5 NURSING TIPS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULT DOCTORS

Just like nurses, not all doctors you meet along the way are perfectly perfect. Some are exceptionally good while some have idiosyncrasies that can even get to your nerves. When we say ‘difficult’ doctors, we simply pertain to those doctors that are hard to deal with and make your stay in the hospital a daily punishment instead of fulfillment. Their bedside skills might be flawless but in terms of dealing with nurses, especially the new ones, it’s hard to figure out this kind of ‘difficult’ doctor. Though not all doctors are classified under this category, its imperative for a nurse to step up if she meets one to ensure safe and quality patient care. To help you out, here are 5 simple tips on how to deal with a difficult doctor:

1. Think before you act

If you know NCP, then you already know the drill: assess before doing anything else. Are you feeling mad to this doctor because you associate him/her to someone who hurt you in the past? Are you a naturally sensitive person who reacts negatively with every criticism hurled to you? Are you angry because you’re being taken for granted or because the doctor crossed the boundaries and abused you verbally or sexually? You have to ask yourself  first these questions for you to know if the doctor is REALLY being difficult to you or you’re just simply annoyed to his/her personality.

2. Have a flexible personality

As a nurse, it pays to have the “people skills”/”social skills” or the ability to adapt in any situation no matter how obnoxious the people are. In the Philippines, the term pakikisama is already part of the culture that’s why Filipino nurses are known worldwide as unique and very likable employees. In a hospital setting, a nurse must learn to accept that not all people (patients and co-workers included) will act according to her standard because every individual has a unique personality that might clash with another. The same goes with difficult doctors; nurses must know how to survey the scene and know more about this particular doctor so necessary adjustments can be made. And sometimes, it is the nurse that is being difficult and not the other way around.

3. Prove your worth

If you’re new and the doctor is not thrilled to work with you, so be it. Every successful nurse must start with no experience at all and work her way up.  You should not expect an expert doctor to welcome you with open arms and immediately establish a smooth working relationship with you. Remember: you haven’t proven anything yet so why on earth should they highly respect you? Don’t be hurt if you’re new and doctors criticize you openly for your mistakes and take you for granted most of the time. Master your craft, study hard, work your ass off, and prove them you’re a nurse to keep and respect. That is, if you’re a newbie, but if the rift persists for years, then that’s a problem already. Perhaps you lack the will to cultivate a good working relationship with the doctor or you fail to establish yourself as a nursing leader with equal competencies to take care of the patient.

4. Communicate effectively

Here’s the rule: don’t ever use the doctor’s irritating lack of concern to you as an excuse to forget your own duties as a nurse. You owe your professional license to your patients and you must perform your responsibilities no matter what. If your doctor doesn’t like to talk to you, initiate the conversation and establish an open communication about your patient’s conditions. Assert yourself as a nurse with an equal responsibility for your patient’s recovery. Remember that a nurse-doctor relationship should always be a teamwork founded on mutual respect and open communication. The idea that the doctor is the boss and the nurse is the follower/subordinate is an insult to the nursing profession itself. Doctors will never learn to respect nurses if nurses don’t even know how to do it to their selves.

5. Report the behavior when necessary

There are certain cases wherein a written complaint is the best way to set limits and stop the doctor from abusing a nurse verbally or sexually. If you were successful in assessing the situation and feels like your rights have been violated, then proceed you must in filing a detailed report of the incident. Response to a difficult doctor is subjective so you always choose how you will react in this kind of situation. Whatever it is, learn to OWN your choice and always stand for what you think is right.

TOP 5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD DATE A NURSE

Valentine season is fast approaching and I’m sure it’s every couple’s agenda to make their Valentine date as memorable as possible. And while the rest of the pack is thinking that nurses have  no time for this romantic meeting of two, our very busy nurses think otherwise.

They might be dedicated in doing their daily Nursing tasks but they still have their own definition of “love-life balance” intact. So if you’re planning to date one, don’t be discouraged but be thrilled even more.

Why? Simply because a nurse is one heck of a lover and a person who will always bring special treats and surprises  on the table.

Here are the top 5 reasons why you should consider dating a nurse:

They can be the best cure for your hangover and the most adorable first-aid provider in town.

Are you going to date a nurse? Well, I’m gonna throw all my worries and stresses away if I were you.

No need to fret hangover because an expert will be on your side and ready to give you effective ways to get over it. Of course, your dear nurse will know first hand that coffee is not the best cure for it so you better be passive and play the patient role.

Furthermore, if you or someone on the other table accidentally choke during your date, your dear nurse is so ready for the adrenaline rush that he/she will be done doing Heimlich maneuver after a few seconds.

You don’t need to fear for other spur-of-the-moment incidents because you have your own nurse ready as usual for anything that might come your way. Remember, nurses didn’t get those first aid certifications for nothing.

 You won’t hear “Eeeewww”  when they see blood or disgusting body fluids.

For a well-exposed nurse, blood and pus are commonplace that they already think of squirting blood as something boring. Show your wounded blood to your non-Nursing friends and they will surely puke; show it to your nurse-lover and you will have your wounds cleaned and dressed like its a work of art.

Nurses are always on the go and open for new and exciting things. So if ever you have a broken heart, feel free to approach a nurse and he/she will mend it for you like its the most special emergency case.

They wont be disgusted by your toilet habits.

You don’t have to pretend to be Mr. or Ms. Perfect when you love a nurse. Believe me, they have seen all imperfections that a typical human being has to offer; name it, a nurse has encountered it.

You can even fart while with a nurse and she will just answer it with a smile. A nurse looks at a person as a whole and provide holistic care despite that person’s flaws and bad habits. A good nurse is a nurse  that is not judgmental so if you are dating one, just be yourself.

 They can be your own personal Google/medical dictionary.

Dating and loving a nurse give you a lot of advantages. One of these is the fact that if you’re lost with medical terms mentioned in Grey’s Anatomy, confused with what’s written on your doctor’s prescription, or in a serious search for the definition of Hirschsprung’s disease, you don’t need to look any further. Your own nurse is willing to answer almost all your medical questions as detailed as possible.

Of course, they don’t know everything but at least it will save you a serious amount of time.

They are great listeners and counselors.

Nurses are not robots programmed only to give medications and assist doctors. They are compassionate people ready to talk to every patient regarding their situation and give some pieces of advice that are vital for their swift recovery.

Just so you know, this is what nurses call as “therapeutic relationship”. The good news is that if you love or dating a nurse, you already have your own personal confidante, friend, and counselor ready to catch you every time you fall. It might sound so cheesy but nurses have all the qualifications to take care of your heart and emotions. They are willing to give a part of their selves to people they really love and care about.

If they can do it to their patients, there is no reason for your nurse not to willingly do it for you.