Should I do anything about being yelled at?

Nurses Relations

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Just wondered what everyone thought about this. The other night I worked I had an elderly patient whose main issue was blood loss and heart related issues. Her daughter accompanied her and when I was admitting her to the floor and going over what we were going to do (the dr. ordered catheter, etc) (daughter is POA), the daughter said "she just needs the units of blood, I don't want you to place catheter!". So I said "OK let me check with the dr. and see if he has any objection to that." (This was a hospitalist admit, and it was nighttime so the night shift hospitalist was the contact). I called him and he asked a few questions and said "no problem d/c the catheter order". At no time during the report from the ER was there mention of acute kidney issues so I thought everything that I was doing was ok.

Then in the morning, the day shift hospitalist that wrote the order came in and started yelling at me at the nurses station during nurse report. It was very embarrassing. In short, she said "What sort of intelligence did you use to decide to not place a catheter on this pt?" I told her the story above and then she started yelling more saying "I can't believe that you would not do this order, you can't just rely on the night shift dr., they don't know what's going on with the patient. It was up to you to educate the pt about why it was necessary." I was so stunned I didn't even think to say until the dictation came up at 2 am and labs came up I didn't even know that this lady had kidney issues. But I did say, "the daughter was very upset about what occurred in the ER, so I didn't want to push the issue."

The dr. then said "what do you think? Do you think this is Burger King, we don't just give the patients things their way, we have to be smart and explain to them why it's needed because they have no clue".

Anyway, I get that I should have pushed the catheter issue more. But, after the yelling and after she left some of the other nurses were like "Gosh I'm sorry that happened to you, etc., I would have done the same thing." What I am wondering is if I should personally talk to this dr. about how I wish she had talked to me away from eyeryone else or if I should complain to my manager. what do you all think?

Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.

Hospitalists work for the hospital, just as nurses do. They are bound by the same rules, even if they have MD, PhD and any other letters of the alphabet behind their names. Commuter has the best answer for inappropriate behavior (my PICU manager encouraged this approach as the behavior was unprofessional), and yes, this person needs to be written up.

The POA is a bit of a sticky wicket, but sometimes when one is not feeling well, even though A & O, they may decide to let their POA speak for them (don't feel to great about this, though).

My former facility has a "decision tree" regarding the use of catheters. There must be a clear, justifiable need for placement to introduce another source of infection to a patient.

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Just wondered what everyone thought about this. The other night I worked I had an elderly patient whose main issue was blood loss and heart related issues. Her daughter accompanied her and when I was admitting her to the floor and going over what we were going to do (the dr. ordered catheter, etc) (daughter is POA), the daughter said "she just needs the units of blood, I don't want you to place catheter!". So I said "OK let me check with the dr. and see if he has any objection to that." (This was a hospitalist admit, and it was nighttime so the night shift hospitalist was the contact). I called him and he asked a few questions and said "no problem d/c the catheter order". At no time during the report from the ER was there mention of acute kidney issues so I thought everything that I was doing was ok.

Then in the morning, the day shift hospitalist that wrote the order came in and started yelling at me at the nurses station during nurse report. It was very embarrassing. In short, she said "What sort of intelligence did you use to decide to not place a catheter on this pt?" I told her the story above and then she started yelling more saying "I can't believe that you would not do this order, you can't just rely on the night shift dr., they don't know what's going on with the patient. It was up to you to educate the pt about why it was necessary." I was so stunned I didn't even think to say until the dictation came up at 2 am and labs came up I didn't even know that this lady had kidney issues. But I did say, "the daughter was very upset about what occurred in the ER, so I didn't want to push the issue."

The dr. then said "what do you think? Do you think this is Burger King, we don't just give the patients things their way, we have to be smart and explain to them why it's needed because they have no clue".

Anyway, I get that I should have pushed the catheter issue more. But, after the yelling and after she left some of the other nurses were like "Gosh I'm sorry that happened to you, etc., I would have done the same thing." What I am wondering is if I should personally talk to this dr. about how I wish she had talked to me away from eyeryone else or if I should complain to my manager. what do you all think?

If a physican has a *problem* with how you practice nursing, that is one thing and she/he is perfectly within rights to question. However under no circumstances should you tolerate being "yelled at" or any other sort of verbal abuse. This is NOT the 1900's or 1960's for that matter.

Agree with the other responses; this doctor needs to be put on notice her behaviour was inappropriate and out of line.

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Specializes in none.
If a physican has a *problem* with how you practice nursing, that is one thing and she/he is perfectly within rights to question. However under no circumstances should you tolerate being "yelled at" or any other sort of verbal abuse. This is NOT the 1900's or 1960's for that matter.

Agree with the other responses; this doctor needs to be put on notice her behaviour was inappropriate and out of line.

She needs that check up from the neck up.

Or She might need changing or

a swift kick to her nether regions

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