Oh. I wish you didn't just tell me that.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2012

i have a physician colleague who lost his job due to very embarrassing circumstances, and then his wife sued for divorce. i got chapter and verse about her for about a year. then i got to hear about child support and visitation issues. it's been awhile now and his life has settled down, so our conversations are able to be more professional and friendly on topics of more general interest.

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Mar 12, 2012

Have you had any really awkward conversations with a Doc? You are just there and they start spilling about wife, patient, medical condition they have, etc. You quickly look around to see if you can pretend they weren't talking to you and exit stage left! Sometimes, it's sooooo awkward and uncomfortable that you now know that this person is one fry short of a happy meal, ya know? that you are stunned for quite a while
A Cartoon Guide to Becoming a Doctor

Uh yeah and, no.

We're all fallible humans, no matter how brilliant or accomplished. In fact, the more brilliant and dedicated, the more you tend to see deficits in other areas of their lives.

When one of my peers or MD's I work with open up about personal and/or professional turmoil, I consider it a priviledge that they trusted me in confidence in the first place.

Yes, I've heard some weird stories, but who am I to judge?

netglow, ASN, RN · Mar 12, 2012

I don't feel of privilege at all when it is something of the vein of Dr. Fizzy's cartoon.

Now if the person in question and I are friends or trusted colleagues for years, this whole thread would not apply...

OCNRN63, RN · Mar 12, 2012

Uh yeah and, no.
We're all fallible humans, no matter how brilliant or accomplished. In fact, the more brilliant and dedicated, the more you tend to see deficits in other areas of their lives.
When one of my peers or MD's I work with open up about personal and/or professional turmoil, I consider it a priviledge that they trusted me in confidence in the first place.
Yes, I've heard some weird stories, but who am I to judge?

That is so admirable. Often, I think we're so quick to judge. Most of us have a certain degree of stress in our lives, then we go to work in a stressful environment.

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Mar 12, 2012

I don't feel of privilege at all when it is something of the vein of Dr. Fizzy's cartoon.
Now if the person in question and I are friends or trusted colleagues for years, this whole thread would not apply...

I think I hear where you're coming from. And the Dr. Fizzy blog you posted is pretty funny, btw. :)

I'm not immune to poking fun at my colleagues and the docs (or myself). I mean, my gawd we are a weird group.

Yes, lots of inappropriate/untimely stuff has been unloaded on me by colleagues, but I'm willing to bet I've come off with some pretty off-the-wall stuff myself in others' eyes over the years.

Somewhere along the way, there's a "club" we all enter, through some unseen door. It's the club of "I'm weird, you're weird, we're all weird, and it's okay."

It's always nice to get to the point where others feel like they can be real with their "quirks" around you, because they instinctively know it's safe to do so, even if all you do is level a glare and raise a "don't go there" eyebrow in repsonse.

RNperdiem, RN · Mar 12, 2012

Oversharing is alas, a common thing found in many professions.

It the overexposure gets to be too much, a cool but polite "thanks for sharing that Dr. So-and-so, now what shall we do about this patient's blood pressure?" works.