Some doctors are really burned out,my observation

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Ok so how do you deal with a doctor who badmouths his patients,curse them out after seeing them (of course not to their face)...ok so I had a non-compliant diabetic with a gangrene in her foot,she also had an incision on her leg...she had stitches all over on her feet,I guess she was in pain and wanted to make sure that everything is fine prior to discharge from the unit..well the doctor so and so went in to see her in her room so she was trying to explain to him that she has a pain in her legs yada yada and when he came out of the room he started bad mouthing her at from of me,that she is dillusional and he cursed!!!!!!!!!!Ok so the patient maybe was a little needy but overall a very nice and very sick lady,does she have a right to address her concern to her doctor?? Isnt the doctor suppose to believe his patient when she says she is in pain instead of cursing her out?? Am I really dilusional on that part or naive perhaps?

Specializes in nursery, L and D.

naive, maybe. We all get frustrated with non compliant patients, and sometimes need to vent. Maybe he has a long history with this patient and really wishes she would have taken care of herself and not gotten to this point?

Specializes in CCU MICU Rapid Response.

I totally agree with criss... Ivanna

No, you are not naive. That was very inappropriate behavior from a healthcare professional and if I were you, that patient or anyone else that was around to hear it, I would've been equally appalled. There is a time and a place for everything, including venting about noncompliant patients.

Imagine how other patients or visitors who may have overhead that doctor might have felt? Some people already distrust drs and the healthcare system and things like this add fuel to their fire. Justifiable venting or not, the doc's public rant made him look bad IMO.

Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

I get that doctors have bad days and patients are non-compliant. But I hate when people act like that. It's not productive and really doesn't even make anyone feel any better. It certainly doesn't change the situation.

Non-compliant patients can aggravate the best of us. They're not non-compliant because they're clueless about their illness. They know a lot about their illness. They just don't want to do anything to change it. I see this in my mother. Shes a type 2 diabetic. She grazes on chips and junk all day, doesn't eat well, doens't get any exercise. She rarely checks her blood sugar "because I know it's going to be high." Huh?:confused: She says she doesn't want to know, because if she knows *then* she'll be diabetic. In the meantime, mother has developed A-fib and has lost all the feeling in both feet. Did I mention SHE'S AN RN~:banghead:

You can't do anything about badly behaved doctors, but you can determine to rise above them yourself. Just don't engage in the conversation. He can rant and rave all he wants, but you don't have to join his conversation. You can quickly remember you have other things to do. :nurse:

naive, maybe. We all get frustrated with non compliant patients, and sometimes need to vent. Maybe he has a long history with this patient and really wishes she would have taken care of herself and not gotten to this point?

Uppssssss I think you misunderstood me..she was non-compliant in her home but at the hospital she was taking her insulin and she even mentioned to me that she will start using insulin at home...she was really nice and he was just a burned out jerk,well anyway that is how he came across as.

Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.
Uppssssss I think you misunderstood me..she was non-compliant in her home but at the hospital she was taking her insulin and she even mentioned to me that she will start using insulin at home.

I wonder how many times he's heard that song and dance...

naive, maybe. We all get frustrated with non compliant patients, and sometimes need to vent. Maybe he has a long history with this patient and really wishes she would have taken care of herself and not gotten to this point?

Nope he didnt had a long history with her and she was taking all the meds while being hospitalized

I get that doctors have bad days and patients are non-compliant. But I hate when people act like that. It's not productive and really doesn't even make anyone feel any better. It certainly doesn't change the situation.

Non-compliant patients can aggravate the best of us. They're not non-compliant because they're clueless about their illness. They know a lot about their illness. They just don't want to do anything to change it. I see this in my mother. Shes a type 2 diabetic. She grazes on chips and junk all day, doesn't eat well, doens't get any exercise. She rarely checks her blood sugar "because I know it's going to be high." Huh?:confused: She says she doesn't want to know, because if she knows *then* she'll be diabetic. In the meantime, mother has developed A-fib and has lost all the feeling in both feet. Did I mention SHE'S AN RN~:banghead:

You can't do anything about badly behaved doctors, but you can determine to rise above them yourself. Just don't engage in the conversation. He can rant and rave all he wants, but you don't have to join his conversation. You can quickly remember you have other things to do. :nurse:

Oh I just pretended I didnt hear him.

Specializes in Med/Surg.
Nope he didnt had a long history with her and she was taking all the meds while being hospitalized

Taking meds while hospitalized and "planning" to take her insulin at home doesn't make a person compliant. I'm not excusing the doc's behavior, but I think it's HARDER to deal with patients who are compliant in the hospital, and then not once they leave....it makes you feel even more like you wasted your time. At least if they're always non-compliant, you know what you're getting. :twocents:

+ Add a Comment