Dear Doctor

I know you don't know me very well, but this ain't my first rodeo. I'm not a brand new, wet-behind-the-ears nurse who doesn't know how to speak to doctors. I know I seemed unprepared this morning but to be fair we didn't have a lot of information about the lumbar puncture (LP) and we don't often do diagnostic LPs in our unit. So when I asked you this morning if the chemo orders had been written and you got snappy with me, telling me we couldn't go ahead with the treatment until the results of the LP were back, I accepted that. I later thanked you when you told me you had, indeed, written the chemo orders and I clarified that we were not to proceed until we got your go ahead. You agreed with that statement and I again said I would wait for your clearance. Just to be clear. Because you're not the first doctor I've ever dealt with.

So when you forget you're supposed to contact me, do not go and tell my team leader I confused your orders and that you told me I could go ahead. Do not try and paint me in a bad light to cover your own ass. First of all, my team leader today knows me well enough to know I know the value of time in our unit and would not waste nearly 5 hours waiting if I didn't have to. Secondly, your reputation proceeds you. I am not the first person you've done something like this to, apparently. When the team leader told me what you had told her and I called bullshit, she was not surprised. Do you think just because you're the doctor you can say what you like and no one will question it?

Next time you give me orders, I will be sure to get clarification in front of another nurse. I wonder if you'll be game to blame two of us for "misunderstanding" you then.