My Boss (his office) is the Doctor ..oh boy

[Annor]

( I have also posted this on the Nurising Specialty Board for Out-Patient Nursing)

Ok..here is the deal...

I work for a plastic surgeon.....I love my job. This is my first time working for a phyisican in his office....great boss, great office staff...I am his only nurse..we work side by side in the offfice.

I have worked in hosptials and home care....a good part of nursing is advocating for the pt.

BUT....sometimes I feel like , I am pressured at times to side with the doctor...and not speak,up for the pt. Do you get what I am saying?

There have been times I want to speak for the pt...regarding whatever ,but feel , I am stepping on the doc's toes, if I do. He is my BOSS....get what I mean? He does write out my paycheck....hmmm.

Example...writing pain meds...sometimes he holds back on prescribing, another one, removing a JP drain...too soon. Not a good idea....

Then another time he was doing laser on a pt's arms..and he burnt her...hey it can happened...she keeps coming back to the office for him to follow her case..she is very angry and I dont blame her...he did burn her...he is talking all around the reasoning of why it happened...but WE all know it happened. I stand at his side...while he talks to this pt....and I just feel I want to speak up and side with this pt and her concerns...Can you understand what I am trying to express...??

I am not afraid to speak up for what, is right for any pt....just when does the nurse ,whose boss is the doc,know not to.... ,so,she does not get "dismissed" from her job,...I get along very well with the Boss.....

Does anyone else feel this way,working one on one with the doctor in his office?

He is a very good doctor...just sometimes, i think my nursing judgement over rules his regard for the pt.

Thanks for reading this...I appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

Annor

[Andi33]

( I have also posted this on the Nurising Specialty Board for Out-Patient Nursing)

Ok..here is the deal...

I work for a plastic surgeon.....I love my job. This is my first time working for a phyisican in his office....great boss, great office staff...I am his only nurse..we work side by side in the offfice.

I have worked in hosptials and home care....a good part of nursing is advocating for the pt.

BUT....sometimes I feel like , I am pressured at times to side with the doctor...and not speak,up for the pt. Do you get what I am saying?

There have been times I want to speak for the pt...regarding whatever ,but feel , I am stepping on the doc's toes, if I do. He is my BOSS....get what I mean? He does write out my paycheck....hmmm.

Example...writing pain meds...sometimes he holds back on prescribing, another one, removing a JP drain...too soon. Not a good idea....

Then another time he was doing laser on a pt's arms..and he burnt her...hey it can happened...she keeps coming back to the office for him to follow her case..she is very angry and I dont blame her...he did burn her...he is talking all around the reasoning of why it happened...but WE all know it happened. I stand at his side...while he talks to this pt....and I just feel I want to speak up and side with this pt and her concerns...Can you understand what I am trying to express...??

I am not afraid to speak up for what, is right for any pt....just when does the nurse ,whose boss is the doc,know not to.... ,so,she does not get "dismissed" from her job,...I get along very well with the Boss.....

Does anyone else feel this way,working one on one with the doctor in his office?

He is a very good doctor...just sometimes, i think my nursing judgement over rules his regard for the pt.

Thanks for reading this...I appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

Annor

I think it depends on the doctor. I worked for an orthopedic surgeon (who was like a big kid!), and he was always open to what I had to say whether it was about a diagnosis, treatment plan, or any concerns that I brought to his attention that the patient had. He was very receptive to my ideas and opinions, which I greatly appreciated. He always listened to what I had to say as if it really mattered to him, and if I was way off, he would just tell me. He was great to work for! You need to test the waters to see how he reacts, I'm sure he'll let you know!

[DianeMyra]

I'm only a pre-nursing student (read, still a long way to go), I wouldn't undermine him in front of the patient, but it would be OK, healthy infact, to discuss your concerns with him privately. - Diane

[bellcollector]

I agree, take the doc aside during some down time and ask him how he feels about you being honest with him in the cases in which you disagree with him. He may say hey please be honest with me or he may say leave the doctoring to me either way you will know where you stand.