How do you deal with grumpy docs

I remain very polite and professional but if one is outwardly rude to me I do address it with them 'out of ear shot' of patients and inform them that I treat them with respect and have the right to be treated the same.

It has always worked and TRUST ME they will respect you for it too.

Their day, like ours, can suck eh?

HI ,I USE TO WORK AT THIS NURSING HOME WHERE ALL NURSES COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ONE YOUNG DOC THAT HAD A MENSTUAL CYCLE DAILY WITH CRAMPS UNTIL ONE DAY HE SPOKE TO ME RUDELY ON THE PHONE.I CHECKED HIM AND YELLED AT HIM ASAP WITHOUT ANY HESITATION.IT HAPPENED SO FAST THAT,HE BECAME QUIET, HE ENDED UP APOLIGIZING FOR HIS BEHAVIOR.I TOLD ALL THE NURSES HOW TO HANDLE HIM FROM THAT DAY ON.I FELT GREAT.I WILL NEVER FOR GET THAT.I REMEMBERED TELLING HIM HE WAS THE ONE TO SIGN UP TO BE A DOC AND IF HE DON'T LIKE IT GET ANOTHER PROFESSION AND STOP ACTING LIKE A LITTLE B****.

I kill 'em with kindness

We have this renal doc who is very rude and anal about everything. Everyone is afraid of him. One day I paged him about one of his patients, he got mad at me because I did not tell him my full name. So next time he was on the floor and I needed to talk to him about one of his pt. So this is how I started my converstation with him...."Hello Dr. Joe...my name is Mrs.So and So, I am a RN here, I have been working here since 2004, I am taking care of Mr. T today and I beleive he is one of your patients....." Then he stopped me and asked me what was my point....I told him "well last time when I spoke to you on the phone you yelled at me because I did not tell you my full name so this time I am making sure I am covering all aspects of who I am so that you wont have to yell at me".....then he started loughing and he said "I am sorry!!"

I kill 'em with kindness

Oooh! The doc's can't stand you're not getting into their boat and letting them have it with both guns afiring! Makes them think twice about getting angry with a well behaved, professional nurse!

Oooh! The doc's can't stand you're not getting into their boat and letting them have it with both guns afiring! Makes them think twice about getting angry with a well behaved, professional nurse!

I kinda like ol' grumps lol.

I just try to remain calm. No point in both of us acting like a 2 year old.

If it's not a usual occurence with that doc I let it go and perhaps tease them about it later. If it's a problem doc I address the situation itself: I once had a doc growl at me and tell me he's tired of dealing with nurses who can't even insert a foley.........he said this to an ER nurse! I got him alone (I didn't know there was an audience on the other side of the wall) and told him "Most, if not all, ER nurses can insert foleys blindfolded. I'm sorry you're having a bad day but please don't take it out on us." He never growled at me again. Never laughed about it or referred to the conversation, but he treated me with respect after that.

We have this renal doc who is very rude and anal about everything. Everyone is afraid of him. One day I paged him about one of his patients, he got mad at me because I did not tell him my full name. So next time he was on the floor and I needed to talk to him about one of his pt. So this is how I started my converstation with him...."Hello Dr. Joe...my name is Mrs.So and So, I am a RN here, I have been working here since 2004, I am taking care of Mr. T today and I beleive he is one of your patients....." Then he stopped me and asked me what was my point....I told him "well last time when I spoke to you on the phone you yelled at me because I did not tell you my full name so this time I am making sure I am covering all aspects of who I am so that you wont have to yell at me".....then he started loughing and he said "I am sorry!!"

Too funny. I don't know why, but I always seemed to get along with (most) docs the other nurses were scared of... I found them entertaining lol.

You just have to use your sense of humor, if you show them that you are afraid of them they will just continue to bully you.

You just have to use your sense of humor, if you show them that you are afraid of them they will just continue to bully you.

They can smell fear

I am a person who has problems dealing with aggression and cannot think on my feet quickly as a result. So I record record record...

For some reason lately it has really been haunting me when a doctor is rude to me. When I call them and they don't care what I have to say or I was supposed to call the resident even though I was told to call the doctor ugh... I go home stressing over it, I feel so stupid. I guess it doesn't help I am pregnant and hormonal, but does anyone else feel this way or do you blow them off? TIA :)

If the doctor is a habitual offender, I call him on it. One of our hospitalists is a grumpy doctor, and he was stressed out the other day so I said " Why are you being so grumpy? It's not the content of what you are saying but your delivery. Dr Z is never grumpy like this, why do you have to be so cranky?"

He ended up buy us Chinese take out! :lol2: