Not scared of the doctors

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Specializes in Family Medicine.

As a new grad, calling the doctors/talking to the doctors doesn't scare me or make me nervous. I'm not even good at talking to them but it doesn't bother me because I'm new and learning and if they don't understand this, poo on them.

Part of me thinks this is a good thing but another part of me worries that I'm missing something. Like, do they have some sort of power over my employment that I missing? Should I start kissing ass? At this point, I'm more afraid of HR than I am of the MD's. Is something wrong with me?

I'm thinking, "Wow, nursing school really hyped up the whole calling the doctor thing to the point that I'm worried that something's wrong with me for not being afraid."

I should add, I'm not rude or disrespectful to the MD's. I am very nice and respectful but not overly/kiss assingly so. Please don't think I'm entitled or rude to the MD's by any means, I'm just not scared or nervous by them.

Opinions? Main questions bolded above.

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Specializes in FNP.

Of course not. Why would you be fearful of them?

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Specializes in Family Medicine.
Of course not. Why would you be fearful of them?

K, good! Thanks.

In nursing school, there was all this talk of how scary it was to call the doctors and now it's not and I thought I was missing something. I'm starting to think nursing school was a waste of time (JK).

You know the whole, "have the chart ready, prepare like crazy before you call the doctor, they're going to ask you this and that, omg, it's going to be so scary," thing.

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Specializes in FNP.

How strange. Are your classmates afraid of airline pilots, lion tamers and food critics too?

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Specializes in Family Medicine.
How strange. Are your classmates afraid of airline pilots, lion tamers and food critics too?

Probably. Lol.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

You're asking because there are so many threads called "I'm scared to call the doctor", lol. Now that so many doctors are younger than I am I have to worry more about how I sound than they do. Just have all your ducks in a row before you call, and keep the conversation pointed and focussed. If you need to ask them to repeat something, and they get irritated by that, just remind them we all would like the patient to be safe!:)

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How strange. Are your classmates afraid of airline pilots, lion tamers and food critics too?

New grads post here all the time about being intimated by the doctors or feeling nervous calling them or asking them questions. So it's not just her classmates.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

You SHOULD have all of the pertinent information in an organized manner in front of you before you call the doc...but as far as it being scary to call them? Huh?

How's this for scary:

"We have breaking news that a local nurse was so terrified of being yelled at over the phone by an MD that she allowed her pt to circle the drain, which resulted in the pt's death. The nurse lost her license shortly thereafter. It has been reported that because of her loss of employment, her house went into foreclosure and she continues to fall deeper in debt. The MD of whom she was terrified of calling was unaware of the downward spiral that led to the nurses' life being systematically dismantled. More at 11:00"

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Specializes in Family Medicine.
You SHOULD have all of the pertinent information in an organized manner in front of you before you call the doc...but as far as it being scary to call them? Huh?

How's this for scary:

"We have breaking news that a local nurse was so terrified of being yelled at over the phone by an MD that she allowed her pt to circle the drain, which resulted in the pt's death. The nurse lost her license shortly thereafter. It has been reported that because of her loss of employment, her house went into foreclosure and she continues to fall deeper in debt. The MD of whom she was terrified of calling was unaware of the downward spiral that led to the nurses' life being systematically dismantled. More at 11:00"

That's really scary!

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Specializes in Family Medicine.
How strange. Are your classmates afraid of airline pilots, lion tamers and food critics too?

It was actually my professors who instilled the fear. I believe there were a few PowerPoint slides devoted to the subject.

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Specializes in Home health was tops, 2nd was L&D.

That's weird.. My instructors way back in the day (before dirt) installed in us that Doctors are just people like us.. You should be respectful but should also receive respect. And that is the way I have always handled it. Only one time did I have to assert my desire for respect to a not-so-nice Doctor and it worked well.

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Specializes in Family Medicine.

April Fools!!! I'm really scared of doctors!!!

Just kidding. Thanks everyone. Glad others aren't scared of doctors. I don't feel like such a weirdo. I honestly thought I was missing something. I guess not. Carry on. :)

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