What would you do?

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I came on to shift the other day and right when I walked onto the floor I got handed over a patient that I had taken care of a few month ago that I was quiet familiar with. He was a parkisons patient, full nursing care and lots of work. Anyways, when I was getting handover I was looking in his chart and he didn't have a medication chart. The girl handing him over said that he never had one- he had been here 3 days with no medication chart? I told her that she needed to get a medication chart for me. She said that she couldn't find it and paged the doctor. Though, she paged the doctor under my name and said that he would be calling back soon.

Great, now this was on me. Dr. soon called back. and this is one of the great (haha kidding) ones that we all dread calling. Anyways, I answer the phone and am greated by, "what do you want". I tell him that I need him to write up a medication chart for this patient. He told me that he has already done that and I am wasting his time. He told me that he isn't writting another one up and it is my fault that it is lost, and then i got the oh so friendly, "nurses are useless". and then he just hung up.

eventually the other ward found his medication chart, but nothing had been signed for the past 3 days. So I looked back in the notes and nurses had documented- "gave regular medications instructed by pts wife". I filled a incident form.

But, question being...do you have doctors like this? this doctor is constantly out of line and is terribly rude to all staff. how do you deal? and it isn't like managers aren't aware, everyone is aware. sometimes they get banned from the ward, but, they always end up coming back....

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Neuro, Ortho, Med/Surg.

I had to page a doctor the other day, who returned my call. He was so rude to the secretary on the phone that you could hear him yelling. I got on the phone, and I gave him the patient name. He said, "I know who he is" in his fast, rude tone. Well, I proceded to spill it all out really fast like him, and he said he would be coming to see patient soon. I was not rude, just went along with his fast talking self, assertive, but still professional...and my patient's advocate (most important). When he came to the floor, he was as nice as he could be. Do not let them know they have got to you is key as well. It happens too often. They get paid to be on call! They have to deal with it. It is like what would have happened if I would not have called! You would still probably be rude and complain.

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Specializes in Pedi Rehab,Pediatrics, PICU.
They get paid to be on call! They have to deal with it. It is like what would have happened if I would not have called! You would still probably be rude and complain.

LOL! We should all adopt this viewpoint. Shoulda been my motto!:yeah:

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Row, row, row your boat, gently down the stream; Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream. Of course, your mieage may vary. We had a surgeon whom a nurse had testified against. He would only see his patients during AM report. We'd walk into rooms and knew he was there because an NG tube, chest tube, or foley cath would be on the floor beside the patient he'd just removed it from. Classy guy.

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

I'll bet this is seriously outside hospital policy. Sounds like two issues, first the Med list was misplaced, then the doc was an ass. If you're concerned about the first (and you should be) email your boss with as many details as can be documented and CC risk management, and your VP of nursing. This will force your boss to follow up (if that's what you want). Giving meds on the advice of the wife and not charting them according to policy is asenine! You took the right steps to protect your license.

As for the latter you could speak to HR about what should be done about the doc's comment. A lot depends on the employment structure, does the doc work for the hospital or not? There is no law on Earth than can make someone be nice. You have to be strong and not let the poor attitude of other people bring you down.

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Both situations should be written up. The lost med list (are you kidding me, 3 days?? Giving what the wife advises?? How is it that nobody calls on this for 3 days!! Scary.) And while I can understand in this case, the MD's frustration, it is still unacceptable to be outright rude and condescending. If this is a pattern with the MD, the management need to be constantly updated and made aware so that they finally get tired of it...and deal with it!

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Document: "Doctor XXXX advised that no medication chart is available for this patient. No orders given."

Alternately, enter "Stop wasting my time" as a verbal telephone order in the chart. You requested orders, and that's what you got.

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Specializes in Vascular Access Nurse.
document:

alternately, enter "stop wasting my time" as a verbal telephone order in the chart. you requested orders, and that's what you got.

i love it!!!:yeah:

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