Wrote up a tech, did I over react

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pootcarr

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Busy day in ed. Ct scan was taking forever. My nurse tells me that the tech had told her that the reason my patients were not going to scan is because I was ordering too many and this was my punishment. I felt that was unprofessional so I sent in the official form and went about my day. I've never done anything like that before, usually I'll just let it slide

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Based on what you describe, that was an entirely reasonable response. But I can't help but wonder if the nurse didn't embellish a bit.
 
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I didnt hear him say it which gives me pause, but when the nurse told me she used the f word as in quote " that docotor has ordered so many ct today that is f-ing ridiculous ". She is a friend of mine and rarely if ever cusses so I figured it was legit. Regardless someone else can figure it out I suppose. I don't want to get involved with the he said she said so I let his superior know and went about my day
 
Seems like you should personally talk to someone before filing an official complaint, it's not clear that you did from what you posted...
 
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Patient care was delayed because a tech did not want to do his or her job. You did the right thing attending.
 
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Seems like you should personally talk to someone before filing an official complaint, it's not clear that you did from what you posted...

I did not do that. In retrospect I feel like I should have done so, but I did not know who the person was and just wanted the problem resolved.
 
Also to play devil's advocate, you don't say if the tech explicitly said they were intentionally delaying studies. The phrases you mention "I was ordering too many and this was my punishment" and " "that docotor has ordered so many ct today that is f-ing ridiculous" could be interpreted as pointing out the obvious fact that if you order a lot of studies, they will eventually get backed up and take longer to complete.
 
Well I left out the whole quote it was

He has ordered so many scans today. That's ridiculous. Let them wait.

Also when he was called out he said that he called over 3 times and was told we were too busy which is simply not true. Ct never called us. In my part of the ed I am well aware of who is calling and the nurses with me agree we were never called once let alone 3 times.

I think we can agree that he needed to be written up, the main question that I (and you :) ) astutely asked is should I talked to this guy first
 
Busy day in ed. Ct scan was taking forever. My nurse tells me that the tech had told her that the reason my patients were not going to scan is because I was ordering too many and this was my punishment. I felt that was unprofessional so I sent in the official form and went about my day. I've never done anything like that before, usually I'll just let it slide
When you don't employ your support staff, they definitely have a greater ability to work against you, rather than with, or for you. I don't think you were wrong in writing someone up for either obstructing patient care or at the least, an insubordinate and team-toxic attitude. Whether or not anything gets done about it, is a different story. If you or any of the other ED docs were writing the tech's paycheck, I guarantee you, the problem would be much easier solved.
 
When you don't employ your support staff, they definitely have a greater ability to work against you, rather than with, or for you. I don't think you were wrong in writing someone up for either obstructing patient care or at the least, an insubordinate and team-toxic attitude. Whether or not anything gets done about it, is a different story. If you or any of the other ED docs were writing the tech's paycheck, I guarantee you, the problem would be much easier solved.

I didn't think any techs were employees of EM physicians. So shouldn't this always be a problem no matter where you work? Except maybe a free-standing ED where they would be your direct employee.
 
I didn't think any techs were employees of EM physicians. So shouldn't this always be a problem no matter where you work? Except maybe a free-standing ED where they would be your direct employee.
Correct, at free standings. Also, for EPs that don't work in EDs, like myself.
 
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Seems like you should personally talk to someone before filing an official complaint, it's not clear that you did from what you posted...

I agree. She probably was just joking. Who would punish a doc for ordering too many CT's? It's not your fault the patients are there, unless you are ordering too many CT's on too few patients.
 
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Let it go. People say the craziest stuff, etc. Your life will be much easier to let these things slide off in the ED.

Also, before writing someone up (I have never done this and have been director for over 7 yrs), I would talk to them. Then talk to the charge nurse/supervisor/ED manager/ED director. They can write up their own employee.

They are not my employee, I dont pay them, I don't educated them..... If their supervisor seems fit, they can write it up.
 
In a normal organization with clear chains-of-command a strong "discussion" with the tech would be the best way to handle this the first time it happens.

However, you can probably count the hospitals where the above applies on one hand. Document, document, document, and send it on down the line. That is the only real way to handle it in this day and age. One of the reason docs get in trouble is that they are usually amateurs at the paperwork game. I think this way of handling things is .... not optimal. However, if they set the rules, then you are a fool not to play by them.

Plus I assume the OP used the magic words "patient care." Never make it about yourself, make it about the patients who were inconvenienced by the "penalty.'
 
I once went the route of talking with the person in question first, without going to their supervisor or writing them up. That person then filed a complaint against me, said they felt "threatened"....
 
I once went the route of talking with the person in question first, without going to their supervisor or writing them up. That person then filed a complaint against me, said they felt "threatened"....

You really shouldda left your brass knuckles at home....
 
i usually alert the person next up in my own chain of command - my director - if it's not time sensitive and/or a recurring theme.

if it is time-sensitive, i tell the person who is in charge of THEM - usually the charge nurse.
 
I once went the route of talking with the person in question first, without going to their supervisor or writing them up. That person then filed a complaint against me, said they felt "threatened"....

That's a good point you bring up, reminds me of some recurring advice I see in the self-defence world: Be the first to call 911.

The first one to run to authority is always the victim, no matter what actually happened...
 
As in sports the "second guy" always gets the "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalty.

As I said, in a rational world this is the sort of thing that should be able to be filled verbally in a quick conversation. However, we do not live in a rational world.
 
I probably would have kicked this to my director. I generally try not to address issues with ancillary staff because I don't supervise them. My director is very responsive and very reasonable, so I can generally trust that things will get taken care of.
 
That't outrageous regardless of whether or not you order "too many". It is not their role to decide these things and if these were sick patients, their intentional delay could have harmed them. Writing him or her up is entirely appropriate. In fact, they should be fired.
 
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