Smear tactics now being used in American business?

[Loge23]

Regardless of how we feel about a particular administration, American culture - in many segments - is influenced by the behavior of the present administration.
Case in point: The other day I heard first hand about a situation in a corporate-owned, for-profit, hospital. As pointed out recently by the WSJ, nurses and other hospital personnel are increasingly hesitant to question unusual, or potentially harmful med doses issued by doctors. The reason often given is that the physicians will strongly object to their judgment being questioned. Of course, every case is different and sometimes the off-the-curve order is warranted. But, nurses have their own licenses on the line in carrying out these orders.
In this case, an order was questioned, the physician reacted belligerently, and the hospital administration falsely accused the nurse of unprofessional behavior.
Life imitating politics!
Not the first time, or industry, that I have seen this type of thing happen.

[melody]

1. The doctor is probably a sociopath

They manipulate the power structure through false information and intimidation.

Tim really should pay me for the number of times I post this link :) but it really comes in so handy when discussing GOPhers and their ilk.

http://www.bullyonline.org

This has a lot of info about how to defeat them.

[Loge23]

5. Great website, thanks! (eom)

[randr]

2. I would argue the opposite is true

Corporate organizations, and that is what hospitals have become, have always played chicken shit politics over seniority. Kissing ass is the norm.
Recently the corporatization of our government has occurred, I might further argue by the increase in corporate money and influence on the political parties.

[Loge23]

6. good point (eom)

[Vektor]

3. Happens at my facility all he time.

One of the sad pitfalls of working in health care. Massive egos, God complexes, and profit driven behavior that is not in the best interest of the patients. A reasonable and prudent RN stands his or her ground no matter what. Eventually word gets out you aren't to be bullied. It can take a while. Sad it has to be that way. It's SUPPOSED to be about the patient's needs, right?

[Loge23]

7. Indeed !

While I am not a health care pro, I agree completely. The RN is often the last line od defense for the patient.
So too in businessm IMO. The true business pro should always approach the job as serving the customer's needs. Yes, make some money while you're at it; but always keep the need in front.

[Vektor]

9. And to be fair -

A good number of professionals DO look out for the needs of their patient/customer/client the way they should. Sadly, those proverbial "bad apples" REALLY do profoundly spoil the bunch.

[MuseRider]

4. Been there, done that.

That is the job of the nurse, to be an advocate of the patient. There were not infrequent times when we would call in the middle of the night and the physician, being awakened, would say something stupid. (Don't ever call me in the middle of the night and expect me to make sense) Some were belligerent but you NEVER give something that you know is dangerous or incorrect. Do they not have someone for the nurses to call? We often had physicians who would do things like squirt stuff on you if you questioned them and one in particular who was fond of grabbing our stethoscopes and wrapping them around our necks. ICU can be very intense and the personalities can be too but the first call of a nurse in a situation like this is to protect the patient no matter what.

[Loge23]

8. Good job!

If I am ever hosptial bound, I hope I get a nurse with your integrity and caring attitude.
The teller of my little tale also related how some nurses will actually make up their own dosage as an alternative and administer that instead. Yikes!!
You mentioned calling someone. In this case, the RN (actually an ARNP) immediately contacted the nurse manager of the floor. That's where the sliming began!

[MuseRider]

10. It has been a long time

since I was a nurse, I went part time in 1985 after my second son was born and then ended up quiting all together for a number of reasons. Things have changed a lot. We had nursing supervisors there on every shift to back us up in many ways and that was one way they did back us up. Usually it was not a real problem, it just required reasoning with the Doc. Occasionally you just had to refuse. After they got over their mad they would realize what they had said and that was it. They are human too even though some of them do not want to admit to that. Nurses check what they do, Docs check what the nurses do and the various other professions involved check us all. That is how it should work, team stuff instead of all this superiority crap. ICU is different (especially those of us on the night shift) because many times we had to handle things on our own because when they happened they happened quickly and required immediate attention so we were never shy about questioning something that seemed off base.

One of the reasons I quit was this kind of stuff. They were constantly looking for more ways to boost the bottom line. Mostly it was to take away from the patient and the "lower" staff. When they started serving the Docs in their own restaurant lobster with women dressed in little tuxes and locked the doors to the rest of us and then started buying cheap equipment for us to use on our patients I just knew it was never going to be the profession I had started in. I know about those lovely things because my husband was one of the Docs and he LOVED the new service being provided for them. It really burned me up. It was at first the best and most loved job I had ever had. The entire structure has changed in most places now and I would never leave anyone I know in a hospital alone again.

[Loge23]

11. thanks-

Your story about present-day nursing is one that I've heard from several nurses. Many have moved on to other professions. I believe that the essence of a good nurse is caring. The for-profits seem bent on ridding nurses of that quality.