7 tips for dealing with doctors…at night!

4. If a doc says to you, “Keep the patient quiet and don’t call me,” gently remind them that “keeping the patient quiet” so they can sleep is not part of your job description. Then follow up with a reminder you will only call IF necessary. Blow off the consequent rolling-of-eyes.

5. Have some mercy on the docs. Yes, they chose this profession. But just because they are on-call at night does not mean they have gotten daytime sleep like us night nurses. They have to keep office hours as well. So when they come out of their call room all disheveled, offer them some gum, a snack and/or a mirror before they see their patient. Doctors need kindness, too.

6. Don’t tolerate bad doctor behavior (i.e. docs refusing to do their job because of the late hour which DOES happen). Yes, it IS 2AM, but that does not give docs permission to act like 2 year olds when you wake them to do their job. Remind them when needed, and follow the chain of command if they continue to act out.

7. Develop a thick skin–docs take out their grumpiness on nurses. While not cool and often inappropriate, deal with it professionally and move on. You often can expect an apology during daylight hours.

I am always working on the relationships I have with the doctors I work with: I keep it professional, use SBAR, and I speak up for my patients and myself. It takes some backbone and some extra critical thinking due to the increased autonomy of night shift, but in time nurses learn how to deal with tired doctors while maintaining safety and professionalism.