[*ac*]

While everybody knows that nobody is perfect and everyone makes mistakes, why do so many nurses take a certain glee from finding someone else's mistakes?

Why can't a minor error that does not effect patient care in any way, be brought directly to the attention of the person responsible instead "tattled" to a higher-up?

I swear some people get excited when they find some little thing a person did wrong!

Why do we backstab each other like this? Why not assume the person did not actually mean to make the mistake?

I really, truly hate this part of nursing.

Thanks for the vent.

[Boston-RN]

I have a couple theories. 1. some nurses may feel it makes them look better to have been "competent enough" to have found someones mistake so they need to let others know 2. they do not feel comfortable enough to go directly to the person 3. some nurses don't like one another and want to find little things wrong and get the other in trouble in a "legitimate" sort of way, the last probable situation is that there was truly a serious error and it needs to be brought to someone elses attention that needs to know

I'm lucky enough on my 3rd job to have found a great floor to work and for the most part everyone is comfortable enough to go to each other with a few exceptions.

[trmr]

been there, done that, feel your pain. its everywhere you go, some places worse than others. I have no idea the "why's", I just make it my choice not to act like those that are that way. I think some people must be miserable and unhappy in everyday life, therefore they try to make others the same way. good luck and hang in there.

[catlynLPN]

That makes me wanna scream, too. In my situation where I work, I go into the homes where the people live and find medication carts or cabinets unlocked all the time. But I will NOT not tell on the nurse who was there that day......UNLESS of course, something happened, like a resident got into it, then it would have to be known that the cabinet was unlocked. But I'm not going back up there and tattle it.
The DON who was there before, wanted us to tattle it.
I lock the cabinet and go on about my business.
I might discreetly let that nurse know what I found, but I won't tell on her.
I just feel there's not enough nurses who will help us to take care of each other.....I'm all for patient safety, but where I work, an unlocked med cabinet would be investigated as abuse....and possibly turn into a maltreatment case.
Our superintendent is ROUGH on us about this kind of stuff.

And IMHO, as long as a resident was NOT harmed, then just discreetly telling the nurse who worked in that house that day should be enough to let her know to be careful.

[pagandeva2000]

I agree, I would rather tell the nurse if possible than to rat her out. We are ALL human, thus are able to make mistakes. Usually the ones that tell on others have loads of feces in their own closets.

[*ac*]

Originally Posted by catlynLPN

That makes me wanna scream, too. In my situation where I work, I go into the homes where the people live and find medication carts or cabinets unlocked all the time. But I will NOT not tell on the nurse who was there that day......UNLESS of course, something happened, like a resident got into it, then it would have to be known that the cabinet was unlocked. But I'm not going back up there and tattle it.
The DON who was there before, wanted us to tattle it.
I lock the cabinet and go on about my business.
I might discreetly let that nurse know what I found, but I won't tell on her.
I just feel there's not enough nurses who will help us to take care of each other.....I'm all for patient safety, but where I work, an unlocked med cabinet would be investigated as abuse....and possibly turn into a maltreatment case.
Our superintendent is ROUGH on us about this kind of stuff.

And IMHO, as long as a resident was NOT harmed, then just discreetly telling the nurse who worked in that house that day should be enough to let her know to be careful.

This is so civilized! If a mistake could have definitely caused harm, then the nure should definitely be made aware - but couldn't we just help each other out, one-to-one? Unless there's a pattern...

But I'm also talking about mistakes that could not even have resulted in patient harm. It seems like some nurses really get excited about these opportunities to do a write-up, etc. What is the matter with these back-stabbing, you-know-whats? And they are usually nice as pie to your face.

Sorry, still ranting.

[catlynLPN]

Originally Posted by *ac*

This is so civilized! If a mistake could have definitely caused harm, then the nure should definitely be made aware - but couldn't we just help each other out, one-to-one? Unless there's a pattern...

But I'm also talking about mistakes that could not even have resulted in patient harm. It seems like some nurses really get excited about these opportunities to do a write-up, etc. What is the matter with these back-stabbing, you-know-whats? And they are usually nice as pie to your face.

Sorry, still ranting.

Those type of people are tattletale brown nosers.

We used to have two where I work, but they are no longer there.
Unfortunately for them, they both died of cancer. One from cancer of the uterus and the other of lung cancer.
Not saying that all tattletalers end up with cancer, but we're ALL going down that same road someday, and what we do to to others is what we leave behind.

[DeLana_RN]

They're basically miserable people who want to drag others down to their low level... they're bullies, backstabbers, cowards (they don't dare tell you anything directly). Can you tell I'm currently dealing with such a b---- myself?

My unit could be great, we could have wonderful teamwork... it's sad, but because of this individual (unfortunately, she's usually the charge nurse) it cannot be. All of us wish she quit - or got fired. We can always dream Well, maybe her Karma will catch up with her. It'll be ugly when that happens.

DeLana