things MDs do that anger and frustrate us, but does anyone have any stories about some of the nice things they sometimes do. Our cardiac surgeons have a Christmas party and a Labor Day picnic for all the staff every year. Those that can't attend because they have to work recieve a gift. One of our pulmonologists brings us pizza or other takeout several times a month.

I worked on a medsurg floor for several days last week because our census was down, and had a patient who was recovering from abdominal surgery. His surgeon was out to someone else the first day I was there, and the patient complained to the surgeon that the nurses made him wash himself. The covering surgeon told him, the nurses are here to help you get better, not to coddle you. You didn't have surgery on your arms. Do it yourself. The next day the patient's surgeon was back, and he tried the same complaint about the nurses not washing him His surgeon told him he expected the nurses to be maids, and they are not, they are professionals. He told him the only way he was going to get better is to take care of himself. Both of these surgeons have supported the staff many times in the past when there have been problems with patients or when administration has been unreasonable. I have also had many docs tell me that they appreciate the care I give my patients. Anyone else want to share some "good" doctor stories?

We have a frequent flyer who has the most obnoxious husband. He is always trying to intimidate the nurses, complaining about his wife's care, and expecting special treatment. One day when the nursing supervisor was actually apologizing to him for some percieved offense, the admitting doc intervened, told the supervisor that we should not have to take his abuse or hers, and told the patient that he would show the nurses some respect, or he would write an order that the husband would not be allowed to visit. He has been respectful ever since.

I have a kinda-Good doc story. I mentioned a little of it before on another thread.

When I was in nursing school, we did stuff with the medical students so we got to know them pretty well. There was this one, drop-dead gorgeous brown-haired blue eyed male student that was sooo nice. Well, in our 2nd year, he disappeared for several weeks and no one knew what happened to him - until one of the surgeons found him on a bridge walking back and forth. Seemed he had been out there for weeks, walked the soles off his shoes, eating out of trash cans, etc. He was initially admitted to ER for dehydration and burn care for his feet (this was the dead of summer). After he was stabilized, he was on the psych unit. We couldn't believe it. He was diagnosed with acute schizophrenia and other acute things I can't remember. It was so very sad.

He was still on the psych unit when I did my psych rotation. A bunch of us were sitting there playing "Uno" with a guy there in his manic phase, a pedophile, another schizophrenic, and an obessive-compulsive (talk about an exciting game!). He sat down to play, looking despondent and sad. Well, you know how folks can get when they play "Uno". I'll never forget how I was winning, had called "Uno!" and he laid down a Draw Four and smiled the biggest Brad Pitt smile at me you ever want to see. I wanted to cry - more out of joy and half out of sorrow, some because I LOST :lol2:. I'll never forget that smile the rest of my life.

Don't know whatever happened to him...

Wow!

What a nice breath of fresh air this thread is ... yeah!!

Specializes in ER.

On a unit I used to work we had an old radio for nurses and laboring patients, but the antennae was broken off so we used a metal coat hanger that was less than reliable. One of our docs came in and saw one of the nurses swearing at the radio, and showed up in a couple of days with a new CD/AM/FM/tape player, just for us. What a sweetie.

Also got several Nurses' DAy cards and sweets from local MD's and doctor's offices.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

The best doctor story I know is in a book at your nearest library. The book title is: Elizabeth Blackwell, MD - First Woman Doctor

I loved that book, and read it a zillion times as a little girl because I wanted to become a doctor one day. Get it for your young daughters (or read it yourself) if they want to be doctors one day. It's clean reading, and heart inspiring. :)

we had a junior dr working in our understaffed ward and although he himself was rather swamped with work, he would frequently help out with a code brown and was even known to finish bed sponging a pt so he could ask some questions without compromising the pt's dignity.

A real honey, we found out later he put himself thru school by working in a nursing home.

Working in PICU right after graduation, a young intern was a great help. When I was on nights he would stop by for a visit. We had a big 14 y.o girl in a spica. He would invariably show up to help me turn her. He had a wonderful sense of humor. Being a smart nurse I did the best thing in the world. I married him. That was almost 32 years ago. Best thing I ever did...people still tell me how warm and approachable he is...

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

We have a wonderful group of docs in our ER. They LISTEN to what you want for your patient, and if the answer is no, they actually have, and will explain, their reason. They throw a great Christmas party for the ER staff every year.

One radiologist told me when my DH was very ill with cancer, that I didn't have to bother registering him if I wanted XRays or whatever, just to let him know what I (not the oncologist) wanted.

One in-house doc came to see a CCU admit in the ER, swamped and hectic night, when we got a call for a Trauma STAT, and had no bed available. She wheeled the CCU guy straight out to CCU, assessed him there and even copied the chart herself so we could have the bed and the staff for the trauma pt coming in.

We are generally on first name basis with all doctors here thankfully and we have good working relationships with them and can often socialise with them at end of term rotation parties which are always a right trashy affair! ;)

One professor in a department I previously worked has a christmas party at his house for all the staff every year, an overindulgence of alcohol and food and always ends up with people swimming fully clothed in the pool after being thrown in or in some instances being butt naked.......:cool: They buy nurses chocolates at Easter, Christmas and other joyous occasions, to say thanks for the support we nurses give them......always appreciated and never forgotten!

All in all we enjoy humorous relationships alongside our professional ones, we can often sit in the staff rooms on our breaks and laugh at those funny occurances we may have experienced that day.........humour keeps our immune systems fighting fit!.........:D

Specializes in ICU, nutrition.

Last week: patient has emergency CABG on Friday, ends up on intraaortic balloon pump, vent, zillion drips, at death's door. The surgeon (who was NOT on call for the weekend) keeps calling to check on her, gives nurse his cell phone number, comes back to the hospital at 2AM because she is going BAD, BAD, BAD! Can't figure out the problem. Takes her off the vent and BAGS her on 100% O2 himself to get her SpO2 back up. Stands there and bags for half an hour until pulmonologist gets there, ABGs are back, etc. Goes across to the other side of unit, checks out a CABG from a few days before who had been getting better, gone to stepdown, then had to come back to unit in resp. distress. He didn't even do the surgery! The surgeon who did it was the one on call and he wouldn't even come out to the hospital! I know who'll be doing my CABG (assuming he's still around and I still live here!) Thank God for some of the AWESOME docs we have!

I've said it before and I'll say it again - My docs ROCK!!

We have one who donated a large sum of money to buy all of the nurses on our floor (about 40) personal gifts for nurses week. He felt the hospital didn't do enough. He had one of the nurses do the shopping and swore her to secrecy about who donated the funds.

One of our docs shows up to almost every nursing meeting to give his support. He is also big on education and does special lectures for us.

One of our docs brings us breakfast every weekend. (LOVE that one!!!)

My most favorite attending ever doesn't "do" anything special, he is just a GOOD guy. He sits and talks to you and always remembers little things like your kids names and personal stuff. He's like that with everybody from nurses down to the girl who brings the ice cream. Patients adore him cause he cares (imagine that!)

One of our residents recently stayed up all night long with a patient we transferred to the ICU. The goal with this guy was to NOT intubate him (ca patients are tough to get off the vent) He was not stable respiratory wise and was having anxiety attacks. No amount of medication seemed to settle him down without endangering his resp status. As long as someone was with him and talking to him, he was fine. This MD was up all night long talking to the guy and holding his hand. Totally incredible. The pt was never tubed, but unfortunately, his disease got the best of him in the long run.

I work on a med surg floor and deal with all types of doctors. I have to say they are mostly caring and considerate people. Most of the nurses have good communication with them and they listen to what we say.

Our cardiologist is a sweet and caring man. He is young but believes in the old ways. He goes so far as not charging pts anything over what their insurance pays if he knows they cant afford it, he says he will not contribute stress in their lives that might cause them harm. He is always nice to the nurses when they call, even though he is basically on call 24-7. We all admire him. He also let my 11 yr old daughter follow him around for 4 hours because she wants to be a cardiologist. He got her scrubs from the OR and let her push buttons for a few stress test. He says he wants to keep her motivated.

We have an internist who really cares about his pts. They all love him so much that 60 out of a 100 came to his baby shower. He had only been here about a year at that time. He was amazed and really touched by that. The one thing that everyone can say about him is that we have never seen him angry, even if we have screwed up royally. :kiss

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