Why?

Published

Specializes in Oncology, radiology, ICU.

To the Dr. that yelled at me yesterday I ask you why? Why do you think that it is alright to hang up if you are kept on hold for more than 30 seconds after I had you paged 3 times with no response? Do you not realize I am in with my patient who is having crushing chest pain and it takes me a few precious seconds to assure my patient that I would be right back and to then walk to the front desk? Why do you scream at me when I failed to do what you think I should have done? I am not a mind reader and being a cardiac nurse is new to me, I was not aware that I could just order a stat EKG and that I must do this before I even called you. You blamed me for wasting 10 minutes having you repaged but what about the 30 minutes you wasted before you even called me the first time. Why do you treat me like dirt on the bottom of your shoes, I am human I have feelings and I am not perfect? I was doing the best I could do and trying to help a scared patient that was suppose to be an outpatient and had no orders, not even medications. I'm sorry you were on call and this happened 1 hour before you were off but you know it was during my shift change too. Your attitude is one of the reasons I question being a nurse.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Don't ever let a crabby doc force you off your intended path.

We have all had them snipe at us, and to be honest, I wouldn't want their job. But it is just that, their job, they did the work to get there, they chose the path, they get the paycheck. So basically I say "suck it up" to the docs. (Not actually, but you get my point).

I tend to be very sensitive to comments from other co-workers, but when it comes to docs as long as I know I am calling them with an absolute need, I let it roll off. However, the worst comment I got was from a nephro I paged once. (Nephro is notorious at our hospital for being a PITA due to them not getting many night calls).

I called him to ask if I could give a renal failure patient an Ambien (I think it was around 10pm, maybe earlier). We have a lot of on call staff, so when the call came in I didn't catch if the secretary said it was the doc I paged or an on-call. So after I got the order I asked him to repeat his name. He proceeded to lay into me about not knowing who I paged. I just politely said "we have a lot of on call staff and I wasn't clear on who I was receiving a call back from". I stiffly thanked him and hung up. Now we all know he could have just cleared up any question by saying "this is Dr. So-So" when I answered the phone, but for some reason they seem to think saying "yeah, what" is more appropriate.

I know its frustrating, and to be honest it is perfectly fine to be mad for a bit. They can definitely treat us like trash on occasion!

:icon_hug:

Tait

PS. I have also noticed (as I am 8 months new at my job) that as the docs get to know you, they understand (especially at night) that you are calling for a reason, not just cause you need someone to chat with. :)

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Sorry this happened to you, consider it a learning experience. If you are new to cardiac nursing you need to ask the CN, HN, your preceptor just what you do in a case like this for furure reference. Apply 02, get stat EKG, and cardiac panel are what comes to my mind. If your policy is different, then commit it to memory. Oh, and get an IV access. If you have to give IV meds because the patient goes into arrest, it is best to do it while there is still some vein access. No good MD would have any reason but to think you were doing good nursing care and would sign the orders for these procedures if you wrote them as TO, VO, unit PP.

Good luck and remember, docs are men/women and can be jerks like everyone else.

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I am sorry this happened to you also. I am a new grad nurse and I just started my first job this past week. I was pleasently surprised to learn in our nurses orientation that we have a doctors complaint page that we can go to and make a complaint about a doctor. We were told to be very objective, and not put any emotion into our responses and just say exactly what happened. This form will then go to the CEO of the physicians and will be addressed that way; our manager also gets a copy. I think that is a great tool for nurses to use, as we are advocates for our patients and only trying to do what is best for them. Try and make a suggestion to your manager about putting some sort of policy like this in effect, maybe that could help. Good Luck!

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Specializes in Tele, Acute.

(((((((hugs)))))))) for you dream.

Is'nt this place wonderful, you can vent and get it all off your chest. Sure wish that doc could read your post. Shame on him!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

Anytime someone yells at you, whether it be a doctor, nurse or tech etc., take it with a grain of salt. Don't let anyone demean you. If they start tearing into you, walk away. Don't let anyone make you feel like you are a bad nurse.

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Wow!! I love people who thinks the sun rises and sets on them!! NOT!!!I am sorry you had to deal with this. You are the better person and you looked out for the safety and well being of your patient before you made a daring move to the phone. Kudos to you!!

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sorry this happened to you. poor nurse-physician relationships are one of the many reasons nursing retention is a serious problem in some hospitals. physicians are looked upon as the "money generators" and nurses are still considered chopped liver. thank god some hospitals administrators -in more advanced facilities- are slowly getting around to addressing these issues.

at one hospital i worked in 3 strikes against a physician and he was put on probation for abusive behavior. the first strike was a verbal warning, and then seconds a written, and the third....well, i never had the opportunity to see that happen.

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Specializes in Oncology, radiology, ICU.

Thank you everyone. I did have the charge nurse and another nurse involved in the very beginning who, while I was calling the Dr.'s exchange, got vitals, placed the patient on oxygen, and administered the first nitro pill. I also want to add that this Dr. passed it off onto another Dr. without giving me any orders, 15 minutes later the nurse who took my team was on the phone again because the patients condition was worsening. The patient still had the IV access from the cardiac cath the day before so at least I didn't have to stick them again. I know I did my best and I know I put the patient first. I am not the only one who has had this particular Dr. snap at them. I know now that I will do a 12 lead ECG then worry about getting an order later. Cardiac is not the perfect fit for me and I know that this will not be where I stay long term.

On a side note, at my previous job I had one particular Oncologist who every single time I called him would scream at me then slam the phone down in my ear. It never failed. He wouldn't even acknowledge me when he came to the floor. The unit manager at the time made me file an incident report on numerous occasions. I am no stranger to abuse by a Dr. and I am not one who was ever afraid to make that 3 a.m. call after all they chose the profession. Most of the time I have had no problem sadly it's the bad experiences that stay with me.

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Specializes in ICU, Paeds ICU, Correctional, Education.

Unfortunately many doctors don't learn social skills because they spend most of their formative years with their heads in books. Their training makes them prescriptive and people become objectified, particularly their patients and those that they see beneath them.

I'd love to see this one in a social situation outside the hospital. I bet he'd have a really hard time talking to people.

I was once managing a patient with severe chest pain in a cardiac unit. The consultant arrived with his registrar and could see I was busy but chose to go into another patient's room and press the emergency bell. I rushed in to find them sitting there and laughing at me in front of the patient. He said "See that got her here". He stopped laughing as said in a stern voice,

"I expect to be accompanied when I see a patient" showing off. I said, "I am attending to a really sick patient, I'm sorry but today you are going to have to find someone else to hold your hand. Please don't misuse hospital emergency equipment again and excuse me but I have to get back to my unstable patient or the next emergency bells you hear might be real". The patient gave me a knowing look as the consultant tried to make out like he was having a joke. I said "Sorry but I don't have time for this and you are lucky I also don't have time to make a report of your behaviour". Later the patient congratulated me. After that the consultant treated me with professional respect.

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Specializes in ICU.

it always saddens me when i hear stories like this - when you have doctors who respect rn's, pt care is collaborative , but when you get those docs with the gi-normous egos, it makes me think that the pt care is just not the same.

cheers to the doctors who don't hang up on us, and listen to the very serious reason why we paged them -:beer:

and to all those others; get a clue!!:banghead:

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