Attendings, fellows, and residents desperately need to learn the Prime Law of Respect: "To get respect from others, you must first show it *to* others". Don't bitch, get defensive, lie, or behave in a demeaning and/or derogatory manner when we ask for clarification of or, heavens forbid, actually *question* an order. It is our DUTY, as nurses, to act in our patients' best interests and if that includes questioning orders or suggesting alternatives then so be it. More than once, this bedside nurse has caught errors that, if carried out as written, could have been harmful or fatal to the patients for whom they were ordered.

And as for "disruptive behavior", I could tell you stories of things that I have seen, or heard of, about bad/out of control behaviors by physicians that you simply would not believe: Sexual harassment and inappropriate touching of female staff; verbal abuse; blaming nurses for changes in patient condition over which they had no control or influence; making threats; throwing bottles, sharps and/or bloody gauzes at nurses, fellows, or other hospital staff members; insane screaming rampages, accompanied by the trashing of areas in nursing units in a fit of rage, all carried out in full view of visitors and patients. I'm sure that this list could go on and on, with my fellow nurses adding in their own unpleasant experiences...

Physicians often feel free to act in a completely inappropriate manner because they bring so much revenue to their respective hospital systems: They're tolerated due to the fact that they're "money makers", and thus worth keep and pandering to at all costs. Nursing staff is often made to be powerless to act upon these inappropriate behaviors / actions due to fear of reprisals from the "higher ups". After all, we're replaceable but "Dr. XYZ" is not... It's sick and wrong, but it is a fact of life in such circumstances.

Anonymous _RN Said

Physicians often fee free to act in a completely inappropriate manner because they bring so much revenue to their respective hospital systems: They're tolerated due to the fact that they're "money makers", and thus worth keep and pandering to at all costs.

I totally agree as working in healthcare I saw this many times, it's all about the money...Clinic owners or Top administration choose doctors based on the amount of revenue they generate for

the facility they even offer marketing money to doctors to advertise themselves as long as they do procedures at their hospital's or their out patient surgi-centers facilities. This is all passed to patients/insurance company resulting in unneeded procedures, and higher premiums for all people. Some of the top area's of abuse is "pain management" basically same as a shot of novacaine will wear off fast and costs thousands of dollars.

It's also this sort of behavior that leads to experienced nurses leaving the hosptial for other aspects of nursing or leaving the profession althgether. I know I am quite happy no longer being in the hospital arena.

yes, well, there are jerks in medicine.  It is the duty of the team to assure excellent and safe patient care, so raising concerns is certainly valid.  However,  I would suggest some of you nurses go to medical school, then work the wards for awhile...take a walk in the MD shoes.  Then report back.  The perspective will be quite different I assure you!