Comments on: Showing Respect for Your Colleagues

By: Jessie Mae Hendrickson

Jessie Mae Hendrickson — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:52:32 +0000

I like tip #4 in this article. I am not in the medical field but I was looking for a respectful way that my son can communicate to me when he thinks I am not really listening or hearing him. So I think I will adopt tip #4 in that he can call my Mrs. Mom during those times and that will be my cue to stop and listen or at least tell him he was heard and have a conversation about it.

By: Kay Yantz

Kay Yantz — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:54:35 +0000

Having worked in an acute care hospital setting for many years, I have worked with many physicians and health care professionals. Sometimes a physician who believes that others are “ignorant” and don’t know what should be done in a situation, is actually the one who does not know! We had a physician who repeatedly ordered certain treatments for patients with diagnosis “X”. These treatments had been shown to be ineffective and inappropriate for this diagnosis by the medical research in the preceeding five years. Different staff members tried to discuss this with him and he was given the research articles (which he threw away). At wits end, we finally asked if he would provide an educational session for staff on the treatment of this diagnosis. He agreed, and at the very beginning of his presentation announced that he had discovered that he had been using inappropriate treatment and proceeded to educate us on the treatment we had been recommending all along! I think you should have asked Dr. M to make sure that he was up to date on the latest evidence based practice himself, before assuming that he was correct in his assumption that others were ignorant and lacking basic skills.

By: Barbara Clough

Barbara Clough — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:47:03 +0000

I am a nurse who works with a doctor just like Dr. M and I’d like to give my perspective and how I approached my “Dr. M” successfully. I had a “Crucial Conversation” with my “Dr. M” and talked to him about how each of us on the team has something valuable to offer to the team, we all bring different strengths. I also talked about how the doctor comes with a wealth of knowledge he acquired through his years of schooling, that we don’t share. I asked him to stop and think of us as his patients and to treat us with the respect he gives his patients. I also reminded him of the ultimate business rule of never saying anything negative to colleagues in front of other team members, and especially in front of patients. I reminded him that regardless of how smart or stupid people are, everyone is entitled to be treated respectfully.(We did actually have a good conversation, just telling my part) He has been great since our talk, and actually came up to me 2-3 wks later and told me “thank you for talking with me that day!”

I hope this doctor realizes that if he is dealing with older nurses, they were trained to just bring the facts to the doctor and the doctor makes all the decisions and does the thinking. Or they might be retaliating because he’s treated them disrespectfully in the past.

By: David Maxfield

David Maxfield — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:18:19 +0000

This is a tough one, right? I think what makes it so relevant is that we want to do the right thing, but then–in the heat of the moment–find ourselves violating our own best intentions. The key to doing the right thing in the heat of the moment lies in a.) cuing, so that you can prepare yourself; b.) establishing a plan or rule in advance, so you know just what you’ll do; and c.) PRACTICE! With time, the right actions will become more automatic.

By: Grizzly Bear Mom

Grizzly Bear Mom — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:59:54 +0000

Reading the Dr’s letter made me wonder if his colleagues were too tired to do the right thing. Also, is the doctor a perfectionist, or are they threatening the patient’s health? If not, let it go. If so, say something appropriately.

By: Eric J

Eric J — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:32:09 +0000

On my commute home last night, I was mentally working through the same thing the MD was experiencing when a little voice inside my head asked me “why do you think you know so much more than they?”. Then seeing the reference to Maslows Competence model (“consciously competent” to “unconsciously competent”) this morning reminded me that pride slips in between these two levels and can wreck everything if I let it. Timing on your article was spot on for me. Thanks you. Good read.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:42:34 +0000

My mother, a woman full of wisdom, told me “two wrongs don’t make a right.” It sounds like Dr. M. is justifying his behavior by using his colleagues who “don’t know basic skills.” As a reformed perfectionist and overachiever, I understand Dr. M’s frustration all too well. However, sustaining this attitude will only alienate you from people. You do have to change your stories. If you can clearly see the “ignorance” of the situations, then help your colleagues by sharing your knowledge and opinions. Let them know how much you care. Apologize quickly when you blow your fuse. You will need to master your stories if you want to build meaningful relationships with your colleagues. Doing these things will help you build a better team and improve patient care. Best to you!

By: Bill Peoples

Bill Peoples — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:38:12 +0000

As an medical professional that has experienced many crucial conversations…or lack of, I feel compelled to comment. I applaud the writer for recognizing that the lack of showing respect can “make the situation worse”. As the study “Silence Kills” shows, these responses lead colleagues (especially nurse/physician relationships) to delay/prevent communication or toward “out of scope practice” that can harm or kill patients. Years of subservient roles and gender domination in the medical professions have led to a culture that can no longer be accepted, in a taxed healthcare system we find ourselves in. Patients are sicker, shortages of nurses and physicians increase demand on individuals, and quick availability of treatment, drugs..etc; along with the push to move patients through faster demands that we hold crucial conversations daily with each other. There is little time to discover and correct errors before they already occur.
As we all master our stories, we realize that many professionals do not feel that they are infallible and really do care for the patient as an individual. Just as many professionals are not “ignorant” of basic skills.. but still have to follow protocol and practice by calling the others at night for what seems like basic intervention. All professionals live on a sliding scale of knowledge, experience, and critical thinking; and we should be sensitive to this.
I like the recommendation in enlisting support, given by the MD; except that as an RN, I would typically have to turn it around and revert to addressing the MD by first name when a signal was needed. I found this to be more sucessful…of course as a male I can get away with it.

William Peoples BSN
Clinical Education Coordinator

By: Rebecca Atwood

Rebecca Atwood — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:08:38 +0000

I applaud this physician. As a nurse, I haven’t had the experience of working with too many physicians who really try to have productive relationships with their staff/colleagues. Secondly, I really like the approach of the anesthesiologist who requests folks call him by his professional name if he is inappropriate. My husband adopted this approach long ago (we just had our 36th anniversary!) by calling me by my Mom’s first name when I get obnoxious. I think it’s only been 3 times that I can remember that he had to resort to this! But this worked!!