So smart they are dumb?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I am about to start nursing school in two weeks but have been working at a level 1 trauma center as an EMT for almost two years and ask, how would you handle this situation:

I go to the 8th floor (women's unit) to pick up a patient. Upon arriving I introduce myself and get' no response from her. The care partner informs me that the patient only speaks Spanish. Before leaving the doctor walks in and asks could he have a few moments to speak with the patient which was no problem. He begins rambling off all kinds of medical terms in English at which point I look at him and say "she doesn't speak any English":uhoh3:. He pauses and then CONTINUES to ramble in English all the while this poor woman is standing there smiling and nodding because she doesn't know what else to do. The nurse walks in and states "she doesn't speak any English". HE then CONTINUES:angryfire to talk at this woman because he isn't talking to her, yet again, in English. Over a period of ten or so minutes the nurse and I repeatedly tell this doctor she doesn't speak any English to no avail. Finally the nurse is furious and steps straight into the doctor's face and growls "SHE DOESN'T SPEAK ANY F****** ENGLISH!" :yeah: Only then does he stop and ask the patient in spanish does she speak English to which she promptly answers no. He does not bother to explain what he was telling the patient in English to her in Spanish but instead just says nevermind and walks out. Am I wrong for wanting to strangle him? Or is this level of stupidity common and to be expected when I finally become a nurse?

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I've never had anything like that happen. Wow.

steph

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Specializes in ED.

Nah, your right, I guess he showed his @$$ and hopefully will listen the first time in the future.

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

Sounds like the doc doesn't understand English either.:rolleyes:

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So then that level of stupidity is unusual, THANK GOD!

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Specializes in Emergency Room.

that's almost unbelievable. apparently he just didn't care whether she understood him or not. and no, you should not expect this kind of behavior.

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

He was a jerk, and is atypical.

On the other hand, I've had lots of people claim to speak only Spanish, but when I'm fumbling for a word they will understand the English word and tell me what it is in Spanish! They just don't want to appear either stupid or uneducated by using their limited English, which just might be better than my limited Spanish. We tend to assume people understand more than they admit to, but we still go get translators for the important stuff.

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Explaining medical things to families falls into the "art" rather than the "science" of medicine.

I have worked with some amazing doctors who can explain medical treatments to people variable levels of education in ways that can be understood, and without talking down to people.

This doctor needs some brushing up on those basic skills.

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Sounds like the doc doesn't understand English either.:rolleyes:

LMAO...I agree:lol2:

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Man that's just frightening!

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

next time offer to get the interpreter phone (or whatever your facility uses). This guy is an immature jerk and not typical of healthcare providers. Hope she did not need to sign a consent!

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The scenario describes me sitting in Statistics class....

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