How do you handle Physicians Bad Attitudes?

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I have been working in med surg for a while now, and we have a Physician who is notorious for being demeaning to nursing while on shift. This is frustrating but bearable on medsurg because there are other nurses around as witnesses, however I am soon to be relocated to ER, and this doc rotates there on weekends and there is only one nurse on. I have heard horror stories about this doc, and I have seen him in action.

My question is how do you handle doctors like this, who make it a point to go out of thier way to insult and demean you in front of patients. I am a relatively new nurse and while I have a great respect for Physicians and thier knowledge base, I refuse to be treated with disrespect...how do I deal with this when I first move down there and he starts in on me....I dont want to wait until it has been going on for 6 months to do something about it, but I want to be professional too. How do I hold my ground??

All of these responses are great!

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quit nursing and do something were you are appriciated. If the doctors think they can do a better job, hand it to them on a platter.

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write him up EVERY time.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I once worked with a doctor that yelled at me in front of a patient. It was over a very minor incident and had nothing to do with patient care. I went into his office (this was at a clinic) and told him that if he had an issue with how I did something, especially a minor and honest mistake, he could feel free to take it up with me, but he was not allowed to disrespect me in front of patients. After that we never had another cross word.

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Specializes in Med-Surg,BH,Geriatric,Cardiac/Tele.

Well first of all and for most keep it professional and if continues and you have to call him for orders well 3 am calling for supp. or tylenol and then calling back 15 min later to confirm and then 30 to 45 min later to make sure works all the time Yes I had the same problem with a Dr and well needless to say he is the nicest person he even remembers us for Nurses Week we all got white roses and gift certificates for dinner at a very nice place

Good luck

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Specializes in Med-Surg,BH,Geriatric,Cardiac/Tele.

Well first of all and for most keep it professional and if continues and you have to call him for orders well 3 am calling for supp. or tylenol and then calling back 15 min later to confirm and then 30 to 45 min later to make sure works all the time Yes I had the same problem with a Dr and well needless to say he is the nicest person he even remembers us for Nurses Week we all got white roses and gift certificates for dinner at a very nice place

Good luck:lol2:

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Specializes in corrections, LTC, pre-op.
I have been working in med surg for a while now, and we have a Physician who is notorious for being demeaning to nursing while on shift. This is frustrating but bearable on medsurg because there are other nurses around as witnesses, however I am soon to be relocated to ER, and this doc rotates there on weekends and there is only one nurse on. I have heard horror stories about this doc, and I have seen him in action.

My question is how do you handle doctors like this, who make it a point to go out of thier way to insult and demean you in front of patients. I am a relatively new nurse and while I have a great respect for Physicians and thier knowledge base, I refuse to be treated with disrespect...how do I deal with this when I first move down there and he starts in on me....I dont want to wait until it has been going on for 6 months to do something about it, but I want to be professional too. How do I hold my ground??

He will only do that to me one time trust me. I will take a doctor to the side and let him/her know I won't put up with any crap and if that doesn't work I have other methods which aren't sooo nice! I just don't play that one friggin bit.
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Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.
if continues and you have to call him for orders well 3 am calling for supp. or tylenol and then calling back 15 min later to confirm and then 30 to 45 min later to make sure

Oh...where do the stereotypes about nurses come from?

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Specializes in Med-Surg,BH,Geriatric,Cardiac/Tele.

Whats the matter Nurses Cant Stand up for themselves? If the drs want to be nasty well as long as the nuses stay profes. then please dont ever be on-call and be nasty

thank you

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, Emergency, SAFE.
quit nursing and do something were you are appriciated. If the doctors think they can do a better job, hand it to them on a platter.

:trout:

:nono:

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For all of you standing up for yourself, make sure you have administration backing you up. I was "talked to" by my manager after one jack@@s doctor talked down to me in very sarcastic manner, and I responded to him in very direct way. So I was told I should treat doctors as my "customers'. One more question, since we are colleagues, am I not their "customer" also, and to be treated with a due respect?

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it's amazing how nurses will wait until they get the doctor alone to confront them about bad behavior in front of a patient. i say correct them in front of the patient, otherwise the patient walks away thinking nurses are real door mats.

also, i find it interesting how nurses act tough, like "he/she would only do that to me once." in all my years all i have ever seen is nurses talking dirt, but not correcting the problem, but taking their hurt feelings and anger out on each other.

there is nothing wrong with returning to college and getting out of nursing, because the only way doctors and administration will learn their lesson is when it really hurts. there is no need to work in a toxic work environment, as it will affect your mental and physical health.

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