An old country doctor once told me that nurses are like cats. He said that nurses fight like felines and that it’s dangerous to step into the middle of a cat fight. He was a very wise man.

A reader left a comment over at Emergiblog in response to a comment that I left about the Amanda Trujillo case. I mentioned that some doctors I know think that the surgeon involved in Amanda’s case is a huge jerk and they are sympathetic to Amanda. In response, “T” wrote:

“These doctors that are watching this – where the hell are they? Why aren’t they speaking up? They’re too afraid for their precious fukking careers- the cowards!”

I think there are two things going on here. The first thing goes back to my old country doctor. Doctors traditionally stay out of nursing issues. They stay in their lane and let nurses duke it out amongst themselves. There is also another tradition. Doctors don’t bash each other in public. It’s hard to support Amanda without ridiculing the surgeon involved in the case. That doesn’t make them evil. That makes them doctors. They have their own code of conduct, and that’s just what they do. Doctors, I wish you would speak up. Nursing wants to hear from you. We’d like to hear what you have to say.

Talk to us. We promise we won’t claw your eyes out.

Meow!