Subservience to the docs

[amarilla]

Hi all,

I could really use some advice. I've been a nurse four years or so; a few years on the floors and about 18 months in the ED. I started a second job a few months ago for more hours and am contemplating whether to stay or to go - help me decide?

Hospital is suburban and much less busy than my current inner-city job. Flow is good, patients are nice enough. Problem: the nursing culture here is so subservient to the docs; I've really never experienced such a thing, especially in the ED! Docs want nurses to wait for orders, won't hear suggestions and sometimes seem to plain refuse to act, even when patient or family is standing right there at the desk. I've witnessed a few situations already that resulted in poor outcomes and am wondering how I can do my job if we're not on the same team. Before anyone asks, yes - management is painfully aware.

Any advice appreciated.

[Dragonnurse1, ASN, RN]

Hope you have moved on to better and greener pastures. I have not had the kind of experiences you have described with Doctors except once in 9+years and he was on the phone. Good luck!

[skylark, BSN, RN]

It very much a US thing, when I work in the UK we are all one team, and even order shared pizza!

But only you can decide whether the situation is likely to risk your licence or whether you can work on the docs and their attitudes.

I'm much older, and can challenge a pious doc by saying that I have a son their age, which tends to piss them off!

I will also tell them what I am doing, I guess they don't mess with me anymore.

"Pt has an accucheck of 350 doc, I'm going to hang a bag of saline if that's ok with you, and do you want insulin at this stage?"

The more experienced docs are always better at team working, its just insecure ones that can't seem to do it.

You just need to stay calm and state your concern and ask for their orders.

But if it feels unsafe because they are failing to order, then you likely need to look for another job or be prepared for a long cultural battle.

Good luck!