Don't you love it when the doctor compliments you?

[deespoohbear]

Don't you just love it when the docs compliment you for a job well done? The example I have happened this evening. I worked just a few hours at the end of a 12 hour shift. An admit had come in earlier during the day and I was figuring out what meds she still needed. Coumadin was a home med for her, and she had not had today's dose. I looked at her labs. The INR was 3.73 and the PT was like 38.5. I held the Coumadin. I had the on-call doc paged. I told him the labs results and what the patient's Coumadin dosage schedule was. I also informed him that I had not given today's dose because I wanted to see what he advised. When I told him I had not given today's dose his comment was: "That was smooth thinking." He ordered the Coumadin held for the weekend and to recheck her INR/PT on Monday. To me, holding the Coumadin in light of the labs was just common nursing sense. But it still made me feel good that the doctor noticed I was paying attention.

Now, if the stupid ER doc would have looked at the pt's labs before he wrote the admission orders, he would have seen the elevated PT/INR and ordered the Coumadin held. But that is whole other thread.

[prmenrs, RN]

I like it when I get compliments--strokes are great from anyone!! I really like "coup'ing" the docs. One day I started my assessment on a premie who was under bili lights in an incubator. She very sweetly opened her mouth as wide as she could right under the bili "spot" light--and showed me her soft palate cleft!!! I could hardly wait for rounds!!! I listened carefully to rounds--no mention of this cleft. I said, "let me know when you all are through and it's my turn." Then I got to tell them, "This baby has a soft palate cleft!" The attending was all over it!! That was fun--esp since I didn't much care for that particular intern. OK, a bit evil I know, but fun.

[mattsmom81]

We forget too often to compliment one another...docs and nurses alike. A friendly greeting and a compliment helps ALL of us feel better in whatever workplace we are. :)

Even docs like to hear compliments from nurses...I have surprised manydocs with a kind word and actually coaxed a smile out of some real bears.

[fedupnurse]

I've done that too Mattsmom. I've been in the same unit for 10 years as a nurse and another 2 as a monitor tech. We have a lot of docs who I knew as residents way back when. As many docs that yell and scream at 2 am (even when you are calling for something legit) there are many who will then say good save. The few of us left that are experienced and have that sixth sense also hear "I'm glad you're taking care of him/her tonight." I do agree though, I get an even better feeling if a colleague I really respect says "I really love following you" or "you could take care of me or my family any day." It is nice to hear and you know what? It is nice to say to each other too. I was getting report from a relatively new ICU nurse a week or so ago. She ended report with "If I forgot anything..." I cut her off and said "that's why we have shifts. You are a pleasure to follow and you could take care of me or mine anyday." She literally started to cry. She said "I have been getting 'vibes' from some people that think I don't do such a great job, so it is nice to ehar from someone like you that I am". I pointed out to her that she should take those negative comments from the source-some people complain about everything!

[NurseDennie, BSN, RN]

I think that this is a good thread, and I truly take more pleasure in compliments from other nurses than from the docs. Of course, I have puffed up when a doc told his patient "Well, I guess your nurse saved you."

But I think a nurse can give you a more honest compliment and really appreciate what it is that you've done. A doc is more likely to compliment you if you've done something that has made his life simpler, whether it actually made anybody else's life any better or not.

When I was a computer lady, I worked for the Country Music Association and NOBODY there was technical at all. I solved some thorny computer problem, and I remember thinking to myself that it would be nice to have somebody there who was as good as I was, so somebody would *know* how good I was! LOL Same kinda thing.

Back to nursing: I had an inspiration watching my bestest buddy playing darts. That team would always knock fists or high five each other - good throw, good throw. I thought we needed to do that on the floor. So We started it and some others picked it up. Pat on the back "Good nursing" and "way to problem solve" or something like that. It sounded funny at first, a little stilted, but it definitely got better as we went along.

Two nurses walking in opposite directions down the hall, if both hands weren't full, we'd slap palms as we pass. We're so good at touching our patients - sometimes WE need a touch too.

Love

Dennie

[ageless]

As for me, I am not too interested in a physician's compliment. I prefer kudos from my peers.

[st4304]

There are people that I highly respect, be they nurses or doctors, and to receive a compliment from them is very nice.

Others that I do not respect, I couldn't care less what they think -- be it good or bad.

I once had to take care of a 12-yr old on a vent (the ICU I worked in at the time was adult only -- most kids under 17 went to the children's hospital nearby, but we kept this kid for some reason) so not use to kids, I was a little anxious. While talking with the mother, she stated that the intensivist must really like me. When I asked her why she thought that, she stated, "Well, he said you were a sweetheart and that he had personally requested you take care of my son." That was the highest compliment I have ever received and what made it so special was that I respected that doctor so much. . .I even got tears in my eyes.

Another night, I got a train wreck -- an 20 yr old MVA with C-4 injury, flail chest, massive bleeding from his chest tubes, etc-- when the neurologist came in in the A.M., he asked who the guy's nurse was. When I said, "Me," he replied, "You must have done some pretty awesome nursing care 'cause I can't believe this guy is still alive." This doc had always treated the nurses like s**t, so I replied, "Yes, it was pretty awesome nursing care, and don't you ever forget it."

I think all of us deserve a pat on the back for all that we do. I try to thank and compliment everyone -- from the NAs to the docs -- whenever I can. In fact, most of my fellow workers do, too!

Keep up the good work!!! You guys are great! :kiss

Your pal in Indiana,

Sherri

[hapeewendy]

we all love a compliment and the ego boost it provides

getting a compliment from a dr is no different

but I dont put much faith in their kind compliments most of the time because the same one that compliments you one day may very well call you incompetent the next.

I take joy in genuine compliments , and if the dr genuinely compliments me for something I've done I accept it graciously and move on with things.

compliments from your fellow nurses, or even better yet, the patients you work so hard to help make my heart swell more than compliments from a dr do, but still, it is nice to hear that at some point at least someone thinks we know what we are doing.

some points in this thread remind me of something I heard a wise man say once, well it was chris rock but still......

he said "why do we compliment people for doing what they should do, like when we applaud a man for being a father to his kids or paying child support etc, we shouldnt applaud that , we should expect that"

it reminds me of when we compliment drs for responding and say thank you and are so happy that they didnt ream us out for calling them....

we shouldnt applaud that behaviour , we should expect it!!!

but yeah ,I am greedy, I'll take a compliment any day

and all of you are compliment worthy too, I could sing all of your praises all day

and in some post i just may do that

[mattsmom81]

So true guys..it's great to hear another nurse tell you they enjoy following you...only nurses really know what we do...and those kinds of compliments really help decrease shift to shift problems too

As for the docs with compliments....I kinda treat them like I do my hubby when he gushes over me.... I think to myself 'whaddya want NOW?'

[live4today, RN]

Can only recall being complimented by a doctor on less than two hands. It's nice to know they really do pay attention to what we do, isn't it? I mean...in a nice way where we get positive feedback. :)

[ChemoRN]

I had a doctor introduce me to one of his colleagues as "the best nurse I've ever known".

It was pretty special because this particular doctor was also my patient :) :) :) :)

[Sleepyeyes]

Heehee, had one Pt. who weighed in at over 400 lbs. Took 2 of us just to move one leg. Outside the room, the Indian doc wrote some orders, went over them with me, and then asked if she might need anything else.

"Oh yes," I nodded vehemently; with those skin folds, we're noticing a problem with her skin==possible fungal infection.

The doc looked at me helplessly for a second, then said, "Well, do what you think is best for the skin, because frankly, we just don't see this obesity in India, and I wouldn't know the first thing about it."

We had the ET nurse consult from then on....