Question about verbally abusive doctor..

Burnt Out, ASN, RN · Dec 20, 2002

Hmmmmm....wouldn't this be verbal harrassment?????

I would write a QA and name the witnesses that were present at the time this doctor showed his azz......And QUOTE EVERYTHING HE SAID!!!!!!

Yes employers are obligated to provide a non-hostile work environment.......But as we all know, we are in the real world...

Keep us updated!!

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Dec 20, 2002

Write an incident report, and call your risk manager. If you get no satisfaction, file a grievance. If no success there, try division of labor, or EEOC maybe??

ARBY · Dec 20, 2002

When I worked in an office, one day I relayed to the doctor a message from his PA. He ran me up one side and down the other while other people stood and watched. I stood there with a "And your point is??" expression on my face and walked away.

When the day was done I went to his office and told him that we didn't have to eat together and we didn't have to sleep together but we DID have to work together. If he couldn't treat me with the respect I deserved I could walk out that front door the same as I walked in it.

When I quit 2 years later, the other nurses had a luncheon for me. This doctor came and said that, although we didn't always see eye to eye, I was a darn good nurse. The other nurses were amazed because he'd never come to any other functions much less said anything nice about someone.

RN2B2005 · Dec 20, 2002

Definitely report it to your HR manager, and document it yourself as well. We had a doctor at my clinic who was a very good doctor but could be nasty and condescending and verbally abusive with the staff. He was transferred out of the clinic after he tore a tech a new one in front of a patient.

emily_mom · Dec 20, 2002

I second Hoolahan! Don't keep letting him get away with it! If this were a nurse, she/he would be FIRED....don't let an arrogant doc get away with it. If the nurses stand together, something will come of it.

Kristy

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 20, 2002

We have a space on our incident reports for just this sort of thing. Plus there is always the Chief of Staff at the hospital where I work, who has been known to intervene in these cases adn talk to the doctor. A nice note or email, or message to the chief of staff might be in order.

But sourpusses like him rarely change. We have an MD like that. Most of us seasoned nurses don't let him get started and leave while he is in mid-rant. We don't take it.

rebel_red · Dec 20, 2002

Reminds me of the time my Mom was a patient in ER. I was sitting on a stool talking to one of the nurses, when another nurse approached absolutely horrified because I was sitting on Dr's stool and no one NO ONE! was allowed to sit there but DOCTOR.... do y'all think I got up? Nope. Doctor threatened to have me removed from ER by security.....Yeah right sparky!

In short as one poster signs "We will get as much crap as we will take."

Learning so much from y'all.

Thanks

Tres

deespoohbear · Dec 21, 2002

I was not a witness to the incident, nor did it happen on my unit. But I have encouraged the co-worker to write up a formal statement and to document everything. Thanks for all the information. Does anyone know of a website that describes what constitutes an hostile workplace?

l.rae · Dec 21, 2002

Originally posted by rebel_red
Reminds me of the time my Mom was a patient in ER. I was sitting on a stool talking to one of the nurses, when another nurse approached absolutely horrified because I was sitting on Dr's stool and no one NO ONE! was allowed to sit there but DOCTOR.... do y'all think I got up? Nope. Doctor threatened to have me removed from ER by security.....Yeah right sparky!

In short as one poster signs "We will get as much crap as we will take."

Learning so much from y'all.

Thanks
Tres

of all the unmitigated gall!:roll so what's the rest of the story?...did security come when you refused to abdicate the throne?.............LR

renerian, BSN, RN · Dec 21, 2002

Yes I had a doc curse at me once I pulled him to the side and told him not to curse at me like that again...........he apologized. If that did not work I would start a paper trail. Non hostile work environment problem.

renerian

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Dec 21, 2002

Reminds me of when I was 81/2 mo preg, and a doc wanted me to give him my chair...Ha!

I said, "Doctor X, how DARE you ask a PREGNANT woman who has benn on her fett ALL NIGHT with a post-op TEETHING infant, for her chair?? LOOK at my ankles, I have +4 edmea for heaven's sake!!!!! Ths is the first I have sat all shift, and NO, you may NOT have my chair!!"

You should have seen the look on his face...priceless!!!!! Not to mention the looks on the resident's and my co-worker's faces who were doing their est not to laugh out lodud. I mean Really, what an azz!