Sanity is madness put to good use. – George Santayana
Now Serving Crow at the Nurses Station
27Oct2008 Author: Mother Jones, RN
(Warning: This is a rant. I don’t hate all doctors. Just the ones who walk around with their heads up their butt.)
Wow, look at this doctor. He looks full of himself. I hoped he likes eating crow.
I’ve met a few doctors over my thirty-year career that need to learn some manners, especially when it comes to dealing with nurses. Most of these doctors treat nurses like appliances, but once in a while you meet one who treats nurses with outright contempt. Fortunately the universe has a way of putting pigheaded doctors in their place.
Karma is a nurse’s best friend, and doctors who treat nurses badly will eventually end up dealing with Karma’s wrath. This usually takes the form of the big, “Oh my God, the nurse was right and now I look really stupid” moment. These moments happen frequently when doctors don’t listen to nurses and we will stand in line at the nurses station just to watch the doctor squirm. Note to pompous doctors: Nurses are with your patients around the clock, so it behooves you to listen to what we are saying. Swallow your pride and suck it up. I know my colleagues and I are “just nurses,” but we’re there to keep your patients safe, and in the process, we cover your butt and keep you from getting sued. And while we’re on the subject, I also want to invite doctors who come from countries who don’t respect women in the first place to became more Americanized when dealing with nurses in the workplace. Seriously people, I’m really tired of being treated like trash because you view women as second-class citizens.
Remember, nurses hold grudges and we have long memories. We also know many ways of serving you crow the next time you walk into the nurses station.
9 Responses to “Now Serving Crow at the Nurses Station”
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Disclaimer
There has been a lot of chatter in the blogosphere about medical bloggers and HIPAA regulations so let me make this very clear: I write composite stories about many different people that I've cared for over the years.
Nurse Stella
October 27th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I used to work at at a large teaching hospital where the senior residents told the med students and interns just that. “Nurses cover your butt, prevent your mistakes and prevent you from being sued. Piss off a nurse now, and the rest of your career you will pay for it.” (I loved that resident!)
Jean
October 27th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
OMG!! I used to HATE the little snots that treated us like idiots, especially when they were busy killing patients in the ICU.. And, yes, we can make your life hell.. and I have on occasion.. usually they learned their lesson from it, though.. Most residents learned it pretty quickly, but some… the foreign ones I ran into at the state mental hospital were pretty good about listening, for the most part.. I was lucky, I know!! Of course, I only worked there for about 6 or 8 months..lol
Scott
October 27th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Very good. SOME doctors are real petaQpu’! (Klingon curse) But some are very nice to their patients, and I would imagine that would carry over to the nurses, too. I am sorry that some people think you are a “lesser” person because you are a woman! I don’t!
Leigh
October 29th, 2008 at 12:21 am
When I was just getting started in my career as a nurse, I remember overhearing a doctor speaking to one of the new interns. What I heard was this, “Don’t worry, the nurses aren’t going to let you kill anyone.” It was encouraging to know that the facility I was working for had physicians that trusted the nursing staff. We are in fact the ones that spend the most time with the patients.
Beth
October 30th, 2008 at 10:23 am
Here-Here!!
Strong One
October 30th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
AAAAHHHHH-MEN my dear. A-M-E-N
Toni Brayer, MD
November 2nd, 2008 at 2:01 am
I love nurses in general and do believe medicine is a team sport and we are all on the same team. Of course, I’m a gal so that might make me more egalitarian and less ego driven. I’ve met some of those same doctors.
dragonfly
November 2nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
Only a very stupid doctor would do this….unfortunately stupidity and malignant personality disorders are not screened out on all medical school admissions
NPs Save Lives
November 2nd, 2008 at 9:27 pm
I have posted many times about the fact that we all need to respect and work with each other for the good of the patients. All medical professionals be them NPs, Docs or nurses need to remember one thing.. One day we will all be in the receiving end of the health care system. Treat others how you would want to be treated.