Had my first doctor scream at me today

Nurses Relations

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Specializes in NICU.

I am a new grad. This is my last week on orientation.. Well today was horrible! Nothing went right! I was crazy busy.. I couldn't find any of my charts because they tend to "float around." Meaning doctors have them then social work has them... Anyways that is a whole other topic..

Today I was in my patients room and the unit secretary called down there on the intercom. Asked if the patient was in the room. I said yes, why? He said; Just making sure. Well then here comes transport to take my patient downstairs for an XRAY. So I send my patient and everything is fine.

20 minutes later a doctor is asking for the chart. I tell the doctor that the patient is in XRAY. He begins to scream at me saying that he called 30 minutes ago to make sure the patient was here. Said he drove 30 minutes to come see this patient and now the patient isn't in the room. Continued to yell at me about how he didn't have all day to deal with my stupid mistakes. At this point a senior nurse stepped in to back me up (thank god). I called XRAY and the doc ended up going downstairs to see the patient. But I was so embarrassed. Everyone at the station witnessed this. The other doctors were looking at me and shaking their heads. I almost cried and then I remembered how my critical care instructor told us to never let a doctor make us cry. So I sucked it up and went about my day..

I was just so embarrassed and so mad. There had obviously been a miscommunication issue here. I spoke with the unit secretary and he agreed he should of told me why he was checking to see if the patient was there.. Luckily everyone backed me up. But dang!! Doctors can't do their job without us nurses! They need to learn some respect!:angryfire

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

You will find that some doctors are like that. There is always going to be a few of them floating around your facility. When I was a newbie, I had a male doctor (approx. 40 y/0) expect me to get up out of my chair so he could sit down in it. He didn't ask, he just stood there looking at me like I was supposed to read his mind. I was in the middle of taking off orders; he sat down and made some personal phone calls. Never again. Now obviously if I wasn't doing anything I would have gotten up right away for him, or anyone else who had work to do, before they ever even made it over to me. And as for not letting a doctor make you cry, you can't help that. Just go in the bathroom so they don't see it. As long as your human, getting your feelings hurt will make you cry. We all do. Don't worry. You will learn in time how to deal with certain doctors and their cranky ways; then you can pass on what you know to the next new nurse. THAT will make you feel better and is the best revenge.;)

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why is it that doctors act as though they are "IT" and everyone else is nothing? i currently work in medical sales (interested in going for my BSN) and i see it everyday. yes, they did go to school for several years. yes, they do know more than we do. yes, they make ten times more than we do. but why do they think that the above gives them the right to treat everyone who isn't of their educational status like sh*t?

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What a jerk!!! Well if you deal with him again (& probably will) I have a good way that a former instructor told me about that she used to do...she would literally pull the doctor aside & tell them in a firm manner to never speak to her in that way again...and the other thing she would do was when the doctor would ask for the chart or anything else she would point in the direction of where ever it was that they were asking for such as a chart...."oh it's over there" while pointing.......and the docs that were very nice & respectful she would go get them what they needed.....she earned alot of respect from the jerks by playing their little game. She told us she went to nursing school in the day when you got up & gave your seat to a doctor when they walked in and they also would all sit in the back room charting and smoking at the same times.....that one amazes me still...... but back then things were so different compared to now......anyway don't let one jerk get to you./..he was obviously a spoiled little brat taking a temper tantrum.... you should of just looked at him like he had 10 heads and asked if he was done ...or even better......asked him if he was a new doctor....lol lol

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Specializes in PCU/Hospice/Oncology.

Aww im so sorry you had to deal with that doc! As one professional to another he has no right to treat you so rudely. Can you file a complaint? I really dont know how to handle that type of incident yet but he has no right to yell at you when the circumstances werent in your favor. After all you arent a psychic and only know what youre told/can see.

Feel better and chin up sunshine! Just do your best!

xoxoxoxox,

thedreamer

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that doctor should not have been screaming at you

or blaming you for mistakes

that just isn't the way to interact with other human beings

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

My first 'doc screaming at me' experience was when I was orienting in ICU. My first Swan insertion assist along with my preceptor. I went into the room with the doctor and started to set up the flushes and all the other things I thought we would need. Well I didn't do it fast enough and the doc started yelling for items he wanted and then said well you are so slow I should have just done this myself. I responded that I was new to ICU and this was my first Swan insertion and if he didn't talk nicer to me he Would be doing this procedure by himself. He stopped, looked up, actually said sorry and never gave me a hard time again.

My preceptor almost needed CPR, but after she got over the shock of me 'mouthing off' to that doc she was OK.

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Specializes in Dialysis, Home Care, Med-Surg in 4/07.

I didn't do so well with the first Doc that yelled at me to my face. I cried like a baby in the bathroom, but I remember the first time one yelled at me on the phone. I calmly told him that I would appreciate him calming down while talking with me and I would try to rectify the situation ( can't even remember what it was now ). Needless to say he just screamed louder so I told him if he continued to scream that I was going to hang up......so he screamed louder and I hung up on him. I was working for an internal med doc in a single practice at the time who gave me the "You can't hang up on a Doctor" lecture. I told him that If I wouldn't tolerate him screaming at me that I wouldn't tolerate it from anyone else either. I didn't stay there much longer because he didn't back me up but it sure felt good when I did it.

I'm sorry you had to deal with that and there really is never a good excuse for that type of behavior even if the Nurse is wrong.

I once saw a Neuro Surgeon throw an actual temper tantrum in the hall of a surgical floor. He was stamping his feet and the whole nine yards. A nurse hadn't done a dressing change to his liking. Stuff ticks me off all the time but I just couldn't imagine myself ever acting that way. It was humorous in the end and the nurse he was screaming at went in the break room and laughed her A** off. Didn't even faze her.

Feel good to know that YOU acted like the professional and keep up the good work.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

"Screaming" and "yelling" are unacceptable behaviors and don't deserve a minute of space in your head.

Wonder why I've been so lucky to not only never have experienced it first hand, but never witnessed it either. Don't know what I'd do, but given my experience in the field and confidence in myself I'm pretty sure I'd end the conversation by walking away and not engaging them.

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I am sorry this happened to you. After 40 years of nursing, it still happens to me and all the nurses I know. You will need to develop your own skills to distance yourself from these jackasses.

Things I learned the hard way that I was not taught in nursing school: Don't apologize to a doctor if they are upset. You are not responsible for their bad behavior. When you apologize they tend to see a weakness in you and will sometimes hammer you even harder. Never allow a doctor to use your first name unless you can use their first name (this will be rare). Most physicians will want you to call them Dr. XXX. When answering the phone or meeting a physician, refer to yourself as Ms. so and so (your last name). You worked hard to become a nurse and you deserve respect too. If all else fails, get a Voodoo doll??? :rotfl: Another story!!

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Specializes in Case Manager, Home Health.
...the doc started yelling for items he wanted and then said well you are so slow I should have just done this myself. I responded that I was new to ICU and this was my first Swan insertion and if he didn't talk nicer to me he Would be doing this procedure by himself. He stopped, looked up, actually said sorry and never gave me a hard time again.

Good for you!! No one deserves to be yelled at by anyone. I'm not quite there yet, but I didn't work this hard to be any whipping boy for an arrogant SOB.

The ones that crack me up are the "Oh, I don't want to call the doctor in the middle of the night" whines. I worked for 15 years in IT and got called FREQUENTLY in the middle of the night and I made a fraction of what docs make. If you don't want to make the call, please, LET ME!!!!

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
My first 'doc screaming at me' experience was when I was orienting in ICU. My first Swan insertion assist along with my preceptor. I went into the room with the doctor and started to set up the flushes and all the other things I thought we would need. Well I didn't do it fast enough and the doc started yelling for items he wanted and then said well you are so slow I should have just done this myself. I responded that I was new to ICU and this was my first Swan insertion and if he didn't talk nicer to me he Would be doing this procedure by himself. He stopped, looked up, actually said sorry and never gave me a hard time again.

My preceptor almost needed CPR, but after she got over the shock of me 'mouthing off' to that doc she was OK.

Stories like this just warm my heart!

I'm sorry the doctor was a creep, and that neither his peers nor your co-workers saw fit to stop his hissy fit.

Good for you for keeping your composure. I'm assuming the doc was ambulatory, so there was no reason he couldn't toddle on over to XR and see his pt if necessary. You aren't a mind reader, so there was no way you could have known he was going to come to see the pt.

Take some time to think about how you might want to handle a situation like this the next time. I've had times that one well-arched eyebrow and an "Excuse me?" does the job, and there have been other times that I have had to simply turn my back and walk away because there was no talking to abusive, disruptive docs. I simply will not engage them. I won't give them the satisfaction of getting into a battle with them. You will find what works for you.

No one deserves to be screamed at, not even if a mistake has been made.

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