Heard of it, but had never seen it happen ... until today.
Had an MD get all excited when I decided to talk to him about adequate pain control for his patient: I had taken care of her for several days and long story short I believe her pain is (ignored) not controlled. (One percocet Q6 prn and this lady screams when we dress her cellilitis-afflicted leg, as well as move her horrifyingly 10+++ edematous feet). I mean this MD is hateful, and appears to just dislike this lady.
Anyhow, I am trying to get him to address it and he starts up in his loud voice, ranting about how she is a faker and a baby, and when I hold my ground about the need for adequate pain control he takes me by the shoulders and shakes me a little and continues his rant about how when she is snowed and obtunded then I will be calling him whining that she is unresponsive, I see from the corner of my eye the whole staff including floats and clerks lined up behind me with their arms crossed. He backed up and said "I'm not mad at you, just frustrated.", so I responded, "I am frustrated too." After a little faceoff she ended up with some new orders...heh.
Now this guy is well known to be a loudmouth and unfortunately unpleasant, but I was never scared and did not feel physically threatened at all (cause I could kick his scrawny butt across the nurse's station in a heartbeat!) but I was greatly heartened by my fellow nurses having my back! So for all the negative posts about backbiting, here is one on the other side. I have known the folks on my unit would cover me if I needed it, and stand next to me when I need it, but today I got real proof and it was a great feeling.
On the other hand I still would have filed a variance for him touching me and shaking me. That is not appropriate behaviour.
Any doc who laid a hand on me would find himself talking to the cops.
Glad your co-workers supported you, but please fill out an incident report on this. He clearly has poor boundaries; what's to stop him for striking a nurse the next time?
PANurseRN1
1,288 Posts
Any doc who laid a hand on me would find himself talking to the cops.
Glad your co-workers supported you, but please fill out an incident report on this. He clearly has poor boundaries; what's to stop him for striking a nurse the next time?