Need help with rude surgeon

Specialties Operating Room

Published

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How do you handle rude surgeons in the OR room? They mumble into their mask what they need and get irritated when you ask them to repeat it unless you're they favorite circulator. It seems that common courtesy is not observed when a new circulator shows up in the OR. As a new circulator, I get very quiet and feel as though I'm not doing a good enough job when the surgeon starts getting aggravated. Any suggestions on how not to be a door mat? Besides getting thicker skin, what else do you suggest?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Sometimes it takes giving back what they give you to get them to respect you as a circulator. Not sure why, and it's really not conducive to teamwork, but some surgeons have to see you prove yourself. I've "spoken firmly" to some surgeons, and suddenly the issues disapeared.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

There is no question there is a "learning curve" when working in any specialty. In your case, you have a learning curve of applying excellent fundamental surgical nursing care while working with different surgeons. The surgeons must "learn" to play nice with surgical nurses who are not well known to them while still providing excellent medical care.

This is a "dance" that every professional does as he/she establishes their professional practice in an employment setting. When we are "young" professionals we learn to do our work well and get along with the group...then we learn to excell...

My advice is to take a deep breath, do not accept abuse but learn to live with stressed professionals, and develop your own skills...

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Specializes in OR.

I work with someone who took a year to settle down and behave in a more 'professional' manner. And it wasn't just me, it happens to every one who is new in our OR.

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Specializes in 2 years school nurse, 15 in the OR!.

I know...I worked at this current hospital and there are some surgeons who still won't talk to me. One surgeon drives me nuts, you have to be int he under 30 age group and super cute in order for him to talk to you. I've just gotten over it, and accepted it for what it is.

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