Issue with a psychiatric resident

[quesara]

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[tkim]

who are you

 

[quesara]

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[tkim]

and who are they to each other

 

[quesara]

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[tkim]

Friends.

However, the resident doesn't seem to be very professional and puts on a charade in front of superiors (I've worked with him). Thus my concern/ wanting to get a response back from someone anonymously who works in the field.

So, once someone becomes professionally licensed, they cannot have a heated argument with friends at the risk of being reported? They have to accord themselves in a professional manner at all times, in all situations, with people they don't have a patient-physician relationship? Little unrealistic don't you think?

 

[quesara]

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[tkim]

Given his profession, I feel that it quite inappropriate for a psychiatric resident in training to behave abusively and use mental health issues as a weapon. As I mentioned, I've already observed said resident acting inappropriately both in and outside of the job, which is why I've mentioned my concern here. I'm hoping for some constructive feedback and ways to acknowledge the situation/if it should be brought to the attention of his superiors.

You are not a friend. Friends don't try to ruin other friend's careers. Search deeper into the reasons why you are willing and eager to get your friend in trouble.

 

[peppy]

If he was saying things like that to patients, yes, I think you'd be within your rights to report him.
However, I don't think that it would be appropriate to report him for something he said to a friend in an argument. Even people who work in mental health sometimes say things that are unkind or counterproductive when they're angry. We're just normal people, not Zen masters.

 

[notdeadyet]

As I mentioned, I've already observed said resident acting inappropriately both in and outside of the job, which is why I've mentioned my concern here.

If you think it's worth it, report him when he acts inappropriately at work. If you don't like how he acts outside of work, don't hang out with him. This is high school level ethics, in fairness.

 

[quesara]

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[Salpingo]

In all fairness, when it comes to dealing with borderline personalities, I've heard worse. Sometimes being blunt/"confrontational" works, sometimes its just bad countertransference.

 

[tkim]

Have they covered splitting in your graduate program?

😉

 

[billypilgrim37]

When you report him, make sure you also tell them that you're discussing him on an anonymous internet forum. Because that's totally professional behavior.

If he's really as bad as you say, others will notice, and your reporting just opens you up to be a target. If you report him, you should be prepared for significant backlash, from him, from your colleagues, and from the higher-ups.

 

[quesara]

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[billypilgrim37]

I guess I better watch it. You might report me.

 

[quesara]

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[billypilgrim37]

I certainly think that if a behavior is occurring in multiple spheres- and said person has already been reprimanded for similar behaviors in the past, that at some point it's likely to occur with a patient.

No arguments with that. If the person is behaving unprofessionally at work, okay. Let somebody know. If they already know, then okay, move along. It's their business. You're not the karma police. And you're not this guy's friend.

If this guy is being a jerk outside of work, don't hang out with him. Tell your friend not to hang out with him. These are separate issues. It sounds like you want to report him because he was mean to your friend. Don't do that. That's risky, and it could back fire on you. It will PROBABLY back fire on you.

 

[nancysinatra]

I asked for advice on a forum because I thought people currently enrolled in residency programs themselves would be able to give helpful insight onto a problem I saw happening within and without of the workplace. I'm not an expert and came here because I am concerned about our current and future patients. No one is obviously a 'zen master' as someone mentioned above, but I certainly think that if a behavior is occurring in multiple spheres- and said person has already been reprimanded for similar behaviors in the past, that at some point it's likely to occur with a patient.

Usually when someone asks a "dumb" question they get at least a few kindly answers. But your question isn't dumb. It just smacks of you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, and being a traitor to your friend. With the judgment you show even by asking this, I doubt the accuracy of the situation you describe. Not that I care.

Psychiatry residents have first amendment rights, even if what they say to friends displeases you. If you're really a psychology grad student, then you should know this already.

 

[quesara]

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[88845]

Have you thought about bringing these issues up with your psych resident friend directly? If not, que sera, sera... No need to let the system get involved to cause further strife for all including yourself.

 

[psychphan]

We're just normal people, not Zen masters.

Speak for yourself!

Its obvious you want to report this guy and are just looking for justification and approval from others in doing it. I won't belabor the points that others have already made about the distinction between work/physician-patient relationship and actions occuring outside of that dichotomy, but I will say if people start getting reported to medical boards for things they say in their private lives during arguments, then a lot of people are in trouble.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Have you thought about bringing these issues up with your psych resident friend directly? If not, que sera, sera... No need to let the system get involved to cause further strife for all including yourself.

+1. The AP(ology)A recommends this as the "first-line" response when dealing with ethically-charged situations involving colleagues (see 1.04, which seems appropriate in this situation; it mentions "another psychologist," but I would say it generally applies to any other mental health/healthcare professional).

As other posters have mentioned, if the issues that are occurring solely at work seem to warrant a formal reporting to this individual's supervisors, then think about following through with that process. But reporting based on personal interactions between two friends generally doesn't strike me as particularly appropriate, at least in this situation.

 

[PikminOC]

jealous much?

 

[tkim]

Interesting how the initial post started an non-professional interaction, and when it didn't get the response the poster was hoping for, was broadened to include clinical situations.

So it wasn't bad enough to consider reporting when it was clinical, but now that it involved the poster's friend in a non-clinical situation, it requires professional sanction.

Who's the one with the lack of judgement?