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RN's asking Dr.'s for medical advice

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1 Just my rant, opinion. I hate it when co-workers ask doctors for medical advice or even to write prescriptions for them!!!! This is while both are at work at the hospital.

A nurse will stop a doctor at the nurses station or in the hallway and ask for a prescription for such and such or ask about that pain in their foot that has been going on for several weeks, or whatever!!!! I cringe and start grinding my teeth.

I've never heard this response but I wish the doctor would say. "Sure, take off all your clothes so I can do a physical assessment and I will be glad to assess your condition or write that prescription!"

Nothing I can do about it, just letting off steam here!
IDK, sometimes if they have worked with e/o for years -- professional courtesy... If something needs a little more investigation they'll say so... at least in my experience. ONLY to be done on the rare occasion eg sinus infection

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I think it is also waaaay unprofessional to do that. I work with surgeons who I am also friends with outside of work, and I NEVER ask them to do anything like write me a script or look at something that is bothering me. If I DO have a problem that is bothering me, I will tell them what it is and then ask them who I should make an appt with.That being said, if one of them were to ask me to take their pressure or to change their dressing or to read their PPD, I will do it. I know that they would examine me if I asked them to, but I think that it is awkward and I would rather see them in clinic.

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Personally I think there's more important things to worry about and I don't see how it's any of your business. I couldn't care less if someone wants to ask a doctor for some personal advice as long as it doesn't interfere with patient care. I mean come on there has to be some perks in this job right?I had a lump in my neck that I was worried about and one of the anaesthetists got out the ultrasound machine and had a look at it for me, turned out it was nothing to worry about. It saved me money and potentially taking time off work to have to get it checked out.

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I don't have a problem with it at all, it's called professional curtesy. On several occasions I'd be working and my regular doc would come in to do rounds and I'd ask for refills on my regular meds that took her all of 2 mins. I also did some minor procedures on her that would have been how shall we say embarrasing if she'd had to ask a doc she worked with to do it. Of course this was all in a rural area and having to drive hundreds of miles to the next doc is not an option very often.

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Count me among those that a) see nothing wrong with this practice and b) suggest you mind your own beeswax.Emergency rooms are plugged up enough with people simply needing an Rx refill, or an Abx for a mild infection, or pain meds for a toothache, are we supposed to be among those contributing to excessive wait times and bleeding the poor system dry? I think not. Professional courtesy is just that. A courtesy amongst professionals. We have inside connections, we might as well use them.

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Intellectually I understand professional courtesy and "perks". But still I think those nurses should be making appointments with their primary MD's. I think doctors are busy enough with their own patients to not be bothered with this stuff. I think it is my old school, "doctors are IMPORTANT and shouldn't be bothered with petty stuff" hang up. As to minding my own beeswax, yeah, but I just happen to be in the same room, area, where this takes place, not like I am eavesdropping or snooping, they do it blatantly in front of anyone who is within listening distance. I would LOVE to not hear this go on! My dentist is concerned about my teeth grinding!!!!

Comment:
Quote from brownbookIntellectually I understand professional courtesy and "perks". But still I think those nurses should be making appointments with their primary MD's. I think doctors are busy enough with their own patients to not be bothered with this stuff. I think it is my old school, "doctors are IMPORTANT and shouldn't be bothered with petty stuff" hang up. As to minding my own beeswax, yeah, but I just happen to be in the same room, area, where this takes place, not like I am eavesdropping or snooping, they do it blatantly in front of anyone who is within listening distance. I would LOVE to not hear this go on! My dentist is concerned about my teeth grinding!!!!

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FYI, it's not just your coworkers.My mother is a pediatrician, and all of our neighbors seem to know it. One family brought their 4-year-old daughter over while we were eating dinner so that she could look at the fingers, which were fractured. Everyone at church, the kids' soccer games, even the subway picks up on the person who is carrying a pager.

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We've been told we cannot specifically go to the ER doctor to ask for a prescription but if we want to ask our own PCP or one we work well with that is fine. The doctor can always say no. I think of it as a professional perk. Once I was working and talking with a co-worker about my son who was home with a bad sinus infection. One of the docs was sitting close by writing orders. He left and came back several minutes later with a whole bag full of samples of antibiotics, cough med, and antihistamine/decongestants. I thought that was very nice indeed!

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I hate to do it myself, but I did once when I had a baby with an ear infection, couldn't get into PCP, and really did NOT want to present to an ER with a baby with an ear infection only to have her get heaven knows what in the ER. I also live in a rural area with no walk-in clinic and 100 miles from the nearest big city. Bless the doc; he gave me a script for antibiotics for my kiddo. I thanked him profusely and let him know I hated to ask, but felt I had no other good options. But as a rule I will not ask. I just see it as being respectful of professional boundaries. But that's just me. This same doc has other nurses I work with constantly asking for medicines, etc., and he doesn't seem to mind, and if he and they are good with it, good for them.

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I don't see a problem with this. I trust the docs I work with and most times I have seen them notice a sick staff member and ask if they can help.

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tencat, (I hope you don't have ten cats?) I think your situation was perfectly appropriate. And there are many times when it is appropriate. I even asked a doctor for advice once. I woke up with the inner white part of one eye bright red with blood. I Googled it, it didn't seem to be serious. An ophthalmologist happened to be in the locker room while I was changing. I asked her what she thought, she said, oh it is nothing, normal, these things just happen. But even with that I felt, feel, embarrassed that I bothered her!!!I guess it is just me????? Some character flaw I have that I HATE to be a bother to people!!!!!!
Author: jone  3-06-2015, 16:54   Views: 1028   
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