"I'm going to sue you", What do you say?

[DutchgirlRN]

This has happened to me soooo many times but especially during the past year. One particular time I told the doctor and he came straight over and DC'd the patient and told the family not to ever darken his doorway again that he would not put up with patients or their families threatening the nurses. Go doc !!! You rock !!!

Yesterday the twin brother of a patient said "I'm an attorney and I may consider suing".

Several months ago, "If you don't do as I ask I'll sue you, where's a phone book so I can look for an attorney".

People obviously think this scares me. It doesn't. It's kinda like threatening to go AMA. So what, go ahead, you're only hurting yourself I want to say. What I really say is....... What you're not realizing is threatening to go AMA is not a threat to me only to your health and to your finances.

Back to the subject......I tell patients/family members "I can only follow the doctors orders and if you feel as though you need to call an attorney then please do whatever you feel you need to. I'm not concerned that I've done anything illegal".

I wish more doctors would throw patients out on their can for threatening!!!

[wincha]

Shouldn't comments like the ones mentioned here be addressed more directly though?

Something like: "You appear to be upset. Can I help you with anything?" Or anything to this effect.

This would give the patient (or whoever) the opportunity to state their specific prob, and provide us with some identifiable issue we may need to pass on or act on, if reasonable, to avoid or minimize any damage that might ensue.

Since the complaint may be legit, why not take advantage and learn where they're coming from at an early junction?

you are right. in one situation a friend of mine was in the hospital for 6 hours with their asthmatic child. no o2, no treatments, his toes were turning blue. no one would take care of this child they just sat their waiting. they called me i told the dad to go out and tell that he would sue someone if his son didnt' get treatment.

[Happy2Beme]

When an inmate threatens me with a law suit, I say "Will you be using the same lawyer who tried to keep you OUT of jail?" :rotfl: That usually shuts them up. If not, I let them have it and remind them of all the tests, labs and assessments they refused. This is usually as far as it goes.

:rotfl: :rotfl: Too funny! I worked in corrections too, for 4 years.

That's how I used to answer grievences: "I'm being denied medical attention:rolleyes: "

I'd get the chart and and start writing: You were seeen on sick call 1/1, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12, 1/15, etc....you were referred by PA and saw MD,1/22/ 1/24....you had xray ordered that you refused to go get done,,on 1/25...you had 10 RX's written for you this month ....and lastly you have been referred to Psychiatrist:rotfl:

[Nurse Ratched, RN]

Psych can be about as much fun as corrections as regards the threats of suing. If you were peeled up off the pavement with a BA of 350 and your urine drug screen lit up like a Christmas tree and you were non-responsive and charcoaled and nearly coded in the ED then

(1) You should not be surprised and indignant to wake up in a psych ward on a 72 hour hold and

(2) You should not be cranky with the staff because your clothes were cut off in the ED during previously noted efforts to save your buttocks, and no, I don't know where the $200 cash you allegedly had on your person when you were last conscious went. You were naked when I got you.

[sjt9721, BSN, RN]

First of all, let me start out this post by saying I do NOT advocate doing what I did.

When I was a whole lot younger. Very young nurse in OB, I had had a horrible month of most difficult deliveries.

One night, after we had worked so very hard to save this girls' life, and, after everything was over and the mom and baby were doing wonderfully, the father (the girls' father) followed me outside the hospital.

He looked at me and said, "I'm thinking about suing you."

I said, "My name is XXXXX..........please be sure you spell it right."

Glad to know I'm not the only that has said that.............:chuckle

[LydiaNN]

'I hope you and your lawyer have a nice day.'