Is a Surgeon accountable for slander??

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I'm not sure if this is the right area to post this question but here goes anyway. A few months ago, I reported a surgeon to the hospital for lying to me over the phone about a patient. Me and the supervisor caught him in a lie that involved a patient safety issue. A week later my charge nurse privileges were removed because "you seem to be having physician conflicts lately" A meeting was scheduled with this physician in which 3 of my supervisors, managers and three physicians attended. During the meeting, the surgeon in question announced to the group that I had a 100 percent complication rate. When asked to clarify his statement, the physician stated, "Lets put it this way, if this nurse(me) takes care of one of my patients, there is a 100 percent chance that there will be a complication". I was devastated and thought I had harmed or possibly caused the death of a patient and never heard about it. I left the meeting and my managers supported me in telling this physician that i was a good nurse. It has been a few months and in that time I have gone to the hospital administration and requested that this surgeon be held accountable for the statements he made that day in the meeting. The hospital wrote him a letter and informed him that he now must prove his statements made against me. The hospital psychologist came to me yesterday to tell me that the surgeon never even acknowledged their letter and now the hospital is just gonna let it go...no action will be taken against this surgeon. Well, I'm very angry. My hospital started the process and now they have allowed this doctor to not only abuse me but he can now feel free to abuse another nurse in the future. Do I just drop it and let it go and move on? Or do I stand up for what I believe and do something that will prevent this from happening to another nurse in the future? Where do we draw the line? This surgeon slandered me and now I can't be charge anymore and all because I opened my mouth in the name of patient safety. Please help. Sorry so long.

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I'm not sure exactly what action you need to take but do not let this go. I don't know what you need to do but you have to take care of this problem or else it will probably just get worse in the future. Some people are just so evil. Deal with this caustiously and don't try to solve the problem in any unquestionable methods that could make you look bad.

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Definitely do not let it go, and he can be accused of slander. And if the hospital continues to let him practice, even though he has never answered their letters, then they are at fault also.

Definitely seek legal counsel on this one.

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I'm not sure if this is the right area to post this question but here goes anyway. A few months ago, I reported a surgeon to the hospital for lying to me over the phone about a patient. Me and the supervisor caught him in a lie that involved a patient safety issue. A week later my charge nurse privileges were removed because "you seem to be having physician conflicts lately" A meeting was scheduled with this physician in which 3 of my supervisors, managers and three physicians attended. During the meeting, the surgeon in question announced to the group that I had a 100 percent complication rate. When asked to clarify his statement, the physician stated, "Lets put it this way, if this nurse(me) takes care of one of my patients, there is a 100 percent chance that there will be a complication". I was devastated and thought I had harmed or possibly caused the death of a patient and never heard about it. I left the meeting and my managers supported me in telling this physician that i was a good nurse. It has been a few months and in that time I have gone to the hospital administration and requested that this surgeon be held accountable for the statements he made that day in the meeting. The hospital wrote him a letter and informed him that he now must prove his statements made against me. The hospital psychologist came to me yesterday to tell me that the surgeon never even acknowledged their letter and now the hospital is just gonna let it go...no action will be taken against this surgeon. Well, I'm very angry. My hospital started the process and now they have allowed this doctor to not only abuse me but he can now feel free to abuse another nurse in the future. Do I just drop it and let it go and move on? Or do I stand up for what I believe and do something that will prevent this from happening to another nurse in the future? Where do we draw the line? This surgeon slandered me and now I can't be charge anymore and all because I opened my mouth in the name of patient safety. Please help. Sorry so long.

I would collect all paperwork connected to this incident, including the staffing sheets, where all your patient assignments are written daily, and evaluations. I would call an attorney. If you are unioized, bring a rep at all meetings from now on. If you are not unioized, retain an attorney, Inform the hospital that you will not meet with them without your attorney. It is your right! This is slander, and I would hold the surgeon and the hospital accountable for it.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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talk to a lawyer. Everyone is accountable for what they say and do, even MD (which, BTW, does not stand for "majectic diety")

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No, hon, you don't have to take that.

Go get yourself a lawyer.

And inform the hospital, also.......they are playing along with this doctor if they are refusing you to be charge.

This has harmed your reputation and career, and I think you have a case for slander, against the doctor and the hospital.

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Does the doc have any documentation/proof of your supposed complication rate or is he just jabbering. Accusations, without proof are meaningless. I forgot, you are not in a real court of law, but in the hospital kangaroooo court!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

He's also interfering with your income, in that you are not being allowed to function as charge nurse (and there's probably a differential for that). Actually, the hospital is interfering too, since they have not reinstated your charge privileges, even though they have acknowledged that his accusations were baseless.

Get an attorney.

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If you take the advice from above you should dust off your resume at the same time. IMHO

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Can you please explain what the lie was in your post that this surgeon said?

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Specializes in OR,ER,med/surg,SCU.

It seems that in todays world the surgeons are viewed as the ones who bring in the money to hospitals... and the nurses are the ones that cost the hospital money. Your facility may not support you on your view point (in more ways than one) because of the bottom line. It would be nice to see this type of behavior stopped, no matter who, and be held accountable......but

Just my oppinion.

Good luck , sorry this has happened to you. I hope you hold your head tall and continure to be proud of the job you do.

Christy

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Specializes in emergency.

I have to agree with cardiaRN, there is a japanese saying that roughly translated says, "the nail that sticks up gets hammered down". To me it doenst sound like you have very solid ground to stand on, MD's will always stick together and the hospital will always back the MD, period! Remeber that to the hospital you are a cheap expendeble commodity, easily replaced by a phone call to an agency.

Also, Lawyers are expensive, and chances are that surgeon already has a retainer with counsel. Also, how much can you expect to win in a civil suit, would you be suing for your lost shift differential, which might amount to a few hundred, maybe a thousand over a year?

Also, although it may not be right, just, or fair, Doctors, Judges, and Lawyers are in "The Boys Club" [just an expression I do not mean to offend any genders] and when it comes down to it, they might percive you as the lowly nurse looking for a quick buck.

Starting a legal action agaisnt powerful people is a serious thing and can take years and dollars. This is not a personal injury and your attorney will not work for an eventual percentage.

With that said, if you feel you have the recourse , and means, carefully weigh your options, and make the decision. It is very easy for anonymous individuals to say "yeah go ahead and sue", but in reality it is much harder to put your money where your mouth is.

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