during rounds, if your chief leaves a patient during mid sentence, and the patient starts getting very upset, do you:

a. follow the chief out
b. stay and listen to the patient +/- apologize to the patient +/- say what an ass s/he is
c. wait a few seconds to show support for the patient but not show too much insubordination to the chief
d. write up the chief for unprofessional conduct

i'm sure this kind of thing happens very often.

I've stayed behind to explain things to patients when they clearly didn't understand what the attending rattled off. I also did that once when the attending brusquely gave the pt a practially-terminal dx without any further discussion.

I'd definitely refrain from making any comments to the pt about the physician's behavior, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other ways to smooth things over.

during rounds, if your chief leaves a patient during mid sentence, and the patient starts getting very upset, do you:

a. follow the chief out
b. stay and listen to the patient +/- apologize to the patient +/- say what an ass s/he is
c. wait a few seconds to show support for the patient but not show too much insubordination to the chief
d. write up the chief for unprofessional conduct

i'm sure this kind of thing happens very often.

Are you just starting out your third year? Because from your tone, it sounds like you are very (and this is a good thing) sensitive to how your patients are feeling. However, I take issue with your judgmental tone towards your chief. Maybe he's a surgeon. Maybe you think he's the worst human being to walk the earth. Whatever. Before you get all high and mighty about how unprofessional the behavior was, or what an ass he is, try to understand how much he's juggling in his mind--he's running a service on not enough sleep and definitely not enough pay. When you can run a service and still be all sugar and spice to every tangential patient monologue, then you can judge.

As for what I would do, I would explain things to the patient and say we'll be back later to talk more.

no i am a 4th year, the chief is a surgeon but that is no excuse to be an ass. i have had many chiefs who had a larger census but never cut off a patient in the manner that this chief did. attendings i work with are delayed up to an hour or more in clinic but never just walk out of patient rooms like this chief did. this patient was relaying to the team how negligent the care had been overnight, and legitimately, i might add. she was on the verge of tears and he cut through our entire team and walked out as the rest of us stood there for a few seconds, just stunned at his behavior. now back to the original question...

I've stayed behind to explain things to patients when they clearly didn't understand what the attending rattled off. I also did that once when the attending brusquely gave the pt a practially-terminal dx without any further discussion.

I'd definitely refrain from making any comments to the pt about the physician's behavior, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other ways to smooth things over.always classy, drmom. good luck in your residency :)

I agree with the others in that I would say "c." As a matter of fact, I have done that often - stayed behind a few extra seconds to explain what the chief/attending had just said.

I agree with the others. I would stay behind to hear the patient out and try to explain what is going on to him. However, I would not criticize my chief or attending in front of him---no matter what kind of jerk I thought he/she was being. One of the guys in my class is rumored to have criticized one of the attendings when talking to a patient. The patient later confronted the attending about the issue, telling him what the student said. From what I have heard, the rest of the rotation became extremely miserable for that student!

during rounds, if your chief leaves a patient during mid sentence, and the patient starts getting very upset, do you:

a. follow the chief out
b. stay and listen to the patient +/- apologize to the patient +/- say what an ass s/he is
c. wait a few seconds to show support for the patient but not show too much insubordination to the chief
d. write up the chief for unprofessional conduct

i'm sure this kind of thing happens very often.

a

students should be seen and not heard . . . you definately do not want to apologize for somebody else's behavior or get into he said/she said pissing fights or bureaucratic process of discipline in the hospital environment; this is not ER

during rounds, if your chief leaves a patient during mid sentence, and the patient starts getting very upset, do you:

a. follow the chief out
b. stay and listen to the patient +/- apologize to the patient +/- say what an ass s/he is
c. wait a few seconds to show support for the patient but not show too much insubordination to the chief
d. write up the chief for unprofessional conduct

i'm sure this kind of thing happens very often.

A B or C (and definetly without saying what an ass he is). Under no circumstances d.

oh oh I know! I was studying behavioral science the other day, its C right??