Throwaway account:

I am a physician anesthesiologist in the US. I was on call and called in the early morning by another physician “B”, who wanted to do a procedure on a patient that would require anesthesia. I came in to the hospital, saw the patient. The patient was indigent and did not have a ride so they would have to stay in the hospital overnight. Bed arrangements were made.

“B” comes in and makes a big deal about who is going to admit the patient (put in nursing orders, assume care). Normally it would be the physician doing the procedure but B was saying it should be the hospitalist on call. He said the patient would have to go back to the Emergency Department and started getting on the phone calling people up the ladder.

I walked into the workroom (just me and B) and said “if you aren’t going to do this case, I’m going to go ahead and leave and send the nurses home”

He said “we are doing it”.

I said “great”. We did the case, patient did well.

Weeks later I am called into a meeting with the physician review board. Turns out B wrote me up saying that I shouted and screamed and kicked a trash can and threatened patient abandonment.

B has told the hospital that he was afraid for his safety and wants security if we have to do a case together after hours.

I denied the accusations. There is no history of me behaving like this, particularly in a professional setting.

No action has been taken by the hospital as they are still in the fact finding stage. Other nurses were in the vicinity but not in the room itself.

I honestly don’t know what to do to protect myself. Should I lawyer up now or wait for something to happen?