Feb 03, 2008 10:20 AM - This article is relevant to people who work anywhere, not just for nurses or other healthcare workers.

I have worked in many job environments, and in this regard, they are all the same.

Feb 03, 2008 03:32 PM - Interleukin, I appreciate your thoughts, but I would be willing to bet that many nurses who use this forum have dealt with upper management that really did not want to deal with complaints from floor nurses.

In the facilities that I have worked in, some nurses are really just a "warm body" to supplement staffing. Management is fully aware of the work ethics of these types of nurses, but choose to look the other way rather than having to possibly dismiss them and find someone who will take their place.

In the area that I work in, even with 2 junior colleges putting out new grads every year, and several large universities within an hour's drive from here, the nursing shortage is very real. I have worked with nurses that have had complaints filed against them for years and they are still there, often in positions of authority.

I guess when something tragic happens, management will have to answer for keeping these nurses. Until then, they prefer to play the "wait and see" game.

In the past, I have been the one to try to stand up and say "This is not right" only to be told that I am stepping out of bounds, been made to float to other units more often than others, and written up for minor infractions.

I have learned a lot from these experiences, but I have to say that, if I want to keep my job, be treated fairly, and preserve my reputation, I have learned to just KEEP QUIET. It makes my life so very much easier.

I take good care of my patients, help others when I can and avoid management at all costs. Being in the field as long as I have, I have learned to pick my battles. Some are just NOT worth the hassle.

I hope that you have worked in facilities that are sensitive to the nurse's needs, fire the nurses who need to be fired, and listened to their nurse's concerns, but so far, that has not been my experience.

Feb 03, 2008 04:19 PM - Dear Bugaloo,

I appreciate your position. I know I may sound shrill and seem to be naïve. I am neither. Some may say that because I have no family to support and there are employment options in this area, I have the luxury of being indignant and exposing wrongdoing.
But is there not a threshold of moral dignity beyond which we must not cross?


I know...better to do the right thing, than to insist on being right. I am aware of all the management warnings.

It is to those who simply may be afraid who need some moral support in order to step out of their circle of comfort and confront some issues that I write. I try to empower nurses.
(No, I ma not a union rep of any kind)
And yes, picking the “right fight" is a well-worn philosophy and one which has merit. I just feel that when patient's lives are at stake, the threshold for action should not be at the level to that of other professions.

It is disheartening to hear how many must stay below the radar lest they get their heads handed to them. On the one hand I say, "If no one speaks then we all are responsible and accountable for what may come.” On the other, "If I just do my job my bills get paid and my life style remains intact."

Each of us must reconcile our behaviors but I believe there is a reference for moral and ethical justice and we should strive to achieve it. I just have trouble seeing people coerced, demonized, unsupported, manipulated when those workers are the very engine of the entire operation.

I do work in a place that seems to be better run than most. But it is far from perfect. We do help each other but we are constantly struggling to maintain safety in an era when nursing has become a virtual dumping ground for added tasks and duties. I ignore those who label me “negative” for that is a most common reaction for it effectively absolves them for having to think about and/or do anything about the issue.
It is much like voters who say, ”Oh, they’re all the same, why should I vote?”
They incredibly relinquish their responsibility to affect decisions that actually may affect their very lives. But most people do are like that only 30% of people actually vote in our elections in this country.

Most have found me to be an inspiration and know that I will speak up and advocate for my patients. Nothing can stand in that way if it is best for the patient. And none will in any organization worth its salt.

I am sorry for those of you stuck in places that treat you poorly. Just try and remember that you are a member in the largest professional workforce in the country. Have the courage to stand proud.

Feb 06, 2008 10:36 PM - i would like to thank you for letting us know your tips in how to deal with annoying coworkers, coz i do experienced that kind of behavior, its really a big help for others to read your article, thanks again

Feb 13, 2008 08:37 AM -

Originally Posted by Bugaloo

One thing they don't teach you in nursing school is how to deal with annoying coworkers. If you work in a hospital, you probably work 12-hour shifts. Those 12 hours can zip right by or drag on FOREVER depending on many factors, one of which is the type of nurses that you work with.

For me, the hardest type of nurse to deal with is a "free" charge who sits at the desk, reading, talking or knitting while her coworkers run around like chickens with their heads cut off. Not only are they not helping out, they are getting "charge pay" to sit there and do nothing. In my years of nursing, I have worked with many nurses like this. And this what I have learned. It will not do any good to address this issue with your floor manager. She is the one who schedules this nurse as charge nurse and she is fully aware of how she behaves. To complain about her will only make you look like a troublemaker. The way that I now deal with this issue is to simply do my job, ignoring the fact that the charge nurse is not helping out. If something happens during the shift that warrants notifying the charge nurse, let her know what the problem is and what you are going to do about it. Then document in your notes that the charge nurse has been made aware of the situation. If the situation escalates without the charge nurse giving you some guidance, then let the house supervisor know what is going on, and document that as well. Avoid complaining to the house supervisor about the charge nurse. Just inform him/her that the charge nurse is aware of the situation. It can be very frustrating, but as long as you keep your cool, document well and continue to care for your patients, you will have the upper hand. If you end up overwhelmed and there are too many things going on at one time, nicely ask your coworkers for their assistance. Most of them are more than willing to help you out if they are caught up, knowing that you would do the same for them.

Another annoying coworker is the nurse who talks constantly. She will tell you her whole life history, share personal information that you would really not hear and disrupt your train of thought entirely. If you must, move to another area to gather your thoughts, document in your nurses notes or call doctors. If you cannot do that, continue to do your charting and answer her with "Uh-huh" without making eye contact. Hopefully, she will see that you are busy and eventually stop talking. Another tactic I have used is to look up, and sweetly ask, "Are you already done with your charting? You must really be on the ball!". Most of the time, they have not started their charting and that snaps them back to reality.

Lastly, we have all worked with "The Complainer". Every unit has one. They complain about their assignment, the nurse aides, the weather and anything else that comes to mind. Another trait that "The Complainer" has is chronic grumpiness. I usually try to distract them with humor or jokes. When that does not work, I distance myself from them as much as possible. Negativity is catching. It can sneak right up on you before you know it. Never join them in their complaint tirades because it will reflect poorly on you. If you think that they are generally unhappy, you might ask them if there is something that you can do to help them out. But beware, sometimes these types of people use these complaints to solicit sympathy so that they can borrow money, or ask for inappropriate favors. Usually the best way to deal with this coworker is to keep to yourself, avoid excessive conversation with them and stay positive.

None of us are perfect, but in order to stay on good terms with your fellow coworkers, here are some tips:

• Stay positive
• Be willing to help out
• Don't gossip
• Don't be a tattle tale
• Recognize when a fellow staffer is overwhelmed and offer assistance
• Keep complaints to a minimum
• Help out your nurse aides whenever possible
• Be supportive of new nurses
• Treat everyone with respect even if they don't deserve it.

Good advise....Maybe I should read this daily before going into work....

May 07, 2008 07:47 AM - Bugaloo, I offer you a vast amount of gratitude. I came home from work this morning soooo fed up with the floor I work on I was prepared to call my supervisor and give her my notice. But after some thought, I decided to check out this site because I have always gotten excellent advice, and I came to this article. I have learned in the short time i've worked healthcare that the shortage of workers essentially "grandfathers" in those that do not do their work, simply because who can they find to hire? It's an unfortunate truth, and one that should be examined, but we'll leave that for the philosophers. I am now being targeted because I went to my NM the other day about my co-workers leaving a patient in fecal matter so long it dried to his skin. This was left for me to clean when I started my shift. For my efforts, she sent out an email, and everyone knew I was the person who went to managment and complained. Now i'm the big joke, so to speak. I will definitely take your article to heart, because I can see this advice working for me on my unit. Thank you again!

May 07, 2008 08:15 AM - I on the other hand, agree with you and I totally get where you are coming from. At the end of the article I would say, "speaking from the real world here".

May 07, 2008 07:52 PM - hooray to interleulin,i have worked as a nurse for 25 years im very tired of the saying dont make waves. If we are to provide are patients with qualitiy care it is going to take every nurse on the floor to pull her/his weight as ours number get fewer. we do not have the luxury of being silent anymore.