Ok, I am a nursing student in an RN program and we are currently on rounds at a local hospital. I am also the daughter of a physician and RN, who was taught from a very young age to speak up about things, in a professional manner.
Scenario in point, I was on rounds at the hospital and we were at the nurses station setting up meds and a conversation is starting between 2 doctors who involve us in the conversation. My senior nurse instructor is standing with us doing the meds and hears the whole thing transpire.
Doc 1 says, "Nurses around here have it easy." (my ears burning, mouth is shut)
Doc 2 says, "Yeah, I don't know why they don't prioritize better. If they did they would not have so many complaints about so many things and tasks would be completed." (mouth still shut, face red, glaring at my instructor who is giving me the "PLEASE don't say anything or I will kill you look.")
Doc 1 says, "I should come down here and do my own rounds." (I laughed out loud thus involving myself into a now volatile situation)
Doc 2 turns and says, "Young lady are you alright" (now I could take the moral low road and just lie and say I was talking to my friend) Not me, LOL.
Nursing student (me) says, "I heard your conversation and was little surprised is all." (Nursing instructor is now bright red and praying I am not going to say what she already knows I am)
Doc 1 says, "Oh, what about our private conversation was surprising"
Nursing student says, "My dad went to med school and is a physician and he didn't tell me they had nurse training while they were there" (Nursing instructor slaps her forehead, blinks 400 times, and runs off to find a body bag for me)
Doc 2 chokes then says, "Well I went to medical school and I can surely do any nurses job. Besides you're a student you can't possible know things as of yet.
Doc 1 is standing with his mouth gaping open, speechless.
Nursing student says, "I am sure these nurses would appreciate some assistance. BTW I have to give meds out, would you like to help"
Thus resulting in both of them shaking their heads and walking away.
Now, I realize this conversation could have, and probably should have went a different direction, but it gives me sunburn on my ass when I hear doctors say things like that. Of all places, in FRONT OF the nurses station. That is adding insult to injury. Most of those nurses standing around weren't going to say anything, for obvious reasons, but the idea that they have to put up with that nonsense is enraging to me. I am a foolish nursing student, but I don't believe what those docs did was right, professional, or even tolerable. The fact they BELIEVE the things they were saying was a laugh.
Anyways, do you all have to listen to Docs speak that way on a regular basis?
I've found your experience very interesting. Your answer was politicaly correct and polite. Of course, such comments are inapropriate and unprofessionnal. For next time,and wait until you graduate, I suggest you write a letter to the doctors' boss (Especially if if he is a resident) to expose the situation. NO ONE should accept this attitude from no one, if the doctors don't respect you, there is NO reason for you to show respect. You are not just a nurse, you are a health care professionnal and should be adressed as such.
Please don't listen to those who suggest you to shut up and accept, NEVER SURRENDER!!
The real problem is there are two types of people in any situation who can speak their mind. The bosses and the complete and utter peons. Everyone in the middle has to be "subordinate" to the boss-types and "set a good example" for the peons.
I should know. I am a peon. I am an admissions clerk, on the night shift, in the ER. I am the single and only person who can issue/merge/transfer/admit/discharge account and unit numbers,play superdetective for these peoples families, demographics and insurance in the entire 6 floor 17 department Level 2 Trauma center.
I get yelled at nightly by patients, family,nurses,techs,doctors...anyone with an axe to grind calls census/admissions. BUT...I love my job. Because when someone is out of line, I can call them on it, and produce paperwork to prove it. I'm on a first-name basis with most of the night staff all over the hospital, they know who I am and where they stand. Sure, they can report me to my supervisor when their ego gets in the way. But I'm a paper-pusher. I make mediocre wage in a high-turnover department. I've outlasted the average employee by 600%. But without me, they would have to a) deal with someone who's been there 20mins and has no idea what they are doing yet or b) Paper chart. (yes I know those two words is the equivelant of cursing at medical staff)
So unfortunately (and my Mom is an ER nurse of 22 years so I've heard all of it) I know the nurses have the worst of it. They are man-in-the-middle. Patients don't blame Docs, then they don't get drugs. They can blame me all day long, but I can't do anything about it. (except..you guessed it...get a NURSE)
So hats off to you all, and all the techs, docs and ignorant patients that think they can do your job in their sleep...lets just see what they say when you literally hold their life in your hands.
Disappointed in your instructor....hopefully you won't work in that hospital after graduation! Thanks for asserting yourself in the name of us all!
Ok, I am a nursing student in an RN program and we are currently on rounds at a local hospital. I am also the daughter of a physician and RN, who was taught from a very young age to speak up about things, in a professional manner.
Scenario in point, I was on rounds at the hospital and we were at the nurses station setting up meds and a conversation is starting between 2 doctors who involve us in the conversation. My senior nurse instructor is standing with us doing the meds and hears the whole thing transpire.
Doc 1 says, "Nurses around here have it easy." (my ears burning, mouth is shut)
Doc 2 says, "Yeah, I don't know why they don't prioritize better. If they did they would not have so many complaints about so many things and tasks would be completed." (mouth still shut, face red, glaring at my instructor who is giving me the "PLEASE don't say anything or I will kill you look.")
Doc 1 says, "I should come down here and do my own rounds." (I laughed out loud thus involving myself into a now volatile situation)
Doc 2 turns and says, "Young lady are you alright" (now I could take the moral low road and just lie and say I was talking to my friend) Not me, LOL.
Nursing student (me) says, "I heard your conversation and was little surprised is all." (Nursing instructor is now bright red and praying I am not going to say what she already knows I am)
Doc 1 says, "Oh, what about our private conversation was surprising"
Nursing student says, "My dad went to med school and is a physician and he didn't tell me they had nurse training while they were there" (Nursing instructor slaps her forehead, blinks 400 times, and runs off to find a body bag for me)
Doc 2 chokes then says, "Well I went to medical school and I can surely do any nurses job. Besides you're a student you can't possible know things as of yet.
Doc 1 is standing with his mouth gaping open, speechless.
Nursing student says, "I am sure these nurses would appreciate some assistance. BTW I have to give meds out, would you like to help"
Thus resulting in both of them shaking their heads and walking away.
Now, I realize this conversation could have, and probably should have went a different direction, but it gives me sunburn on my ass when I hear doctors say things like that. Of all places, in FRONT OF the nurses station. That is adding insult to injury. Most of those nurses standing around weren't going to say anything, for obvious reasons, but the idea that they have to put up with that nonsense is enraging to me. I am a foolish nursing student, but I don't believe what those docs did was right, professional, or even tolerable. The fact they BELIEVE the things they were saying was a laugh.
Anyways, do you all have to listen to Docs speak that way on a regular basis?
Ok, I am a nursing student in an RN program and we are currently on rounds at a local hospital. I am also the daughter of a physician and RN, who was taught from a very young age to speak up about things, in a professional manner.
Scenario in point, I was on rounds at the hospital and we were at the nurses station setting up meds and a conversation is starting between 2 doctors who involve us in the conversation. My senior nurse instructor is standing with us doing the meds and hears the whole thing transpire.
Doc 1 says, "Nurses around here have it easy." (my ears burning, mouth is shut)
Doc 2 says, "Yeah, I don't know why they don't prioritize better. If they did they would not have so many complaints about so many things and tasks would be completed." (mouth still shut, face red, glaring at my instructor who is giving me the "PLEASE don't say anything or I will kill you look.")
Doc 1 says, "I should come down here and do my own rounds." (I laughed out loud thus involving myself into a now volatile situation)
Doc 2 turns and says, "Young lady are you alright" (now I could take the moral low road and just lie and say I was talking to my friend) Not me, LOL.
Nursing student (me) says, "I heard your conversation and was little surprised is all." (Nursing instructor is now bright red and praying I am not going to say what she already knows I am)
Doc 1 says, "Oh, what about our private conversation was surprising"
Nursing student says, "My dad went to med school and is a physician and he didn't tell me they had nurse training while they were there" (Nursing instructor slaps her forehead, blinks 400 times, and runs off to find a body bag for me)
Doc 2 chokes then says, "Well I went to medical school and I can surely do any nurses job. Besides you're a student you can't possible know things as of yet.
Doc 1 is standing with his mouth gaping open, speechless.
Nursing student says, "I am sure these nurses would appreciate some assistance. BTW I have to give meds out, would you like to help"
Thus resulting in both of them shaking their heads and walking away.
Now, I realize this conversation could have, and probably should have went a different direction, but it gives me sunburn on my ass when I hear doctors say things like that. Of all places, in FRONT OF the nurses station. That is adding insult to injury. Most of those nurses standing around weren't going to say anything, for obvious reasons, but the idea that they have to put up with that nonsense is enraging to me. I am a foolish nursing student, but I don't believe what those docs did was right, professional, or even tolerable. The fact they BELIEVE the things they were saying was a laugh.
Anyways, do you all have to listen to Docs speak that way on a regular basis?
I thought the comment was quite funny and applaud you for speaking up. I don't think anything was said "Out of Line" that had already been said by the doctors. If the doctors were talking privately, they wouldn't have been degrading nurses in front of the nurses station.
They were nurse-bating, silly fools with nothing better to do than knock the very people they depend on for their patients' care in hospital. Given the scene painted, they thought they'd one-up the instructor with a little instruction of their own, believing they could stop the fray about understaffing (as if it would.....).
On another level, I imagine being the daughter of a physician and a nurse made you think those professionals are godly. I'm sure your parents have had an earful since New Years' Eve day, when you first posted, and I hope they suggested that you "get real". People in our professions are like anyone else with some education and not a lot of tact. LET IT GO!!
A WISE PERSON KNOWS WHEN FOOLS SPEAK, AND KEEPS HIS/HER OWN COUNSEL. Why grace those comments with any? That was a scene straight out of "Nurse Betty", the movie. Learn to stay on a peer level with colleagues in all walks of life, and don't dignify nurse-baters with a response in kind!.
You wanted to get the point across that you're the daughter of a physician, and you did, now leave it!
My nursing instructor would have had me out the door!! You are not an employee of that hospital and you made things worse for the ones who work there all of the time. Very unproffessional on your part. You have to bite your tounge in this world. If you plan to speak up every time you hear someone put a nurse down, you are going to be doing more talking than nursing. You can't change people, you can only change how you react to people. All doctors do not feel that way toward nurses. You will see good and bad. You have to remember that when you graduate, the nurses that are helping you in school are going to remember you and that could reflect down the road on your getting a job. Everybody knows everybody in the medical field and when you do things like that, it sticks in the minds of people that see you do these things. It's all about attitude. Learn from this mistake.
I don't care if it's a nurse, a doctor, a janitor, a patient, or a patient's family member. It's called being an adult and acting like one. The OP is not responsible for confrontational fears that the other nurse may have on that unit, or their choice to take the abuse. It called manners. The work you do should be done with professionalism. The abuse or insensitivity of one adult to another has nothing to do with professionalism, rather how the OP responded to a degrading conversation.
I agree. Believe me when I say that as far as nursing culture goes, we have to choose our battles carefully in order to do our jobs well.
Perhaps it's time to stop choosing our battles so carefully. Doing so hasn't made any great changes in the nursing culture as far as I can see. No MD would allow a nurse to get by with critiquing the way he does his job, so why should nurses?? We are educated professionals who deserve to be treated better, but until we force the issue it won't happen.
I have found that MD's are just like nurses, some crude and rude, others helpful and nice, some are jerks and some are not. I have learned the hard way to be cordially pleasant interact as little as possible with the negative ones and pray for them while having a friendly exchange with the others. One answer to his snide remark "our private conversation" would have been "I'm sorry, but we must have different definifions for Private. Did you intend to be rude or was it by accident?"
Ummm... being a professional nurse among doctors does not mean you have to be "subordinate".
Missy
I have been a nurse for over 23 years and I am not subordinate. This suggests you are under the physician. Instead we are collegiate. They are not nursing experts. If more of us were subordinate we would all be much better off. Many times throughout my career I have had to discuss with physicians how they did not know my job as well as I did. Physicians are not experts in nursing. Nurses are.
1. Do you want to come back to the call room with me after your shift.
2. Get me a pleurovac and not one nurse in the ER knew what he wanted but whom? Me, the new grad. I went and found the thoracic drainage system. How many times do docs and nurses have arguments with each of them each calling the other names - just because the hospital they last worked at called the device by another name.
We currently have a doc (resident and know it all) that told us that we were all trying to be doctors. The patient was disoriented, restless, throwing legs arm and 1/2 a body out of bed and this smart aleck tells us that "he will let us know when the pt is agitated" If it would have been my patient, I would of sweetly asked him to please keep him in the bed. We wrote him up over that, and a few other unprofessional remarks that was made that day.
kakyrnmontreal
1 Post
I've found your experience very interesting. Your answer was politicaly correct and polite. Of course, such comments are inapropriate and unprofessionnal. For next time,and wait until you graduate, I suggest you write a letter to the doctors' boss (Especially if if he is a resident) to expose the situation. NO ONE should accept this attitude from no one, if the doctors don't respect you, there is NO reason for you to show respect. You are not just a nurse, you are a health care professionnal and should be adressed as such.
Please don't listen to those who suggest you to shut up and accept, NEVER SURRENDER!!
Have a great carrer colleague!
K.:igtsyt: