I'm a 2nd career nursing student and here is a situation I witnessed in clinical last week. I was in a patient's room with my nurse who is not an inexperienced but who looks very young (I don't know if that had anything to do with this doctor's behavior).
Anyway, the patient was in kidney failure, very edematous, and had three family members at the bedside. There had been an issue with very high BP, but the most recent reading wasn't too alarming. However her heartrate was low, around 50. The doc (he's a hospitalist) walked in, was talking to the family about the patient needing to start dialysis, etc. He answered their questions, then the nurse said, "Oh, her BP was xxx, but I---" The doc said, "Got it, I'll check the computer," and glared at her. Then the nurse said, "But her heartrate is low--" and the doc cut her off again, "I SAID I'll check the computer," with another glare and a hand gesture meant to shut her up.
So we all finished up in the room and the doc said to the nurse, "I need to talk to you in the hallway." I stayed in the room, but I could overhear him telling her, "When I tell you to stop talking you need to stop talking. This family is stressed out and I don't need you adding to their stress. I can easily check the computer for her vitals." I moved further back into the room so I couldn't hear her response.
If anything, I think the doc's attitude toward the nurse and him glaring at her would escalate the family's stress, more than the nurse reporting the pertinent info.
I'm not sure how I would have handled the situation. But it made me angry and I like to think I would have stood up for myself. What would you have done?