"You'll be hearing from my lawyer."

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I swear, I've heard this phrase more in the last 3 weeks than I have in my entire life.

Lawyers must be rolling in it if all theses folks have one on retainer and speed dial like they claim they do.

Do y'all get this where y'all work?

Cases in point...if we find that a patient is positive for an illicit substance, we dismiss them from our practice, per the terms of the contract they sign on admission to our clinic. No further controlled substances are provided, but we will supply a six-month prescription for maintenance meds.

All we have heard is "The law says you can't cut me off." or "The law says you have to give me 30 days' worth of my pain meds." Well, no, the law doesn't. We called the local DTF and confirmed it.

One lovely, who we were more lenient with than we should have been, threatened me with a suit. He had been caught (4 times) mixing two meds that could have a potentially lethal effect when combined. I counseled him about it, he snootily informed me that his specialist prescribed those and he'd take them if he wanted to. Doc counseled him next visit when he was still found to be positive for these meds. By the 4th time, Doc said that we would test him, he would be given half his script, and if his test was clean, the rest at that time. It wasn't, and he was gone. He not only demanded to have his script, but his payment for his last office visit refunded. Refused on both counts. He said he'd have his 'representative' deal with me.

And just this week, another lovely, who isn't even our patient, came in with papers from court, saying he needed a letter that said he could not work. Um, no. He was not even put on our waiting list because he said that was why he needed a doc when he came in, and Doc refused to even consider it. So, he's told that we can't give him any letter. He then asks for a letter stating that he's on our list. This man did not even want to make the effort to attempt to get into another practice. We refused this as well, and he flipped the "You'll be hearing from my lawyer" line. When we told him to leave at that point, he tried to poll our waiting patients in the lobby, for names and phone numbers, as witnesses to 'how he was treated".

I have to wonder, do they really think it scares anyone? Or, when they're saying "The law says...", do they really think we're that dumb?

Anyone experience this at your work?

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

Threats are usually just that. Have you checked to see if your state will allow you to sue for threats? They may be considered verbal abuse.

Personally, I would just get the legal reference typed up and posted, or give as handout, so patients will know in advance there is no point in giving you grief. They are trying to upset you because they are upset themselves. Never occurs to them why they are in this situation to begin with. Too bad insight does not come in injectable form.

[JacknSweetpea]

I've had it said to me before. I even had a lady tell me her attorney's name was J. Edgar Hoover! Then again, I work in a gero-psych facility. I'm more worried about what our management might do to us if we don't keep the patients happy no matter what!

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

Don't worry ... the contract they sign says it all and protects the doc. Good he is being strict because law suits are popping up all over with families concerned that the doc is prescribing and killing their babies (lol). I worked psych and we would get the occasional withdrawal ... boy the stories they come up with are incredible. When people, especially junkies, get desperate you need to really watch out.

These violators make it bad for people who have real pain; that's what makes me so mad about them. There are many docs who won't even consider prescribing pain meds due to fear.

Let them scream and yell; the law is on your docs side.

[j621d]

Patients can threaten you with a lawsuit, but the real trick is if any lawyer will take it. They (lawyers) have to be able to recoup their investment (into a lawsuit). As long as you are following the laws in your area, I doubt anything will come of it. They are just blowing off hot air!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

. Too bad insight does not come in injectable form.

Now THAT'S the smartest thing I've heard in ages!!!!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Ish. Angel. I've had some get pretty wound up, but, where I worked was not at all dealing with the folks you deal with. We did have a few seekers, and once we figured it out we were careful. But, they did have confirmed painful dx at the time that just about always warrants abx/narcs. so. Without saying too much, we made sure they followed up with their referrals and got the situation taken care of or had some reason for delay before we refilled. It gets crazy when they let themselves get sicker and in more pain... eg. purposely keep the pathology they have from being cured so they can doc shop and be able to say, "look at this! it hurts like heck" and of course the new doc is going to be all, "Wow" here's a script.

[ckh23, BSN, RN]

Yeah, every drug seeker that comes to the ER has a lawyer on retainer that is going to "sue everyone" and that they will "own this hospital". They are treated so badly that it some how compels them to come back over and over and over again.

[JeneraterRN]

Oh yes, the bully tactic. Isn't it funny how a medical facility can be reduced to a school yard at times. A particularly notorious volunteer at our hospital tries this one with staff when she has family admitted to the floor. Once she threatened me because I wouldn't give her information to which she was not privy. She didn't even blink asking me to commit a felony.

[JeneraterRN]

Now THAT'S the smartest thing I've heard in ages!!!!

Apparently tunnel vision does!

[Gently.me]

I work in a pain management clinic, and we get it all the time. The doctor laughs when we tell him all the cases.

My other job is working at an urgent care where we have frequent flyers coming in for migraines, chronic pain, uncontrolled fibromyalgia pain, etc. It has gotten to the point where they have to sign that 1. they will not be driving themselves home 2. Show us their driver 3. (for migraines) they can only be seen/treated with narcotics once within a 30day period at that facility. It is all about the CYA (cover your A-word)

At Urgent Care, we actually had a person tell us she had a ride after getting narcotics, then got in her car and caused a 5 person pile up on the highwaywith some pretty serious injuries involved..... and guess who she and the insurance company tried/threatened to sue.......

Gotta love how the irresponsible/dumb dumbs think they can rule our profession (and unfortunately sometimes they do!)

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

Usually the people who threaten me with an attorney can't remember what an attorney is.