share your stories about questioning MD's order

[ar.en.greta]

I've been a nurse for 5months now, and my first weeks was a struggle. thank GOD i survive and still surviving. :)

I made mistake from the past, it made me feel bad, but then more all, i learned from it, and vow not to commit mistake again. reciting everyday, "no to mistakes, the patients right and right ways of giving meds also saying patience....patience...patience... inhale exhale then smile if in the stressing situation".

one reason i made one was due to impossible handwriting of the doctor. gives me headache sometimes (admit it, you do also?) some are almost like an asystole and v-fib handwriting, but of course i question the order, to the point that sometimes i look annoying or slow in front of MD.

like this one, its my first time to BT. the px bp is in 160/100 but severely anemic and has DOB. i referred to the rod before i transfuse. and he made some orders, one of it resume bt give blah blah blah.... since i was expecting to read "postponed bt til have stable vitals." i question the order, and the MD looks at me with irritated face saying, "resume, resume. do you know whats the meaning of resume?" and i answered, are you sure doc? lol in funny way, good that he didnt slapped my face. haha

second, questioning order for antibiotics in pedia. the doctor who ordered it, made a wrong calculations, glad that i referred to the other ROD.

third, i read his order as cefuroxime but when i clarify its citicholine. believe me, he is the only one can understand his writings and that doctor is aware with it haha

sometimes, i encounter a dragon doctor that questioning a doctors order makes us shaky (im in a country where people are too polite and passive, here in asia).

i'd like to hear your aggressive funny inspiring stories when questioning order. in that way, will add to my courage to question the not so friendly and not smiling (doctors) doctors order. yeah yeah i know that its our right to question and must make clarification, but believe me, it takes time to take courage if you gonna ask a snob and unapproachable MD!

just having hard time to deal with it.

stories and advise will be greatly appreciated..

thanks :)

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

I just ask them to translate, I can't read Arabic....

Seriously, I question their literacy levels! Surely they didn't go through school with handwriting like that? Any examiner would take one look at their answer papers and award them a big fat ZERO!

[ar.en.greta]

hahaha.... i think arabic is much better than their hand writing.. your so brave to asked! :)

whats theyre response?

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

Well, most of the docs I work with I have known for years, so I know that funny squiggle is Ringers Lactate Il 8 hrly, and d/c when stable.

But there is one surgeon whose handwriting is really terrible! And when I trotted out that "Arabic" line, he grabbed the script out of my hand... only to realise he couldn't read his own handwriting!

Lucky the anaesthetist remembered his orders and was able to figure it out!

[ar.en.greta]

hahahaha thats horrible! he cannot even remembered what he wrote...

we have this MD, everytime i make clarification with the orders, because i cannot understand what he is writing, he will blame it to the pen! hehe poor pen...

[GHGoonette, BSN, RN]

hahahaha thats horrible! he cannot even remembered what he wrote...

we have this MD, everytime i make clarification with the orders, because i cannot understand what he is writing, he will blame it to the pen! hehe poor pen...

Heh heh, must be one of those new miracle "self writing" pens...

Maybe he bought it from Harry Potter....