Scared of the docs!

commonsense · Oct 19, 2011

Short and sweet. I am a new nurse. I think and have gotten feedback that I am doing a good job...BUT!!! I am afraid of the docs. They intimidate the crap out of me. All of them. Any advice to help me get over this? I feel like there is this weird thing that goes on between the docs and nurses, like if I am sitting to chart and a doc walks within a 5 foot radius of me, I feel the need to jump up just in case they might need my chair or computer.
But more important, I feel that my fear is getting in the way of patient care sometimes. I hate calling them. I hate to bother them when they show up to the floor. I never know which one to call because my patients have so many doctors.
Is this something that will just get easier in time? This is unusual for me to be so uncomfortable and I seriously dislike the way I feel.
Help!

I'm sure this will get easier in time, as everything does. Here's a little piece of advice that used to always help me when I was scared of someone, "everyone cries and everyone poops." The next time you are really intimidated by one of the docs imagine them pooping or crying, this might help you see that they are human just like you. Try to keep in mind as well that they are not you're boss, they are co-workers, just like your charge nurse, physical therapists, and hospital administrator.

Good Morning, Gil · Oct 19, 2011

You will get over this as you become more confident in your nursing abilities. The doctors are just people, not gods. Some may be intimidating, but your job is to call them, so don't let it bother you. Feign confidence for now lol, and you may find that you actually feel more confident just by faking it. I am a newer nurse, too, that isn't familiar with all of the different docs yet since I'm new to the hospital, but yes, it does get easier with time. Once you know what they look like, that makes things easier, too lol. I have found that the hospitalists are awesome, though.

As far as which one to call, that depends on the patient's problem. For instance, if the patient has both a surgical team and a pulmonary team, and the patient's incision looks infected, you call the surgical team. If you think the patient needs a PRN neb, call the pulmonologist. It's not always that cut and dry obviously lol, so if you're unsure, just ask a more seasoned nurse. Hey, which doc should I call? Or trust your own judgment...if you feel that the pt's new onset tachycardia is r/t blood loss, call the surgical team. And (I've done this before)...if you call the wrong doc, they will just say, I don't handle that lol, so you call the other one. No biggie.

A year from now, you will feel much differently! In the meantime, I and a bunch of other new nurses are learning with you. :)

danh3190 · Oct 19, 2011

As you get to know the physicians personally a lot of the intimidation will disappear, at least it did for me. The intelligent ones realize that we make their job a lot easier and are happy to hear from us and cut us some slack when we say something stupid. Granted there are few jerks out there who will always give you a hard time and you just have to grit your teeth and call them when necessary but they're a small minority, at least on my floor. I like talking to them when they round. They can give me a quick summary in a few sentences that it would take me 1/2 hour to glean out of reading progress notes.

BunnySan27 · Oct 19, 2011

Don't be scared of them, as someone stated previously theyre human, some of them think they went to medical school just to intimidate the nurses. Lol. Don't sweat it just let it roll off your back...when you tall to them look them in the eye or if on the phone, speak in a confident manner, know your stuff when you got to call them, my instructors in school use to say have all your stuff in front of you, when you call. Trust me it'll get better, and don't worry about having to call them, they get paid mega bucks for being available!!... Good luck to you!

cardinalRN · Oct 19, 2011

It will get easier as you become more confident. Just don't take anything they may say personally. Remember you are the pt's advocate and the Dr.'s eyes and ears. You may be yelled at even when you are doing the right thing. However, it's more important to err on the side of caution than to have something bad happen to your pt and wished you had called later!

kakamegamama · Oct 19, 2011

OP--hang in there. You sound like a great nurse and just trying to navigate new waters. You'll do fine & get used to the docs. I was a lot like you once upon a time. I remember one time being chewed out over the phone by a doc because he didn't think I called him in a timely enough fashion for a lab. I felt so humiliated I cried. My charge nurse met him at the door, and by the time she finished reeming him out, he apologized profusely, over & over, ad nauseum for weeks to come. Quite funny, actually, now that I look back over that experience. Anyway, hang in there. You'll reach the point where you realize they are human, and as another poster said, you are their eyes & ears to the patients and really, the first line of defense for said patients.

EmergencyNrse · Oct 19, 2011

... grow a spine

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2011

... grow a spine

>>>>>>>

TonieRN · Oct 19, 2011

Dont be intimidated by the docs. If you are, hide it. There are some that if they know they can intimidate you, they will eat you alive and wont respect you. Feign it if you have to. When you call the docs, make sure you know what you are calling them about, why you are calling them, and what it is you are wanting....if you know. For example, if you are calling about a pts bp being elevated because a nursing assistant reported the elevated reading to you...know what it HAS been running....maybe retake it if it is radically different from previous bps earlier in the day before calling.....know what meds the pt is on...any other change in pt status.... You are the docs eyes and ears... he/ she depends you and your assessment to make decisions re medical care if he/ she is not there....and often times what you tell him/ her will impact whether or not they need to come into the hospital to assess the pt / make changes.

Dont tolerate docs treating you disrespectfully... treat them with the same respect that you want them to treat you with. Docs are human... like all of us... they are husbands and wives... mothers and fathers... sons and daughters ... like ALL of us.

hth...best of luck

msn10 · Oct 19, 2011

Being intimidated by docs and delegation are among the top fears of new nurses. The more confident you become as a nurse, the easier it will get for you.

Do you have a preceptor/mentor/clinical coach? Talk to them about your fear and they should be able to provide you with some good ideas since they know these docs the best. Also, have you head of SBAR? It is a communication technique designed to help nurses (especially new ones) to communicate effectively. SBAR is S=Situation (a concise statement of the problem)

B=Background (pertinent and brief information related to the situation)

A=Assessment (analysis and considerations of options — what you found/think)

R=Recommendation (action requested/recommended — what you want). There are a bunch of SBAR tools online or your preceptor might have one as well. It is a really good way to organize your thoughts before you talk to a doc and eventually it will become second nature.

======

And EmergencyNurse??

.. grow a spine

Really uncool.

A Blooming Rose · Oct 19, 2011

... grow a spine

Get a life! Its really irriating to see this stuff on this site. It makes you look like you are a miserable person who jumps at the chance to put someone else down and its a really ugly quality. You can't HONESTLY think thats appropriate advice to give the OP or that she was actually looking for a response a long those lines.

Sorry, not trying to derail from the original topic but everytime I see stuff like this I find it more and more ridiculous.