Very worried, (very long)

[DSplendid]

I'm a tech/nursing intern, and this night, I had already worked 8 hours, but because we had gotten so busy, I didn't even realize, it was 2 hours past my shift. And I am in no way altering this story...

The ER looked like a war zone; patients vomiting in the isles (without basins), ambulances one after another, (a chest pain, a burn victim and a rape),angry families, and crying children. At this very moment, I had 2 blood samples in my hand to send off to the lab, documenting blood sugars, and had my name being called from every which way I looked (everything from needing labs,EKG's, to help with holding a child down for blood work). Everybody was running around at light speed, and I mean everybody, I even saw the cleaning lady running along side our MD, at one point. Now, every available phone line into the ER is ringing. The secretary can't answer because she is to busy on another line and putting in a mountain of orders. So, I grab it

Me - ."Blank ER, this is Jen, how can I help you. "

Caller - "Who is this?"

Me - "Jen "

Caller - Well this is Dr. so and so, ( I recognize the name immediately, a very big, big wig at our hospital). I need to know what floor pt. Joe Shmo is going to be admitted to."

Me - "All right,"

I look at the admission sheet, usually they have the room/floor & specialty next to their name. But of course, b/c of all the madness, its not there. At this very moment, another ambulance passes me by, I see a very large man, tripoding, cyanotic, and stating he is going to die. The EMT's are saying he has crackles up to his throat. Which, I believe, I can hear him gurgling, all the way down the hall. The nurse looks at me, in complete desperation...."Jen, I need you." No doubt for an EKG, cath and o2 set up. (the other tech, is running late from home, and every other nurse is taken)

Me - "Dr so and so, I see she is still here, can you hold so.....

Doctor - "Your not listening, did I ask you, if she was still there! I know she is still there, I asked you what floor she was going to.

Me - " I understand that, but I'm going to have to....

Doctor - "NO, you don't understand, if you did, you would have just answered my question, so now JEN, repeat after me, What,... floor,... is,... so and so,... going to!

Me - Dr. So and so, I don't know yet, I have to...

Doctor - What is wrong with you! I said, repeat what I said!!

Me - "You know what, come down here and find it your damn self! Click.

Yes, I hung up on him, didn't even phase me, went and helped the much deserving nurses, and patients. An hour later, as I was finally leaving, I heard the charge nurse on the phone...

RN - "Are you sure she hung up, she may have been disconnected.

Pause

RN - I'm sure there is an explanation...No, yes, uh huh,..ok, I will talk to her. I'll see if I can page the nursing supervisor.

A part of me, wanted to stay and talk to her about it, but I was so tired, and to be honest, I was afraid. Any other time in my life I wouldn't care. He was a jerk, and I stand by my actions. But, I'm a nursing student, and hoping to stay in the ER, once I get my RN. Which is very hard, they don't want to take new grads, ( I understand why). But, I've been proving myself and working hard, and have been told, I have a great shot. Now I'm worried, I'm worried, I may have just kissed my shot good bye. Furthermore, I'm worried about disciplinary action. Looking back, I am sorry, I was just so overwhelmed. I would have taken the few seconds to get him the info, but, when he said "repeat after me, " I just lost it. Here I was, still with the labs, in my hand and documenting, and looking at near death go by. And he was talking to me like a child....I don't know, what do you guys think? Did I just screw up my chance, will there be action taken? I know I din't endager anyone's life, but, what worries me is:

A: Saying damn to the big doctor

B: Hanging up, I mean looking back, did he really need that info, was she going for surgery, would she need a consult, was she being transferred out? Was this his mother?

P.S -Sorry so long., had to vent-

[DSplendid]

Hello, all....

Let me first say thanks so much for your responses. It made me feel so much better. I went in this afternoon, to speak with the supervisor. To make a long story short....

First, the charge nurse's phone call I over heard, was not about me, it was about an employee who never showed up for work, and when someone called her, she allegedly hung up on them. Anyway, I told her what happen, exactly as I told you all. First......she laughed,. then she said, this was the first time she was hearing of it, but not surprised. As some one posted, come to find out Dr. so and so, has enough incident reports against him to wall paper a small home. He once told the secretary to clean her ears out, b/c she must be deaf. He claims, he gets frustrated b/c people can't understand his British accent. (I don't buy it). However she told me, regardless, I don't deserve to be talked to like that, no one does. And all though, I didn't respond very professionally(at the end of the conversation), I should write up an incident report, for his behavior. I was honest, I don't want to make waves. If he didn't say anything, then I don't want to either. She told me it's not about making waves, its about not letting him get away with it. We agreed, I 'd talk more with the NM on Monday. As for next time or what I should have done was immediately bring it to her attention when it happened. She told me, this way she could have got on the phone with him and dealt with it right then. Well, after a good talk, her assuring my I was an asset to the department, and a few stories of her "bad acts," we both laughed, I feel better; and she told me:

"as for your punishment, your temporarily barred from answering the phone." lol

But serious, thanks all, you all really did make me feel better. And I have really learned from this.

[thumperRN]

HOORAY FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

:cheers:

[Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN]

Good for you. ERs need good nurses and it sounds like you're on your way.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I'm glad things are turning out well for you.

You didn't do anything I haven't done in the face of overwhelming circumstances, and frankly, if I were your supervisor, I'd have quietly asked you to step into my office, shut the door.........and given you a HUGE hug!!:chuckle That MD was being a pompous a** talking to you like that---he's the one who ought to be written up.

I agree with those who advised you to be proactive; it's almost always best to go to your manager first and 'confess' a mistake or an encounter such as you experienced, than wait for her/him to come to you. I've escaped several write-ups over the course of my career by going to my supervisor and saying "I made a mistake, here's what I did and what I'm going to do to fix it".

Good for you! You GO!!

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

Every ER nurse in the world has done that and we're all still here.

So very true. :chuckle

I'm glad everything turned out OK. Your manager sounds like a good one- you should keep her!

[steelcityrn, RN]

I would not worry about what happened, you can't change anything now anyways. Just tell them you were very busy and probably should have never answered the phone. I have met this jerk type of Dr before, and guess what, I started to like when he would try to intimidate me, lets just say I had ways of letting it backfire. We are too busy to play word games. So now you learned to never, ever pick up a phone with ten things going on and blood in your hand unless you know its going to be for you. Second, if ever stuck in that position again of trying to answer a question you do not know, simply say " the person who can help you will be right with you", place on hold, write a little note and stick right in front of the unit clerk on the phone. I have worked the ER before, this type of call happens often.

[babynurselsa, RN]

I personally have no problem ending a phone call to ANYONE who speaks to me like that. I once hung up on a chief of police 3 TIMES because he was verbally abusive and cursing at me. I simply told him that it was unacceptable to curse at me or speak to me in that tone and when he continued, phone call was over. Granted I make a point of not going to that town just in case he got my name. LOL j/k

[mom23RN]

I personally have no problem ending a phone call to ANYONE who speaks to me like that. I once hung up on a chief of police 3 TIMES because he was verbally abusive and cursing at me. I simply told him that it was unacceptable to curse at me or speak to me in that tone and when he continued, phone call was over. Granted I make a point of not going to that town just in case he got my name. LOL j/k

Wow!! Awesome job!! Did he finally get the hint???

I agree taht the minute the phone call becomes abusive I hang up. I don't have to take that from anyone and neither do you. :stone I would DEFNINITELY write it up.

[obliviousRN]

I would have no problem with you as my employee. You made a decision to end a harassing phone call and go back to caring for your patients. That shows that you know what your priority is. The patient.

I once told a doc he was being a "complete a$$hole" in front of a patient because....................well,.....................he was. Huge tirade, screaming, throwing charts, etc. He had never had a nurse talk to him like that and he immediately stopped, looked at me, and said "you know, you're right" and calmed down.

Now not every doc in the world would respond that way. I was lucky. But I have no problem telling someone when they're acting unprofessional. And I expect the same of someone else (if I'm being stupid, they need to tell me, etc.)

I've found that a lot of these Prima Donna Docs respect nurses more who stand up to them but the doc will run roughshod over the nurses who take their crap.

So good for you!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

I've found that a lot of these Prima Donna Docs respect nurses more who stand up to them but the doc will run roughshod over the nurses who take their crap.

I agree.

I had a doctor yelled at me one day, and i flat out said "just because things aren't peachy for you does not give you the right to rip me a new one, and i'm not taking it anymore." It was time for me to go home, so i walked out of the room. He apologized the next day. We get along just fine now.

[nursejennie76]

Sounds to me like you will make a great ER RN!!! You have to be able to stand your ground and prioritize!! I would have done the same thing, maybe sooner then you did!!!!