Reporting a Doctor

[NurseWi_JennJenn]

Has anyone reported a doctor for being verbally agressive and abusive?? What was the outcome?

I really don't want to go into TOO much detail with what happened because I am still so shaken up by it... but I had to call a doctor (per our stroke protocol) at 0030 this morning and I was belittled, he demeaned my character, and yelled at the top of his voice... I swear, all I was doing was following the stroke protocol which is to notify neurology UPON admission. I know in the situation, I was damned if I did, damned if I didn't... because if I didn't, he would have came in in the morning and complained that no one notified him.... so anyways, apparently this is "just how he can be" with getting phone calls at night. I am sorry but that answer is NOT acceptable. I have NEVER EVER treated someone like this, nor do I feel I shoudl EVER be treated the way I was.

I want to report him. I have been told he's done this numerous times to other nurses... so when is it going to stop? It won't if nothing is said. I don't know where to begin though. SHould I talk with my manager first?

THanks in advance!!

Jenn

[NurseguyFL]

Good advice so far! Always best to follow the chain of command and document, document, document EVERYTHING! What some nurses do not realize is that we do not have to put up with any sort of abuse from physicians. None at all! Neither the hospitals nor the doctors can function without us. Of course, we have to use good judgment when deciding to call a doctor in the middle of the night because maybe the change in patient status isn't critical and can wait until later. BUT, if there is an established protocol which states that they should be notified immediately, and they are cursing at you when you call them, then this is an issue that needs to be addressed by both the CMO and the CNO.

I've seen physicians reprimanded and even suspended for this behavior, so I know the chain of command system works because Risk Management would sooner get rid of a physician than pay a multi-million dollar jury award. Physicians who behave this way are not unaware of the liability issues, but if you act as if you are affraid of them and you don't make that call when you know you are supposed to, then all of the blame and responsibility for any negative patient outcomes will fall on you. They accepted the responsibility to provide medical care for their patients, and they legally own it until they either discharge the patient or transfer the patient to another provider. That responsibility doesn't stop just because the doctor is sleeping.

I once had a doctor try to pull a similar stunt on me and slammed down the phone while I was informing him about his patient. I waited a few minutes then called him right back. In a very calm and profesisonal tone of voice, I repeated my report of the change in the patient's status. He again tried to cut me off, but I politely informed him that I am documenting my correspondence with him in the patient's medical record, and I ended by asking what orders I should document to address the patient's condition. The tone of voice immediately changed and I got the order.

These rude doctors know they can be sued, and they only play this game with nurses who let them get away with it. Fortunatley, most physicians I've worked with are not the arrogant, nasty sort, and they appreciate when I call them with important updates about their patients.

[Grace Oz]

to protect yourself, your reputation, and your license. always start with the chain of command. even i fyou know in advance what the response will be from your manager, start w:uhoh21: ith that person. as you go up the chain of command, that is if you need to progress upward in order to see that the appropriate people are notified of the behavior, document everything! always, as in any situation with a patient, document eveything. i was told, eon's ago by a superior, when there is a questionable situation, write it down, seal it in an envelope and mail it to yourself. when it arrives do not open it. file it away. if there is ever anything that goes through a legality, you have the proof that you recorded it at the time and it could save some salacious action.

in addition, if you don't go up the chain of command you may be reprimanded for not doing so, or told to go back down the chain. by the time you have notified your manager he/she will have gotten wind of it already and will have her defenses or responses ready and waiting for you.

and check your employee handbook. in it , it will state the procedure for reporting inappropriate behavior. you will be referred back to that procedure by superiors.

this is excellent advice and i second it. the only difference; if you mail the documentation to yourself, ensure you send it certified mail! better still, seal it in an envelope and take it home with you! unfortunately, mail does go astray despite best efforts.

please remember, always...............

you never ever have to tolerate bad behaviour! it is never aceptable! no matter who it's coming from! i encourage you and hope you do carry through with lodging a complaint.

[psalm, RN]

...I wrote an incident report for my nm and kept a copy for myself. A few weeks later I was "counselled" by my nm on orders from her superviser...and she (nm) told me she was following orders and THANKED me for writing this doc up. One more complaint in writing and using the system always helps.

[NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN]

We have a doc like this who comes on our floor. Our NM coddles him and walks around his ego on eggshells as do most of the nurses. He was verbally abusive to a float nurse and pt's family and she refused to take his crap and reported it. He had to go to anger management class . . . twice. He failed the first time. :trout: His behavior wasn't funny at all, but I had to laugh that he failed the anger management class. How do you fail anger management?