As a surgical nurse in the operating room these past eight years, I have been fortunate to work with some of the most gifted providers on this planet. Like no rose is without its thorn, not every surgeon has been a pleasure to work with. One question I am frequently asked on my travels assignments is: “How do you deal with surgeon’s attitudes?” I figured I would give some helpful tips but first, let me debunk some rumors as well. MYTH # 1: SURGEON’S ARE YOUR BOSS/CAN FIRE YOU FALSE: All OR staff are independent of the surgeon with the exception of Physician Assistants who are actually apart of a surgeon’s practice (sorry, PA’s). I’ve had heard of surgeons threatening the employment of colleagues many times, but this is about as true as pigs flying Surgeon’s typically complain to your supervisor or department head who can yes, ultimately fire you. But even then, your employer needs just cause to terminate you. This in some states requires more paper work and poses more legal ramifications. At the very most, if a surgeon does complain about you to your superior, you might not be allowed to work with them for some time. This tactic is not always wise because it can quickly backfire with the surgeon who becomes too fond of this strategy. MYTH # 2 SURGEONS YELLING AND OR THROWING INSTRUMENTS IS ACCEPTABLE FALSE: Physical and or verbal abuse is NEVER acceptable. Does it happen in the OR? Yes. I have witnessed surgeons throw instruments, and curse so much that they would make a sailor blush. All of that posturing is unnecessary and not what anyone should have to endure. At the very least, you should ask to be removed from a room if a surgeon is being emotionally and verbally abusive. If you can’t get any support from your supervisor, another recourse is to take your grievances to Human Resources. This is probably the last option one needs to take, but HR in theory is an independent unbiased group that can mediate if there is a lack of resolution on a unit. So What Can You Do? Rule #1 Know Your Stuff If Not, Speak up! Sometimes staff get thrown into a room with a surgeon and specialty that they are not familiar with. That is okay. From my experience, if you tell the surgeon straight up that you are not familiar with this specialty or their process, it can go one of two ways. They can either: A. cut you some slack and teach along the way or B. politely ask for a more seasoned coworker. Even if you get asked to leave the field, DO NOT leave the room. If you are willing to learn, a surgeon might notice that effort and next time, will be happy to work with you. Rule # 2 When They Go High, You Stay Low No typo, you read that last heading correct. Some surgeons tend to modulate their voices higher and higher to prove a point. If you match that negative tactic with a lower, softer response, it can potentially balance a surgeon’s is aggressive tone. Moreover, maintaining a cool head helps with keeping the atmosphere a lot less tense which is always a better option especially if there is a patient on the table. Rule # 3 Don’t Take it Personal This might seem pretty straight forward, but no matter how tough one may act outside, seeds of doubt might grow when being chastised from a surgeon. It is very important to realize that surgeons, *Spoiler Alert* are humans too. Most of the time their frustrations have nothing to do with one’s qualifications. And yes, sometimes anger might be projected inadvertently, but do not take it to heart. So long as there isn’t constant mistreatment or abuse, whatever is possible to let go, let it go. In conclusion, dealing with difficult surgeons can be a a pain sometimes, but sometimes it is as good as it gets. It is important to always see the bigger picture in all of this–patient care. You can help minimize unwanted outbursts by knowing your stuff, voicing your concerns when you don’t, and keeping the environment of the surgical suite as calm as possible. As long as you are being a proper advocate what anyone surgeons says is not that important. Lastly, you must protect your energy by not taking negative comments too seriously because you will need that energy to take care of your patients which is far more important. Source
