You know those surgeons that when their patient is on their way to OR you ask the universe to please not let the surgeon kill this one, too?
When their patient asks you, "Is my surgeon any good?" You can't tell them the truth, a floor nurse would lose her job. You can't lie, that's not right.
How do you answer this question? I know how I used to do it, how do you respond? You have to admit, there are those surgeons that should be used during war time, operating on the enemy. Doogie Howser could give them some pointers. They are the docs keeping ICU busy.
Came back to this thread because of the posters who suggested responding by asking if the patient is anxious about surgery. That is such an excellent response. Totally diverts the question (for those who don't want to "lie") and let's you address the patients concerns more directly.
It's such an obvious way to answer, but not something I automatically think of. Thank you to everyone who brought it up!
I fortunately work with world-renowned surgeons and I am able to reassure my patients they are at the best hospital for the treatment of their condition
You know those surgeons that when their patient is on their way to OR you ask the universe to please not let the surgeon kill this one, too?
When their patient asks you, "Is my surgeon any good?" You can't tell them the truth, a floor nurse would lose her job. You can't lie, that's not right.
How do you answer this question? I know how I used to do it, how do you respond? You have to admit, there are those surgeons that should be used during war time, operating on the enemy. Doogie Howser could give them some pointers. They are the docs keeping ICU busy.
Your response to the patient?
The preop area is not the time to be asking that question. "Are you feeling anxious" is probably the best response.
If we were not in pre-op my response would be "He is one of the three best cardiac surgeons in the hospital."
If the patient figures out that we only have three and asks me which one is best I would close the door and do some education about what questions to ask a surgeon and a few websites to review.
People should spend at least as much time researching their surgeon as they do their mechanic, a hotel or a restaurant.
People should spend at least as much time researching their surgeon as they do their mechanic, a hotel or a restaurant.
I think people have a natural tendency to want to believe that the surgeon to whom they have been referred to, or to whom they have been assigned, is highly competent/ethical/experienced, and that if one trusts the physician who made the referral to the surgeon no further investigation of the surgeon's qualifications should be necessary, and would indicate lack of confidence in the referring physician and the surgeon. I think that when the referral is made by one's own physician, whom one trusts, this is especially true. I think that for some people there is a fear of finding information that is not favorable - then the person is faced with having to decide whether to approach the referring physician with the information and possibly request another surgeon, or to discuss the information with the surgeon, or to refuse care from the surgeon without an explanation, none of which are choices I think people are very comfortable with. I always find doing this type of research, for myself or my family, even though it is very necessary, to be somewhat nerve-wracking, and I have on occasion been unpleasantly shocked at what I have found out.
surgery, requested Dr. X. Not only that, while I was in holding, Dr Y assured me that he would cover so only the 2 of them would be in the OR. I was touched by that. I woke up beautifully: extubated, pain free, not the slightest bit nauseated.
I had hand surgery years ago, I went to the OR nurses and asked about the surgeon I was considering. I wasn't looking for reassurance, I was looking for truth. Due to their opinion I changed doctors.
It's a shame we can't be honest with patients the way we are with one another.
But are nurses really in a position to professionally evaluate a surgeon's skill, one way or the other?
But are nurses really in a position to professionally evaluate a surgeon's skill, one way or the other?
Maybe not technically...but after working with surgeons for a while, you can definitely tell which ones are more likely to have patients with post-op issues, and what those issues will be. I have worked with surgeons who seemed to be notorious for taking a relatively healthy person (other than whatever was causing them to need surgery) and into the OR, and that patient needing to be discharged to a nursing home.
And as a nurse working in a surgical ICU, I think we can most definitely say which surgeons are better at managing a patient with post-op complications, which is just as important as being able to perform the surgery.
But are nurses really in a position to professionally evaluate a surgeon's skill, one way or the other?
If someone is asking my opinion as a nurse, I expect they are probably looking for my opinion as a nurse. I think we can take technicalities to an extreme and it doesn't really benefit anyone. But then I am ballsy enough to document that a patient is sleeping vs. documenting that they have their eyes closed, drool is running down their face and they are making snoring sounds.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
But are nurses really in a position to professionally evaluate a surgeon's skill, one way or the other?
Maybe not professionally, but anecdotally, I can tell you who isn't allowed to touch me (as in, AMA paperwork to sign, leave me on the sidewalk to exsanguinate, and call the medical examiner not allowed to touch me) and who is my numero uno choice in each specialty. Perks of working in the OR- I see who has patients come back with complications, I see whose patients die, and I see how they act in surgery (there are a few who are blatantly clueless when the brown stuff hits the oscillating blades vs. those who are extremely calm and collected and can perform under pressure).
The Dr. Hodads ( hands of death and destruction) are well known in any given hospital. Ask any med surg, ICU, or surgical services nurse who is his or her top choice for technical skills..go with that.
I do not care if his personality sucks. If he can fix the problem we're good.
Yeah, we all know which surgeons have patients who end up with nicked ureters, dvts, or needing lots of blood products. Plastic surgeons especially. When things go wrong, they don't want to take responsibility.
Karou
700 Posts
Came back to this thread because of the posters who suggested responding by asking if the patient is anxious about surgery. That is such an excellent response. Totally diverts the question (for those who don't want to "lie") and let's you address the patients concerns more directly.
It's such an obvious way to answer, but not something I automatically think of. Thank you to everyone who brought it up!