A Difficult Conversation in the OR

A few years ago, while working a travel assignment, I was circulating a robotic case when the surgeon asked me to return a page from the ER.

I called back, relayed the message, and arranged for the patient to be admitted after the case. I had written down the patient's age and sex — but not the last name or date of birth.

When I returned to the room, the surgeon looked at me and said,

"Didn't I ask you to take down the information?"

I replied,

"You may have, but it's really not the end of the world."

I stepped out, called the ER back, got the patient's name and DOB, and we moved on with the case.

The next day, one of the attending surgeons pulled me aside.

He apologized for his colleague's behavior and said that wasn't how they wanted people treated.

Interestingly, from that day forward, the surgeon who confronted me never gave me another problem. In fact, we worked together professionally for the rest of my assignment.

That experience reminded me that not every tense moment requires a heated response.

Sometimes, staying calm and professional in the middle of conflict says more than arguing ever could.

Have you ever had a difficult conversation in the OR that ended up teaching you something valuable?