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Wed 17 Jan, 2007 01:42 am
Workplace stress with coworker
I recently started working on a surgical intermidate floor. Last night I had a really busy night with some really sick pt's that needed immediate care. In the midst of all of this at right around 2 am when all my pt's were stable I decided to go on lunch. I was giving report to the nurse across from me and she stared at the monitors and told me very adamently to go fix my leads on a pt that was confused and having a KUB done at the time. I stated that I will but i'm leaving for lunch and that she might have to go in and fix it again after the KUB is done because it will naturally come loose. I had 3 confused pts in restraints & 1 difficult non-compliant pt. Before leaving the unit for the cafeteria I informed the charge nurse to please peak on my pts. because I had a bad feeling about that nurse and that all my pts were stable but I just had a bad feeling. I stated that I would literally eat and run upstairs and not take a whole lunch break.
When I came back from lunch, I went over to the nurse covering for me and asked how my pts were doing. She did not give me a report. She started off by saying that "You have an issue with me. When I leave my pt's for you to look after I make sure all their leads are fixed. I make sure all my bags of fluid are topped. I don't leave anything for you to do. You are a horrible nurse. What about your pt. care? You endanger your pts and give horrible pt. care." At this point every time I tried to intervene to say something....I got this...."you need to shut up and listen to what I have to say". So, I walked away stating that I refused to listen to what she had to say and if she needed to say anything to me she had to do it with the charge nurse present.
At 6 am....the charge nurse, this nurse and myself...were taken into a report room. I was asked what the problem was and stated the above. She was asked what the proble was and started by saying..."I cannot believe that I am talking to a child. Her leads on her pts were all messed up. Her monitors keep beeping all night. She cannot keep her pt's straight. I am 29 and she is only 26. I know more than her. She has an issue with me". Charge nurse asked me if I have an issue with her and I replied no. The nurse says "she does not talk to me"...to which I said..."I hello you, I acknowledge you. What else do you want me to do? I come here to work." Charge nurse replied saying..."This is true it is work...no one is here to make friends but you two have to get along and work together". So, I said...."Fine, you are obviously upset about something. If you are hurt...and if I have hurt you I am sorry". Charge nurse said..."that sounds sincere". This nurse did not apologize for calling me incompetent or for critisizing my pt. care. I said I had nothing further to say and left.
When I got back to see my pts....I was extremely busy. I had blood transfusions to be done etc. I looked at my monitors and noticed something wasn't right on my screen. Off all my 4 pts. only 1 was not confused and I went into his room to fix his leads and pulse oximeter only to find that his pulse oximeter was switched to one that does not work and that his leads were switched around. So I casually and politely asked him who came in here while I was gone and changed this....and he told me it was the nurse covering for me. At which point I had that bad feeling I had earlier come over me again. I quickly went into all my pt's rooms and checked their leads. Turns out this nurse went and switched around the leads on my all my pts and made sure the pulse oximeters were either off or not working. I was extremely furious but too busy to do something about it and I did not want to escalate the situation by going and complaining to the charge nurse again. So, I let it go.
1. My leads were all on straight on all my pts.
2. They did keep coming off and I had beeping monitors constantly because these pts were confused and restrained and kept trying to pull at tubes and drains and leads constantly. I spent a good portion of my night going in and out of rooms fixing and refixing stuff making sure they would not pull at it or not pull out their NG tubes or foleys etc.
3. All my pt's were saline locked. No need for fluids. I have no clue why this nurse feels that she had to top up fluids.
I left last morning from my shift in tears & extremely disheartened. My husband says I think about it too much. My mom says to let it go. I can't seem to stop thinking about it. What do I do?
Why do people do that
i have been having problems with a nurse who is a downright liar
it's really hard when you cannot even trust your team members
i don't understand it
am about to go into a new environment but after previous experiences am wondering if it's going to be same old same old
Try to stay away from her and be nice! Kill her with kindness. She will get whats coming to her. Ifyou know you practice well, dont report off to her. Do you have a break room on the floor? We all need a break, but I tend to take my lunches right on the floor and unfortunately scarf my food down so I can get back to work. Why cant we just all get along???
stress with coworker
I would be very concerned if I were you. Go with your gut feelings. You made a mistake when you did not alert your supervisor as to the fact that your patient was a witness to this co-worker switching things around on him. She is deliberately undermining you, making you look bad. Why?
My primary concern is for your patients. What happens if she does something worse (to your patients)? You have a license to protect in addition to your patients! She sounds angry/mentally unbalanced. I would have it documented for your protection. How are you ever going to be able to take a break and leave her in charge of your patients????Keep us posted. If things are that strained, LEAVE!!!! Your mental health and professional reputation are at stake.
Ladybug,
Too often nurses want to play king of the hill... And your co-worker sounds like a real playgound bully. See her for what she is... an insecure B-I-T-C-H! If she were truely self assured and confident with herself and her nursing practice, she would not be picking on you. I agree with the others, if possible don't let her watch your patients again... even if it means bringing your lunch and eating it in the break room as Bmw suggested. Most of all, don't let her munipulative games make you feel baddly about yourself or your nursing skills. Look in your own mirror and congratulate yourself. you had a really tough assignment and you and your patients made it through alive and well! It was a successful night! I would be cheerfully indifferent to her in the future. That drives bullies crazy! They want to get a rise out of you. It also helps you to feel in control of your own little space. If you start feeling anxious around her silently recite a little mantra in your head... like "I am an excellent nurse and my patients recieve outstanding care!" Feel the strength in that statement. In the end, however, you may need to tell her, under no uncertain terms, to get her bad vibes out of your face.
for ladybug
you will have no peace with this other nurse. for whatever reason she does not like you and trying to make you look incompentent.she is gonna try and set you up to get you fired. too bad you can;'t get her on a camera, to prove she is doing this. you should look to work elsewhere and get away from her. go to another unit to work, as she is trying to get you. she is such a bad nurse, to do that to the pt's. you need to find a way to show she is doing this, or leave this unit.
wow
She sounds very insecure with herself . . .and unprofessional.
If she is switching leads and turning off pulse oximeters then she is completely wrong. That is hampering patient care. They are on the monotors for a reason!
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