Why do doctors do this to me?

[qqu9569]

I love my job. I love nursing! I've done just about a little of everything.............and the one thing that has burned me out over the years hasn't been the patient load or the pay or my fellow nurses or administration or the crazy families or the hours, etc....It's having to deal with doctors. Right now I'm a charge nurse on a med surg floor-I can honestly say all the other aggravations of my job don't hold a candle to the physicians who come in to yell at me specifically about a nurse calling them at 3 am for a tylenol order (for example). I feel for the doctors- I sure wouldn't want to be awakened for that-but I can't be here 24 hours a day! I wish that the MDs would direct their ire at the appropriate parties for a change.........anyone else having this problem?

[larniegrl]

The best responses I've had...

"Are you going to call me about this all night." (3rd call, BP still 158/110)

"Just order whatever you want." (thought that was funny)

"No, the answer is no, and don't call me again." (first call by the way :))

My favorite: 1st call

"I wrote for that already." MD

"No, you didn't, I looked through the whole chart." Me

"I wrote it, I'm not giving that order again. You have to find it...click." MD

2nd call (30 seconds later)

"I looked for it, its not there and he needs it." Me

"FINE...click" MD

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Regardless of how "stupid" the reason for the call, it's better to call than to wing it. As others have already mentioned, it's unacceptable for a doc to yell at any of the staff. The way I see it: If you don't want to get calls in the middle of the night, don't admit to a hospital. Pts are going to have needs at all hours. It's the nature of sickness. As a physician, he/she should be well versed in this.

*** the way I see it is, if I got paid what the physician is getting paid you could call me every night.

[#1ME]

I think a huge part of the problem with MDs yelling at or down talking to nurses, is that the nurses accept the treatment. I can't stand when I hear a fellow nurse being berated a doc (when he/she was not even in the wrong), and then hear the nurse say, 'sorry' or 'thank you.' Nurses need to stand up for themselves, respectful, but firmly. I remember hanging up the phone on a doc that was being rude. I mean, why sit on the phone and take verbal abuse?

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

Having just finished my Med-Surg I rotation, I'm glad that the hospital I was assigned to for clinical basically had standard orders for every patient. Unless specifically contraindicated for some reason, every patient had orders for PRN Acetaminophen, Maalox, Milk of Magnesia, Colace, and Zofran, and the vast majority of patients also had PRN Xanax, Norco, Ambien, and (for those with a hx of loose stools) Immodium.

The only two times I can remember a nurse on my pod having to call for a drug order was a situation where the patient's potassium was through the roof (needed orders for kayexelate) and a situation where a terminal pancreatic cancer patient's narcotics were ordered PO and she was having nausea/vomiting issues (needed IV pain meds ordered instead).

Seems like if docs don't want to get calls for "stupid" orders that we need, they shouldn't be so stupid as to forget to write the orders in the first place.....

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

I love my job. I love nursing! I've done just about a little of everything.............and the one thing that has burned me out over the years hasn't been the patient load or the pay or my fellow nurses or administration or the crazy families or the hours, etc....It's having to deal with doctors. Right now I'm a charge nurse on a med surg floor-I can honestly say all the other aggravations of my job don't hold a candle to the physicians who come in to yell at me specifically about a nurse calling them at 3 am for a tylenol order (for example). I feel for the doctors- I sure wouldn't want to be awakened for that-but I can't be here 24 hours a day! I wish that the MDs would direct their ire at the appropriate parties for a change.........anyone else having this problem?

Yes. I am a med surg nurse and all the time doctors come up to me and start complaining about something I have nothing to do with as I am not that patient's nurse and never have been. but i guess we all look the same anyway................

[aloevera]

Yes. I am a med surg nurse and all the time doctors come up to me and start complaining about something I have nothing to do with as I am not that patient's nurse and never have been. but i guess we all look the same anyway................

HA, HA, HA, HA, HA................ they don't care who they yell at, or when or why..........it is in their genetic make-up....the trick is, to put a stop to it immediately !!!! Calmly, ask them how you can help them at this time??

DO NOT TAKE THEIR ABUSE.....PLEASE......IT IS UNCALLED FOR............:heartbeat