bedside manners...

Hi there, id like to write about an all too common occurance that many of us see in the hospital system - the effect that bedside manner can have on pt compliance and inevitably treatment outcomes.
Last week i was treating a teenage pt (with his family present) who had sustained a transcervical NOF # and managed with a dynamic hip screw. This Mx carried risks of avascular necrosis of the femoral head and to reduce this risk the pt's leg was in traction for 1week. I was doing bed exercises with him and it was during one session that a young doctor approached and began telling the pt they were goin to extend his hospital stay to allow an infusion of a drug that would hopefully reduce the risk of avascular necrosis. Beyond saying "im an RMO here" he didnt introduce himself or acknowledge that i was treating and mid-conversation with the pt and his family. He also spoke in a manner that 'this is what we're doing sign the consent forms' rather than discussing it thoroughly with the family. He continued to describe what they wanted to do in a very abrupt manner without first outlining the benefits in detail. He assument that the pt would just comply and when the family challenged him (as the pt was VERY reluctant to stay in hospital) he then had to go back to the start and outline the reasons why the doctors believed it was a good option. This started an argument (at which point i left) however later the parents said to me they would have been very compliant with the doctors suggestion had he not had such an arrogant manner. In this instance the abruptness of the parents alerted the RMO to him poor bedside manner but all too often thos goes unchecked. I guess its a good lesson for us all to realise the importance of approaching pts and their familys in the best was possible.