Intimidating? ME?

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Need some advice here, please. I am working as a CRNP for a cardio practice, and one of our 3 docs is a locums. He started the end of December, and we look for him to stay until June, as far as the story goes this week.

Part of my duties as the NP are to run stress tests (am gradually branching out and being allowed to do them on my own, which thrills me to pieces, I can DO something!), seeing consults, running my own site check clinic, and basically babysitting 3 men and making their lives as easy as possible.

Now, the head doc does not let me dictate for him, he like to do it himself. The partner is only too happy for me to do his for him. I attend caths and pacer implants, and fill out the papers so that all they have to do is sign. I put out fires wherever, write orders as needed (staff call me first now, which I love, they say I'm approachable), and just really do whatever needs done, within my scope.

With this newer guy, I explained my duties and told him I was only too happy to do for him as well, and everything started out great. Here lately, though, the floor's ready to commit a murder, and the cath lab is on the verge of mutiny. This guy is so moody he borders on hormonal, he does sloppy work at times (the other docs have had to REPEAT procedures that he had fouled up or not done properly), and he rarely dictates without prompting. On several occasions, he has told me that he has seen people and written orders, only to have the floor call me and ask when I might be by to see the person I thought was already seen. The other docs have made mention to me about things that are not right ("Did he leave you a rounding sheet? I don't know who his patients are!")

I have never been anything but nice to this man, tried my hardest to make things as easy as I can, but I am caught in the middle, with docs complaining on one side, and staff on the other. I will be the first one to tell you that I am disgustingly cheerful in the mornings. Anymore, when I say Good Morning to him, I'm lucky if I get an "Uhm-hmm" in response.

Case in point...as said before, part of my job is to do stresses. This guy just butts in and takes over, and in most cases does it incorrectly, based on what the other 2 taught me. When the stress lab staff spoke to him about it, he blew them off.

Today, it came to a head. A lady patient was in for a treadmill test, and about a minute in, went into respiratory distress and nearly fainted. The partner doc was there reading nucs, and I had texted (his preferred form of communication) Locums that we were starting, per our routine. The tech and I hit the stop button, the tech ran for a wheelchair and help, as I was getting the patient ready to go to the ER for an eval. 15 minutes later, I have already completed another test, and have texted Locums that we took Patient A to ER, when he comes boiling in, wanting to know what happened. I explained, and he gets ill, "Well, don't start if I'm not here!" Mind you, I have been doing this for a WHILE with no problem.

I did keep my temper, and explained that partner doc was there, that he was in agreement with the course I already had going, and that we had done fine. Later, as I headed for lunch (after writing orders for a cath for him, which was like pulling eyeteeth), one of the techs asked would I please get her something as well. I asked around to see if anyone else wanted food, and got to Locums.

"Dr. Locums, would you like anything from Mickey D's?"

SNORT "WHY would I want YOU to get me anything from there?"

All-righty then!

Now, guys, I stand 5'6", in heels, I weigh 130, have lost 30 pounds. I am far from a threatening presence. So, if, as one of the stress techs said "I think he's intimidated by you.", HOW THE HECK can I be intimidating? The man's 7 feet tall! We look like Mutt and Jeff next to each other. All I have ever tried to do was help the man as much as I could, and all I am getting is attitude.

I just don't know what to do. I adore this job, and he's only a temp, but SHEESH! Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Specializes in ER, education, mgmt.

Oh my, what a bad situation. I agree with calliotter3 completely. And I am also thinking there is a diagnosis in there somewhere, possibly compounded by a substance problem. Could be wrong, just my hunch on what you have shared. Best wishes and summer will be here soon!!

Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
I don't have any real advice as I feel too far-removed and unfamiliar with your situation but I wanted to say that I work in a family medical practice with 6 doctors and 2 FNPs and the FNPs are ******* AWESOME. The docs are okay too, but there's just something about a Nurse Practitioner that seems to be so ... I can't even think of a word for it. Suffice it to say I have never met an NP that I didn't like. I wish you the best with this situation!

I just wanted to say that I typed the word f r i g g i n - not something worse, in my above post, hahahaha. It looks like I was being profane.

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.
I just wanted to say that I typed the word f r i g g i n - not something worse, in my above post, hahahaha. It looks like I was being profane.

Oh, I don't care how it's worded, I'll take a compliment any day!

Thanks, all for the kind words. Have had a few folks come up to me today and ask what his problem is (go figure), so it isn't just me that notices. Oh, well.

Specializes in A and E, Medicine, Surgery.

If he were a young child we would suggest a little visit from Mr Manners might be needed here!!!!!

Sounds like you are doing a first rate job and the issues sit firmly in his lap not yours.

Don't overthink it and just make sure you keep your back covered as someone like this is always way to ready to sell nurses down the line :)

Specializes in Army Medic.

Being 6'4" and 250 lbs., covered in tattoos. I can tell you my 5'4" 100 lbs. wife intimidates the hell out of me. :)

Size has nothing to do with it, if some one is a mental midget it's going to reflect in their actions - especially if they're in a position where they're expected to be a leader.

I would find time to sit down with him and get this all out on the table - you'd be surprised what kind of things you'd never even dreamed of could be the cause of poor behavior.

Talk talk talk, that's always been the best way for me to get problems out the way - no matter how intimidated I might feel. ;)

The opposite route, obviously, is to shrug it off and go about your day. As long as he's not putting your job on the line - who really cares how much of a sour apple he is?

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I just wanted to say that I typed the word f r i g g i n - not something worse, in my above post, hahahaha. It looks like I was being profane.

Nurse Practitioners ARE freakin' awesome! This is a test. This is only a test. :cool:

Some people are just jerks. I don't think he's worth your time. Hopefully as a temp employee his time there is almost up. Your patients seem happy and satisfied as are the other docs, etc. Concentrate on that and the positive.

"Dr. Locums, would you like anything from Mickey D's?"

SNORT "WHY would I want YOU to get me anything from there?"

All-righty then!

(revised version below)

"Dr. Locums, would you like anything from Mickey D's?"

SNORT "WHY would I want YOU to get me anything from there?"

Because... you look like you could use a few happy meals... Mr. fussypants.

Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
"Dr. Locums, would you like anything from Mickey D's?"

SNORT "WHY would I want YOU to get me anything from there?"

All-righty then!

(revised version below)

"Dr. Locums, would you like anything from Mickey D's?"

SNORT "WHY would I want YOU to get me anything from there?"

Because... you look like you could use a few happy meals... Mr. fussypants.

Bwaaa! I like it.

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

Well, it hit today.

Dr. Locums was assigned to hospital, and we were running a fire sale on caths. We were on the same floor, sitting RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER, and I asked if he would like me to call and inform cath lab about a wonky lab value, to see if they wanted to use a different imaging med. I called and they asked me to tell him that they were ready. I did, and also told him that we were ready in stress lab. I then said that I was headed to stress first and would catch up with him. He nodded and I left. I had witnesses, praise God.

About 10 minutes after the test was over, he came in, looked around, asked if we were done, and proceeded to snootily instruct the staff "When the next one is ready, would you call ME, please?" ( They HAD called him, just like I had told him we were ready.) Meanwhile, the patient on the table in cath lab has been waiting for 45 minutes.

I get to cath lab, still doing a slow burn, and find out that he is not there yet. They have called him several times, I have physically stood with him and TOLD him 3 times, and found out later that the floor told him as well. As I start to fill out his papers, I apologize to the cath lab girls for the delay.

One of the girls suggests that I not help him anymore, based on the bee in his bonnet that they are having to deal with. She then says, "He told Jeff that you were a hindrance and you got in the way, and you over-help".

To say I was a bit put off would be akin to saying Ozzy Osbourne is a bit strange (and I love that man, just finished his book).

I was so mad at that point, I just left. I went to the office and bawled all over my OM. Then I dried off, went back to stress lab, and, by God, we waited on his happy tail for every darn thing after that.

And what did he say? "I TOLD y'all to go ahead! If I'm tied up, go ahead. I just want to be here when I can!"

You just can't win.

Sigh, it's Friday, and thank the Lord for it.

Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

He is either: A. On drugs, hugely; or B. Mentally ill; or C. A total dumb*ss.

By the way, I already like you - you use the word "wonky". Haha!

Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Angelfire, I know you give everything your all ... but why on earth would you waste tears on this horse's ass?

He'll be gone in June.

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