My New Nurse Wake-Up Call; Shocking Behaviors

vloho · Mar 27, 2006

It sounds as if when people feel trapped or not in control people can act very badly.Just like the terrible things you hear about on airplanes.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 27, 2006

It is not like this everywhere. I am so sorry you were subjected to this. But really, there are better places, where abuse like this is not tolerated by the rank and file nor the admin/management! Don't give up.

pickledpepperRN · Mar 27, 2006

We stopped this kind of behavior from physicians and supervisors by calling a "code pink". This idea came from a Laura Gasparis CCRN review class.

Whoever is available comes and "records" the code. A surgeon began insulting a new nurse, calling her stupid, threw the chart on the floor. He suddenly realized hald a dozen staff members were watching and listening. He asked, "What are you doing?

I was charge so said, "We are recording this incident."

He said, "But I asked for lab results and she didn't know."

I answered that if he found the nurse assigned to the patient THAT nurse would be able to give him his answers or he could look up labs on the computer.

We used to call this guy "Wild *****" Now he has learned to be polite and even supportive of new nurses so we call him "uncle" which he loves.

Other doctors have stopped it too as have supervisors. If like the surgeon the person is willing to discuss and learn the record is just saved.

We have copied them and sent a copy to administration and risk management.

Haven't had to call such a code for years. New interns come in July 1st having heard about how nursing staff supports each other.

SkateBetty · Mar 27, 2006

We stopped this kind of behavior from physicians and supervisors by calling a "code pink". This idea came from a Laura Gasparis CCRN review class.
Whoever is available comes and "records" the code.

Oh wow, is this a typical method for hospitals use to deal with abuse? Sounds very effective.

student_girl · Mar 27, 2006

It's a good idea, but couldn't be called like that in my province. A code pink is a pediatric cardiac arrest.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 27, 2006

code pink where I work...infant abduction. code "white" is a "show of force needed"

lindarn · Mar 27, 2006

Yesterday I was precepting with a veteran nurse with a 30-year career, and she was so terrific to me and our patients. A certain plastics doctor came in to consult on a dramatic very deep and open wound that came in the night before, and had not yet gone to the OR. My nurse had spent the day with the patient, and knew which movements caused the patient excrutiating pain, but when she said the word "gentle" to the doctor, as he quickly and gruffly removed the dressings, he stared her down and loudly said to her "I don't need to hear that. YOU don't tell me that. Don't you EVER tell me something like that again". She quietly said "OK", and that was the end of it, but I was really having trouble with it then, and still am. It brought back memories of long, long ago, when an oral surgeon I worked for verbally abused us all, and threw instruments across the treatment room. I walked out on that one, and never looked back. Later that day a family member was screaming at and berating the charge nurse at the nurse's station, and the charge nurse just let her finish, and so far as I could tell it didn't bother her one bit! She says she's used to it, and that it happens all the time, which I can't even respond to, it's so un-nerving to me. I am still taking it all in, and wondering how I will manage not to get suspended in my future, when I say something I'll regret in a moment of emotion. When I was a computer consultant that kind of behavior was unheard of, and absolutely not tolerated, and as a result you almost never saw it. I am a new nurse in my 40's, and doubt my ability to cope with abuse appropriately. I have taken all I plan to take in that department, and will surely wind up in trouble at some point dealing with abuse my way.

This is deporable conduct, and the nurse who puts up with this is an "enabler". When you graduate, you can either choose to be passive, as these nurses are, or you can decide that you will take assertive action against physicians who act like this. Look them in the eye, and say, "please don't speak to me in that tone of voice. I will get you what you need if an when you calm down". If they persist, just walk away. If they are screaming at you on the phone, hang up. When they call back and say that they got cut off, explain that you hung up on them, and if they yell at you again, you will keep hanging up until they calm down and speak to you in a civil manner. If it is tolerated, it will persist. You can decide that you will not tolerate it, and hopefully, your co- workers will follow your example.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

jillyk*rn · Mar 27, 2006

i'm sorry that all of that happened...however, it is not unheard of:o .

i work with great pediatrician and haven't seen a rediculous outburst in quite a while .

when i worked adult med/surg there was a notorious nephrologist...who made people shake. he would yell and act the fool all the time. one day we were in a patient room and he started to go off on me in front of the patient and family:angryfire . i told him to step in the hallway and never:nono: :nono: to speak to me that way again. i said that if he wanted to speak like adults, he could find me.

never had a problem with him again;) . (i was young and cocky at the time).

however, now i have been doing this way tooooo long to be treated like that.

families, however, are a different deal. unfortunately charge nurses have to try to placate everyone.

dorimar, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2006

What you said about that behaviour being unacceptable and unheard of in another field is so true, which i have always found extremely interesting. Even though I know some places are worse than others,& it doesn't happen all the time, it is true that there are many people who think it is acceptable to treat a nurse like garbage(physicians, PA's, patients and families). I would never treat anyone the way i have been treated at times during my job. It's hard to believe one went to college and continues to educated oneself in order to be treated like crap while they're busting there butt to help the very people berating them. It does get to be less over the years. I have learned to stand up for myself as I had to stand up for my patietns over the years . 20 years ago, a physician yelling at me in the middle of the nurse's station would make me cry. Now i just get right back in his face.

edited out word for TOS

lannisz · Mar 27, 2006

We stopped this kind of behavior from physicians and supervisors by calling a "code pink". This idea came from a Laura Gasparis CCRN review class.
Whoever is available comes and "records" the code. A surgeon began insulting a new nurse, calling her stupid, threw the chart on the floor. He suddenly realized hald a dozen staff members were watching and listening. He asked, "What are you doing?
I was charge so said, "We are recording this incident."
He said, "But I asked for lab results and she didn't know."
I answered that if he found the nurse assigned to the patient THAT nurse would be able to give him his answers or he could look up labs on the computer.
We used to call this guy "Wild *****" Now he has learned to be polite and even supportive of new nurses so we call him "uncle" which he loves.
Other doctors have stopped it too as have supervisors. If like the surgeon the person is willing to discuss and learn the record is just saved.
We have copied them and sent a copy to administration and risk management.
Haven't had to call such a code for years. New interns come in July 1st having heard about how nursing staff supports each other.

This is a fabulous idea no matter what kind of "code" you call it. At the hospital I work at, there was a doctor who was fired after verbally abusing one of the nurses. That was a few years ago and there haven't been any incidents since. Behavior that is abusive and threatening by ANY employee needs to be witnessed and documented. Doctor or janitor, if you behave poorly and inappropriately in the workplace, you need to be accountable.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Mar 27, 2006

I worked in a hospital where this was common place. I was a brand new nurse and basically didn't know if I should confront some of these MD's (and some nurses too!) or let it slide till I got a handle on their personalities and guage my responses to illicit the desired effect. I chose the latter and it helped!

Yeah, I know I seemed like a pansy for a time, but after learning and watching certain folks I found confrontational techniques that would make me the winner! (usually by watching them chew out others!).

I call it 'choosing your battles well'...and since you have a potential each day of having 50 or more "battles" to choose from in a day...best to just pick one or two..LOL!

The nurse who has 30 years in may know this particular MD and knew that just saying 'okay' was better than confrontation because she proably has "been there done that" or what not. Some people you just can't change (I like that code pink thing big time!!! That just may work though!), and so the 'battle' isn't worth chosing...

Or maybe this MD has a habit of taking out frustration with nurses on patients? Or maybe this MD likes to cause trouble and reports nurses? Lots of different reasons! Best to wait and watch to see how they respond, listen to other nurses about other's you work with (not gossip...but ya know ).

I am glad I did this once...the wait and watch and choosing not to battle with this one doc one day. Being a real yeller and totally bullheaded. I just basically excused myself from the room very nicely with a smile and left the room till the doc was done with the patient. I waited to see if they came to get me at the nurses desk. The doc broke down in tears and went to the locker room...I guess he has just 10 minutes before coming on floor, that his mother just died...and since he had only an hour left of his rotation chose to stay...if I had challenged him...oh brother, that would have made his horrid day much worse!

They say there are two sides to every story...I say that and more. Always be poliet, stand up for yourself but 'choose' when to battle correctly...