Ignorant Doctors

Nurses General Nursing

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I am going to graduate on May 17th. I am doing my preceporship with an awsome nurse who has lots of experiance and provides excellent care for her patients.

She is very confident when speaking with Dr.'s. I worry about running into a Dr. that is maybe having a bad day and gets a little ignorant with me. How can I handle the confrontation with-out getting totally spuashed or looking like a fool?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Long Term Care.

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation, R.J.! There have been two excellent threads here recently that may help you which addressed dealing with difficult doctors that I have found very helpful. One was entitled, "How do you deal with doctors" and can be found at:

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16266&highlight=doctor

The other was entitled, "Little Doctor, Holy Terror" and can be found at:

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15621&highlight=holy+terror

Hope these will be of help to you! :)

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You are there for your patients. Remember -- EVERYONE is a valuable member of your patient's health care team. You obviously have nursing theory down pat. Use your critical thinking skills and apply your theory to your patient -- quite simply KNOW YOUR STUFF. YOU will be the one spending time with your patients -- you need to advocate for them. Pick your battles. Know when to let go -- when to push -- when to go UP UP UP the chain of command. This comes with time and experience. You will make mistakes and learn from them. But please -- DO NOT be intimated by doctors -- YOU are the eyes and ears for your patients -- they need you to advocate.

You deserve to be treated fairly and respectfully by all medical personnel -- INCLUDING MDs. Be respectful -- but don't let fear or intimidation make you feel inferior. You are not. Believe in yourself.

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This is something that only comes with experience. You will learn.

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congrats rj....i will give you the same advice i give everyone who asks this question....look them right in the eye and say

YOUR FLY IS OPEN

this shuts them up fast.

if its on the phone, wait until they are finished and say...WHAT?

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Specializes in MDS Coordinator, CWS.

Congrats! Always look them in the eye.....

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Just as a preface, this post is not meant to be mean or rude but ignorant means "lacking knowledge" not the same as irate, irritable, annoying, fussy, childish, or any of the other things that MD's at times are. Doctors sometimes do seem to lack knowledge, but please don't ever tell them, "Don't get ignorant with me" because you will be the laughingstock of your area and the MD will think you are ignorant. Like I said, it's not meant to be mean. I am just a nerd and it is driving me crazy!!

As for handling the doc's. First be friendly to them, and develop a working relationship with them. If they are able to respect and trust you to call/page when things go wrong (not every 20 minutes), then they will be less likely to be obnoxious. When they are, get yourself and the MD out of earshot of any patients. Generally if you show yourself to be responsible and willing to do whats right for the patient, the docs will respect that. Sometimes when our docs get a little short, I try to acknowledge that they may be having a bad day and see if that diffuses them-they are after all, human. But if it is repeated bad behavior (see the other thread) I write them up because as someone else said, we all deserve to be treated with respect.

Congratulations on your graduation you will make an excellent nurse, and have FUN!!!!!

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