I pretend to suddenly develop a hearing problem. Sorry, what did you say " What...what, can't hear you? Can you speak up? â€
Has to be done with a straight face!
I also mimic whatever they are doing. That depends on the Dr of course. Some idiots simply haven't got a sense of humor.
Psych consults are the best. They're intimidated by medical jargon and think medical nurses are crazy anyway, so you can get away with murder sometimes. Ask them a good cardiology or metabolic D/O question or autoimmune and watch them flounder. You don't even have to know the answer.
Ask them about hearing voices and pretend you've just heard one. Did you hear that ?"
Why, yes I have met quite a few orthopedists, neurosurgeons, ENTs, general surgeons, thoracic surgeons and cardiac surgeons, psychiatrists, pulmonologists, in 37 years in ICU/CVICU. And while we're at it, dermatologists, nephrologists, and a few OB/GYNs.
If it's someone I am friends with, that's one thing, i will joke around with other people when we are chatting or whatnot. I don't deliberately try to annoy anyone, though, and i hope they don't try to annoy me. But yes, my coworkers and i joke around and are goofy at times. Sometimes we are quite rude and crude, have filthy mouths, and act the fool. This would only be when it is just us there. We are not going to cut up in front of a bunch of people.
If it's someone i don't know that well, i am not going to joke around, because generally, i am socially awkward if i am not used to someone. So i keep our interactions quick, to the point, and professional.
Why try to just annoy someone? Maybe i don't get it. Joke around, sure. Visit, sure. But not annoy, just for the sake of being annoying.
If people act that way with me, i will tolerate it for a while, but eventually i will get mad and there will be a tangle.
If by any chance you ever contemplate going back to grad school, I would strongly suggest changing job well before it or finding a program which provide preceptors. Otherwise, you'll have a hard time. Nurses who like to make fun with doctors are getting known way around - not in a good way.
The behaviors you describe and apparently do are not the last of the reasons why nurses are still seen by physicians as silly pompous creatures with no brains to speak of and not worthy of trust or moneys, not as professionals and partners. While I agree that sometimes docs, like we all humans, have to be taken back to the reality, making fun of them is neither professional nor even effective way to do so.
For one time, try to help the said psych consult by providing exact symptoms description, get familiar with drugs, allergies, etc. You will greatly help your colleagues and your patients as well, because your forever sundowning LDOLs suddenly get well-controlled, compliant and rested instead of making you running for 12 hours like a chicken with its head just cut off.
And, BTW, stop doing other people's job for free. All quarreling between docs should be resolved by docs, or at least by nurses who know what and whom they are playing with. Good familiarity with midlevels and specialty nurses/coordinators is the way to manage it; also, at least for me, it is fine to tell physician that I am not familiar with the subject and do not fully understand consultant's note, and so will appreciate if he either tells me precisely what to tell another doctor or calls him himself. Most of time I actually do understand everything and I suspect they know it, but they buy it often enough nevertheless, and that's what matters :)
Oh dear. So serious. I will venture to say that my ability to joke with surgeons/defuse situations has resulted in my career advancement. A nurse who has the ability to interact with physicians and possibly deflate their more egregious natures is always more successful. All in the name of premium patient care.
Ah! Katie and Seveñs, a BsN is quite adequate for me thanks. My intelligence allows me the confidence to engage like this knowing full well I can hold my own and I can assure you that other confident, self assured people, also quickly understand the complexities of banter, wittisms and jest! I am also similarly open to pranks and clever original actions, it helps me identify trustworthy, creative people. The sort of people who back you up and are not too uptight and anal to recognize the importance of relieving stress and not being a stickler for rules instead of solutions.
I run a consultancy business and every opportunity to work the floors, I jump on, because nurses are inspirational and brave and we occupy a niche of consideration that few other professions aspire to.
I am straight-up with MDs, they usually are respectful in turn. If they are lurking around or moping about I'll let them know how the night is going if they saunter over. "Tonight's going to be rough" I'll tell them if we've had a code blue early on. They have a hard job to do, so do we. There is enough infighting between surgery vs internal medicine MDs as is.
Pretending you can't hear them when on a phone call or walking away if they ask to speak with you seems like a great way to compromise patient care. We're a team here. Can you imagine if they did that to you?
Pretending you can't hear them when on a phone call or walking away if they ask to speak with you seems like a great way to compromise patient care. We're a team here. Can you imagine if they did that to you?
You must admit that some docs play even greater games (or worse) with nurses who call for orders in the middle of the night
You must admit that some docs play even greater games (or worse) with nurses who call for orders in the middle of the night
I don't play like that. If it's problematic they get warned that I am on to them and this won't be acceptable. After that I report behavior to superiors in a strictly fact based manner. I don't play games trying to punish them myself in a way that compromises patient care.
I can't for the life of me imagine a scenario where this behavior would be tolerated nor appropriate. I have never worked in an environment which would employ a nurse acting in this manner long. I am further astounded that you are bragging about your behavior and that anyone would agree. As it stands, nurses are often attempting to get a "seat at the table" with other professionals of the healthcare team. I don't recall there being a "kiddie" table at any facility I have worked at. Just wow:sarcastic:
Peeps, you surely understand the concept of catching bees with honey. When people perceive you as being open, friendly and engaging, they are far more willing to speak to you and help you. The emotional connection of levity negates negative responses. Like telling off a friend.
As long as you are confident in your ability and knowledge base, there isn't a Dr who will respond negatively. Even the grumpy ones are easily charmed with well inserted quips. It's insecure people who are afraid of Drs, hence the hesitation with banter. Being approachable through attitude and demeanor allows you to call a Dr anytime and allows you the leverage of camaraderie!
Good God, you are both doing jobs and achieving the end goal is much simpler with a convivial team approach.
Do you like working with stern, humorless Drs or friendly, approachable ones? Why do you think it would be any different for them re nurses?
sevensonnets
975 Posts
Why, yes I have met quite a few orthopedists, neurosurgeons, ENTs, general surgeons, thoracic surgeons and cardiac surgeons, psychiatrists, pulmonologists, in 37 years in ICU/CVICU. And while we're at it, dermatologists, nephrologists, and a few OB/GYNs.