How do you deal with a doctor who sweared on you over the phone?

Published

Ok I work home health care and usually I communicate with doctors via phone.Today a certain doctor swore at me (this is the first time I ever spoke with him he told me "Get your a.s.s over here and then also he said are you stupid or something.I was in shock by the way he had spoken to me.

Specializes in ICU/CCU, PICU.
Yeah, we get this scenario in class. Swear back. Hang up. Beat the mic on the table and bust his ear drum out. Eff him. You don't work for them. You work for an agency. Run some scenarios in your mind to get them back and leave them speechless. Ignore it and move on. Document it. Call his wife and tell her he's having an affair. There are any number of options out there. It's your call as to what level you'd take it to.

DEF DON'T DO ANYTHING WHAT HE SAID. You will get fired. Not only that, its unprofessional and childish. Call his wife to tell him he's cheating? You're a nurse, not someone who appears on Jerry Springer.

Tell the physican that speaking to you in that manner is inappropiate and when he feels the need to speak to you in a professional manner, to call you back.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm a new nurse and I dont have too much experience (started working in a home health care few months ago).This doctor wanted me to be present at the time he saw the patient to translate (I'm fluent in another language but didnt let me know in advance and then called me and expected me to fly down there!!!

Is translating part of your job description? If not, he shouldn't even be asking you to translate. It puts you in a bad position if it turns out that the patient did not understand the information for whatever reason. He should have arranged for a medical interpreter in advance.

As for the swearing, it's never OK for anyone to speak to you that way and you need to make sure he knows you won't tolerate it!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Is translation in your job description? In some facilities I've worked translation can only be done by employees that have been approved to do so (I won't get into the details but it is actually for good reason). In that case you could have told him you can't which would have been nice.

I'm a visiting nurse and he is the visiting doctor for that particular patient.My agency tries to match our non-speaking patients with nurses who speak their languages.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Is translating part of your job description? If not, he shouldn't even be asking you to translate. It puts you in a bad position if it turns out that the patient did not understand the information for whatever reason. He should have arranged for a medical interpreter in advance.

As for the swearing, it's never OK for anyone to speak to you that way and you need to make sure he knows you won't tolerate it!

It wasnt anything major just some questions about meds and previous health history.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

A calm but strong tone will do...saying, "Please do not use vulgar language; it is disrespectful. Back to the situation at hand." And then redirect the conversation back to the patient problem.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
DEF DON'T DO ANYTHING WHAT HE SAID. You will get fired. Not only that, its unprofessional and childish. Call his wife to tell him he's cheating? You're a nurse, not someone who appears on Jerry Springer.

Tell the physican that speaking to you in that manner is inappropiate and when he feels the need to speak to you in a professional manner, to call you back.

That was for humor. Relax, Basics.

However, I believe that simply taking the chewing from the good doctor is going to do nothing but perpetuate this impression that many have of nurses being the lap dogs of physicians.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

I've never had a MD swear at me but I did have one get a little sarcastic. I called b/c the res was refusing meds b/c they were making his mouth dry. The MD said yes it's called water. I then stated res had increased his water intake, tried hard candy, gum, etc. The MD then said there was no such med for dry mouth. I know this is BS though. I let it go though. The res refused the routine pain medication and it was to be dc'd in a few days and his dry mouth cleared up. I think tho if it was a more serious issue I would have fought for my resident. I let ppl talk to me however they please sometimes, which can be degrading, but I'm one for just letting things go through one ear and out the other.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/CCU, PICU.
That was for humor. Relax, Basics.

However, I believe that simply taking the chewing from the good doctor is going to do nothing but perpetuate this impression that many have of nurses being the lap dogs of physicians.

Sorry I didn't realize it was. That kind of behavior wouldn't suprise me from a few nurses I know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i read about a nurse in the same position, and what she said was something to thing effect: " there is no way that you are dr. smith. dr. smith has a medical license and cares deeply for his patients and would never speak to a nurse who is trying to informing him of his patients' status in such a manner. I'd appreciate it if you would tell dr. smith he needs to call nurse jones regarding his patient ASAP, thank-you." then she hung up. a contrite dr. smith called her back.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would just Hang up on his rude ass. Dr's get alway with way too much BS. Some things Dr's do and get away with, we would be fired or in trouble in a heart beat

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

You aren't his employee. What a jerk. That's like the families who want us to scrub out their grody shower because after we assess the patient "we aren't doing anything".

You can ask him to provide his own interpreter or pay you extra to do it. >:-(

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Sorry I didn't realize it was. That kind of behavior wouldn't suprise me from a few nurses I know.

Neither would yours.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion