Adjusting to a New Collaborative Physician
My new collaborative physician
started two weeks ago, and while I was missing my former collaborative
physician, I was glad the company found someone to replace her. One of the
concerns regarding my company is no inclusion of the interview process. When I considered leaving this
company, I wanted to assist in filling my upcoming vacancy. I was introduced to
an NP through a mutual friend. We spoke by phone, but I did not have an
opportunity to meet her. When the company granted her an interview, I thought I
would have a chance to meet her, but that did not happen.
Actually, I should not have been
surprised because when I interviewed and I was given the tour of the facility, I
was never introduced to the PA I replaced. She did not leave on bad terms; I
was informed she was retiring. I never had an opportunity to ask her any questions
such as, "How do you run your schedule?" That was very disappointing because as
knowledgeable and helpful as my previous collaborator was, she did not provide
the perspective I was looking for, and I ultimately had to figure it out myself.
Now back to this new physician -- he
is a wealth of information and he understands the jail system. He has been in
the prison system for over fifteen years. Interestingly, he is a former nurse and
x-ray technician. First impression: knowledgeable, very
jolly, friendly, approachable, but he really does not want to work. He would
rather I do the work, as he has implied. The first week on the job consisted of
him sitting in my office and chit chatting, and that was alright because it
gave me an opportunity to orient him to the process.
Again, the first week he
sat in my office and we saw patients together, but because he really enjoyed
talking, the day got off to a slow start by 45 minutes! And when the morning
did start, he took the time to educate our population on their complaints. That
is not the problem, because I enjoy that aspect as well, but we are working
against time in the morning. We are required to be finished with our morning
schedule by 11:30am or we interfere with meals, and in the afternoon we need to
be finished with our schedule before second shift starts at 3:00pm.
For the past two weeks that has not
happened, and I am growing anxious and now less tolerant of the laidback disposition
of this man. One of his responsibilities is to take call. I am back-up, but
only if the nurses cannot get a hold of the physician or he is on vacation. Otherwise,
it is his responsibility. He asked me twice, "Are you sure you don't want to take
call?" I informed him, "I have another position where I take call and they pay
me!" Next he verbalized not wanting to see the females and stated, "I would
prefer that you see them." Not really caring one way or the other, I saw them
until my boss informed me, "No, corporate wants him to see the females also,
and I will tell him."
When the week came where he was
scheduled to see the females, he called in sick. The nurses, too, are growing
tired of him. When they approach him on a serious matter he has made comments
like, "No! I don't want to," or he will just stare at them and then slowly respond
giving a ridiculous answer. While again sitting in my office verbalizing not
wanting to get the afternoon started, our nurse gave him the chart for a
patient to been seen. He replied, "I am just going to boycott, I am tired." She
continued to give him the chart, he folded his arms and stated, "I don't want
it," and then he laughs. He is constantly showing silly pictures on his phone
to me and the staff. I had to have a talk with my boss about him. We summated
he obviously has too much time on his hands. There is so much more that is
frustrating, but I have decided to do what I always have done because I value my
job.