Respect From Doctors?

RedhairedNurse, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2009

I work at a county hospital, the docs are usually very nice. Most of the ones I deal with at night are interns, so they will usually ask me what I recommend when I have to call for something. More experienced doc will come up in case of an emergency, but just calling to hold a med or to have one added, they usually want our recommendation. In the mornings, the regular staff doctors come in......seems like the more exp they have the crappier they can act, most of them are very nice tho. There are just a couple that have gotten bigger heads.

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2009

It varies from doctor to doctor. Overall, I have found most of them to be respectful and open to my input. Sometimes they take my recommendation, other times they don't. I've only had a few encounters that felt "yucky", but I try to look at what I might have done to contribute to that, not dwell on it, and move forward.

MedSurgeMess · Nov 23, 2009

It depends on location, rural, small town, or urban, and the MD personality. Most MDs, especially younger, treat nurses decently, while others treat nurses like their handmaidens. Now, this is a generalization, not a written in stone statement!

kingramon15, LPN · Nov 23, 2009

Most doctors specially the old ones are the harsh ones,

because they want perfection in the work and becomes

easily agitated.

diane227, LPN, RN · Nov 23, 2009

You get respect when you give it. Physicians are like everyone else. They all have different personalities. Some are nice, some are not. But some can be made to be nice if you teach them. I teach them by having information available about their patients when they need it and by keeping them informed as needed. I take care of problems when I can without calling them. When a problem comes up I take care of it immediately and I never make an excuse. They learn that they can rely on me to take care of an issue and know that I will provide them with reliable information. They also know that I will be direct with them when they get short with me, which they only do once. I address their behavior immediately and it never happens again. I have a great advantage however. I have been a nurse for 31 years and have a lot of nursing experience in a lot of areas. Remember they are very busy and they get a lot of calls from a lot of people at all hours of the day and night. You are their eyes and ears when they cannot be there. So you have to be on your game. You have to have your act together when you call them for something. You have to know what meds the patient is on, their vitals, their labs, etc. Don't keep them on hold forever. Have your information ready when you call them. You will get respect from every physician you work with when you show that you are on your game and you know what you are doing. You don't have to like them and they don't have to like you. But there should be an atmosphere of mutual respect.

pghfoxfan · Nov 23, 2009

In 27 years of nursing, I have found most doctors respectful. But keep in mind, you earn their respect, and visa versa. When I am confronted by a rude doctor, I remind myself that I can't change what their mothers couldn't teach them(and that the patient is my priority).

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2009

I work with respectful doctors =)

Guest219794 · Nov 23, 2009

If you are respected in other areas of your life, you will be respected as a nurse. A lot has to do with what you expect from other people. This isn't to say that you will never encounter a jerk who happens to be a doctor.

PMFB-RN, RN · Nov 23, 2009

The nurses in my unit (SICU) are certainly treated with respect by our docs. You will occasionally meet a jerk who happens to be a doctor. You will learn to deal with them. I never tolerate disrespectful treatment from a doc. The reason some docs persist in being jerks to nurses is because nurses have allowed it. I will not hesitate to wake up a chief of staff at home to let him/her know what a jerk the doctor they employee is being. Residents and interns are pretty much at the nurses mercy. I will give you an example. If the resident on call is a good sort then before I call them with an issue I will poll all the other nurses on the unit and ask if they have any issues for the on call resident. That way we can minimize the number of times the resident must be woken up. I am under no obligation at all to do that and if the resident is not a good sort then I simply won't and the resident will be woken up 5 or 6 times rather than just once. They quickly catch on.

JP2011 · Nov 23, 2009

I am a nursing student and PCA on Midnights on Labor & Delivery in Detroit, MI. I have great relationships with every resident, well 37 out of 40. On OB/GYN there is a 4 year residency, most residents are between 28 - 33. The 1st and 2nd years ask your opinion no matter what your job title. Complete utter respect. I was certainly surprised. Even our attendings are friendly and respectful. I'm 20 and my 21st birthday is this friday. Every resident that isn't working nights has already RSVP'd. I feel truly blessed to work in such a supportive environment. I also command respect and give respect so that could be part of it. As long as you are confident and respectful you should be fine.

Blackheartednurse · Nov 24, 2009

I'm sure if you become a good nurse you will earn your respect:)