Problem physician

[RNIBCLC]

Sorry this is long but I need some advice on how to handle a situation that is really bothering me.

I have been working in a hospital for the past 1 1/2 years. Unlike other hospitals where I have worked, this hospital dotes on physicians and does not promote the team mentality from which I am accustomed. This has been an adjustment but an easy work around except for one particular physician.

This physician has worked at this facility a long time and is part of a group that rotates through sister hospitals. I will refer to this physician as Dr. Z. He is the medical director at my location but is not the overall director of his department. I will refer to the overall medical director as Dr. X. Dr. Z has a reputation of being difficult to work with. The nurses fear him, he is intimidating. Has no interpersonal skills. He never discusses issues with a staff member, he always runs to the manager and director and tattles on people without getting the facts. I consider my work environment at this point hostile. Nursing leadership is aware of the situation but he is supposedly well liked in administration. His partners openly talk about him being difficult and are also aware of how he treats the staff. They say he has been talked to numerous times. The attitude is we can't control him. I could go on and on.

Recently there was a situation in which he made some negative comments to a patient about me and my service. He was blaming me for providing the patient with information he did not think I should share. The patient corrected him and told him that it was in fact it was his partner and boss Dr X that gave her the information. The reason I know this is because the patient complained the next day to another nurse about Dr Z about this and other problems. I asked that nurse to put it in writing and send it to my director and myself. This was done and my director and manager were aware of the situation. I was also made aware of him complaining and talking negatively about this to another staff nurse. She also was asked and did put it in writing. The NNP also told me that she had corrected him and told him that they had given the patient the information and not me.

The final straw was that he went to my director after being told by the patient and the NNP that I was not involved that I had in fact had done this. He knowingly lied and misrepresented the facts to my employer. In fact he told my director that the patient told him that I did it. Which is a complete lie. My director corrected him and told him he was wrong but here is my concern..... He lied to my director and tried to get me in trouble. I have a big problem with that.

What if my director leaves and he is able to snow a new director and make up stories. I want to file a grievance with his physicians group but am unsure how to do this or if this is even the right thing...any suggestions?

[RNIBCLC]

Sorry don't know how this got posted here but would admin please move this to general???

[dianah, ASN]

Moved to General Nursing Discussion.

[KeepItRealRN, BSN, RN]

It sounds like a no win situation to me. Any chance he will retire any time soon? If not I guess you could stay and take your chances. Personally I would be working on an exit plan. Liar or not, he is in a position to ruin you if he chooses to make it his mission in life.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Maybe he's mad because you don't use paragraphs?

I think it's wrong to take it out of your department.Those repercussions could fly any where. EVERYBODY knows Dr. Z is a jerk. NOBODY will try to correct him.

Even if a new director came along he/she would quickly become aware of his reputation if not know it going in.

It seems you are having to put great effort into protecting yourself from Major Jerk, that would get me looking for another job.

[RNIBCLC]

I can't seem to edit to put paragraphs in.....hmm

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

A decent Med. Dir. is the moral and ethical center for a department. This med. dir. will be the ruination of your dept. I have seen this happen and I left a similar situation because I could not be a part of the unethical behavior anymore.

This individual would have no qualms about throwing you under the bus the first chance that he gets, just for spite. It really is a no win situation and it is time to move on.

[RNIBCLC]

A decent Med. Dir. is the moral and ethical center for a department. This med. dir. will be the ruination of your dept. I have seen this happen and I left a similar situation because I could not be a part of the unethical behavior anymore.

This individual would have no qualms about throwing you under the bus the first chance that he gets, just for spite. It really is a no win situation and it is time to move on.

While I agree, there is one more detail..... He is not welcome at another facility for the same issues....he has a record. Nobody at this facility has ever stood up to him and I have been encouraged by his own partners to report him......

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

His clinical partners want you to be the scapegoat for reporting him. They don't want to ruffle the water. They want you to do it.

Your concerns will be discounted as an interpersonal conflict between coworkers, just a he said - she said.

Proceed with caution. If you are going to report this person for something it must be indisputable. Make sure it is a clinical issue and a breach of standards of practice and hospital policy.

Even then, it may be swept under the rug to protect the hospital from liability. I was in that situation too, and the physician director of quality chose to ignore the issue entirely instead of investigating it and told the risk manager "that matter is closed."

Life is too short to be working in an adversarial situation. A transfer to another hospital, like the one that got rid of him, might be your best course of action.

[RNIBCLC]

Good point. Thanks

[Guttercat, ASN, RN]

Life is too short for this sort of ongoing angst.

You wrote a report. You've made your case, and it is on record (and substantiated). Walk on and do your thing as usual. I would put good money on a bet that says this guy thinks about his behavior toward you a total of zero times a day.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

I can only be very blunt about this, as I have been in this gig for a lotta years...

You did your part. Get malpractice insurance, be vigilant about documenting your encounters with his patients, and call it a day. If your managers are "aware" perhaps they need to do something about it, and report him. But no one wants to as it's all about dollars and no sense. So they would like YOU to do this, so that you are embroiled in a drama that could have a negative outcome for you.

These people are not your friends. They could care less about your feelings nor your future. You are replaceable, he not so much. Do not take the fall for this--if anyone else in high places cared at all, THEY would swiftly report him.

Be thankful that you do not have him as your or your family's MD. That you do not have to go home with him, nor are you married or did you give birth to him--or otherwise have to deal with him outside of your workplace. Nor do you have to have him rent one more little space in your head.

Some people are just big, giant jerks. And some of them go into medicine.