Oh well, I tried..........

[CathRN]

I had transferred from the cardiac cath lab to CVOR, my preceptor told me after I started orientation that if I complained about a certain surgeons behavior and habit of throwing things, my CVOR career would be over.

Well, my CVOR career is over. I told her and the Director that I would not and could not tolerate such behavior from a supposed well educated and adult person.

Thanks for reading, just had to vent. I had posted previously about him screaming at me because my preceptor stepped out of the room for two minutes, and no, he (or anyone else) needed anything. I was told that is just the way he is.

I hope that not all ORs are this way.

Wishing everyone the best.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Oh my! I don't know what to say. The AORN and Joint Commission are currently trying to crack down on such abuse, but while individual facilities continue to tolerate such behavior, I fear that little will change in reality. Of course, you know that you could report him and the facility. But you also know that you would probably be black-balled for doing so - that's just the reality of the situation.

The only advice I can offer is that you quietly look for a position elsewhere. Join your local AORN and go to chapter meetings and get a feel for where the good places are. Trust me, they are out there you just have to do some networking to find them.

Please don't let this stop you from pursuing what you want to do.

Good luck!

[CathRN]

Thank you for the advice. I'm just so discouraged right now. I was told that I was doing an awesome job performance. I've worked with a lot of physicians and had never seen behavior like this.

[linda2097]

I wouldn't back down. If I wanted to work in CVOR, and the only thing holding me back was surgeon abuse, I would pursue legal action. Think about it. YOU are being abused and YOU'RE the one who has to leave? They are blaming the victim.

At the same time, I would make sure that my behavior was professional. In this situation, I would not yell back at the surgeon. I would keep my mouth shut while pursuing legal action. Do not gossip with other nurses. Let a lawyer do your talking. In the meantime, study hard and try to become the best nurse you can. Don't give anyone a reason to fire you. If you are persistent and competent, people will eventually respect you.

[KayceeCA]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Unfortunately, there are some ORs where such behavior is tolerated. I can tell that it isn't everywhere though. I've worked in four ORs, and only one has allowed surgeons to get by with that kind of behavior. It was the first OR where I worked, and it almost drove me to leave OR nursing. But I talked to other nurses and was told it wasn't that way at all hospitals. Thank goodness I took a chance and tried another hospital, because I absolutely love OR nursing.

Definitely get involved in AORN. It's a great way to network with other OR nurses and find out what the environment is like at different hospitals.

Good luck to you!

[Batman24]

I wouldn't back down. If I wanted to work in CVOR, and the only thing holding me back was surgeon abuse, I would pursue legal action. Think about it. YOU are being abused and YOU'RE the one who has to leave? They are blaming the victim.

At the same time, I would make sure that my behavior was professional. In this situation, I would not yell back at the surgeon. I would keep my mouth shut while pursuing legal action. Do not gossip with other nurses. Let a lawyer do your talking. In the meantime, study hard and try to become the best nurse you can. Don't give anyone a reason to fire you. If you are persistent and competent, people will eventually respect you.

Agreed on all counts. I would definitely push this issue further.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

OP, I just wanted to say bravo to you. You should be very proud of standing up for yourself. Sadly, there are too many nurses who just take it. These surgeons act this way because many people tolerated their behavior. I too have been told I'm too "cocky" for a new nurse because I don't tolerate abuse either. But, the OR needs strong nurses and our patients deserve a nurse who is not afraid to say and do what is right.

I know it feels horrible right now, but you did absolutely the right thing. Might not happen tomorrow or even in the near future, but sooner or later your facility will figure out that they are losing good staff because of jackass surgeons like this.

The culture is changing, very very slowly, but changing nonetheless. And it is changing because of awesome, strong nurses like yourself who say NO to being abused.:)

[linda2097]

OP, I just wanted to say bravo to you. You should be very proud of standing up for yourself. Sadly, there are too many nurses who just take it. These surgeons act this way because many people tolerated their behavior.

Amen. Every time a nurse kisses the butt of a surgeon, it reinforces the surgeon's bad behavior.

Might not happen tomorrow or even in the near future, but sooner or later your facility will figure out that they are losing good staff because of jackass surgeons like this.

I gotta disagree with you there, Witchy. Management who allow this abuse are too stupid to change in the future.

[ILoveRatties]

During my one year of being an SRNA, I was amazed at what is allowed to go on behind the closed OR doors. People at the top of the hierarchy do whatever they want to people lower on the hierarchy. Complaining about it is frowned on by everyone, including OR nurses. It is a very strong cultural norm.

Surgeons and surgery bring in $$ for the hospital. This behavior will never change.

Whether it happens or not at a particular hospital is entirely dependent upon each particular surgeon. If they want to act that way, they will get away with it.

If I never set foot into the OR again, that'll be just fine with me.

[CathRN]

Thank you everyone for the encouragement and kind words. I just could not believe my Director and preceptor told me to put up with and shut up or get out. My director told me that the surgeon brings in big bucks to the hospital and that nurses are a liability. Those were the exact words used.

I know that I'm a good nurse, I have several awards to back that up. I save all of my patient reviews (copies), in a file to remind me why I got into nursing as a second career.

I'm going to pursue this, even if it means that I'm history at that particular hospital. This hospital is supposed to be a "nurse friendly" facility. Doesn't that just blow you away?

Thank you one and all. I do appreciate it. Just reading your responses made me feel better and the courage to stand up not only for myself, but for the future OR nurses.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

You see, that is not an individual surgeon just getting away with behaving badly. That is the culture of the facility and comes down from the top. Get out!

[openheartmary]

I have only had one surgeon be verbally abusive to me, one time. One time was enough. I filled out an incident report.

Any abusive behavior tolerated once, is setting the stage for it to continue to happen.

If all circulators would adopt a "no tolerance" attitude and start writing the surgeons up, management has to take positive measures to create a non-hostile work environment. Abuse is against the law, and abuse in the work place is a big NO, NO. Would your department director or manager allow you to speak to them abusively, or to one of your co-workers? I don't think so!

Depending on your facility, there should be a policy somewhere indicating what is considered abusive, and the steps that must be taken should abuse occur. Check with your human resources department.

Do not take any abusive remarks personally. However, do take appropriate steps to insure they do not happen again. If your manager will not take a stand for you, consider the next person in the chain of command.

Our lives in the operating room are stressful enough without having to tolerate ignorant behavior. Peoples' lives are at stake; the focus should be on the patient, always!