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by Angie O'Plasty, RN Staff

There's a spirit of giving around the holidays and nowadays we hear plenty of complaints and lots of venting about coworkers, but rare indeed are words of kindness and encouragement.

So tell us the latest wonderful, kind, caring thing that a coworker did for you recently.

It can be something as simple as offering a hug or bringing in goodies to share, or even taking that next admission so you could catch up.

Come on, don't be shy, you can tell us!

[banditrn]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

At the new LTC that I just started at the nurse that is orienting me brought in donuts, chips, dip, etc. on my last nite of orientation - all the stuff I love - and avoid like crazy!

[RGN1]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

Sunday just gone was going to be a very quiet shift so the nurse who was in charge for that day called me at home & said that she & the other nurse who was working were going to bring in food. she was making pasta, the other nurse was bringing dessert & would I like to add something to compliment the meal? Which of course I did!

Once the tasks for the shift were done she laid out a clean sheet on the office table & the food was put out. It was such a nice idea & we all had a great few moments just to ourselves to chat & enjoy each others company!

I have to say though that I do have great colleagues, for the most part anyway, & we really don't have that "********" that I have met in days of old in other places I've worked. Any problems are sorted out between the parties involved only & there's no such thing as "writing up" anyway.

It's not perfect but the people who are difficult don't work in my department so we only see them on the peripheries & have a united front against them when they do complain about things one or other of us has (or hasn't) done.

[tvccrn]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

Not what he has done for me, but what he is all year long.

Now, if you knew our assistant NM, you would wonder if this man is ever happy. He always grumbles (to put it nicely) and never has a nice word to say about what's going on. But, beneath the gruff exterior lies a heart of gold. He just doesn't want you to see it.

He does all the nuclear medicine peds cases and gives every little one a sucker after the test.

He is one of the first to jump in and help when things go bad.

He picks up call for people when they need to switch.

Every year the assistant nurse manager of our lab picks a family, usually one of a patient that we treat during the year, and collects money for their Christmas. This year it isn't a patient that we have treated, but someone close to a staff member.

Sometimes he can be difficult to work with, but the good things far outweigh the bad ones.

tvccrn

[Victoriakem]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

Originally Posted by RGN1

Sunday just gone was going to be a very quiet shift so the nurse who was in charge for that day called me at home & said that she & the other nurse who was working were going to bring in food. she was making pasta, the other nurse was bringing dessert & would I like to add something to compliment the meal? Which of course I did!

Once the tasks for the shift were done she laid out a clean sheet on the office table & the food was put out. It was such a nice idea & we all had a great few moments just to ourselves to chat & enjoy each others company!

I have to say though that I do have great colleagues, for the most part anyway, & we really don't have that "********" that I have met in days of old in other places I've worked. Any problems are sorted out between the parties involved only & there's no such thing as "writing up" anyway.
It's not perfect but the people who are difficult don't work in my department so we only see them on the peripheries & have a united front against them when they do complain about things one or other of us has (or hasn't) done.

My, how very civilized of you!! Hats off to all of you for making a department better to work in!! This makes for longevity & unity!!!

[Tweety]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

It's not necessarily warm and fuzzy where I work. It's a busy med-surg floor - need I say more. LOL. We work hard and "vent" every day.

However, it's not full of catty nurses backstabbing one another and eating our young. We work as a team. Just the other day a tech said, "I love coming here because you guys are a lot of fun". We laugh, joke, sing and dance - it helps us survive the madness and the stress.....much better than gossiping and backstabbing don't you think?

[classicdame]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

My boss delayed her vacation so I could take mine. That was special!

[Elvish]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

A couple of my coworkers answered my call lights while I was in a room with a patient who'd just had a crash Csection at 25 weeks. She was talking about her life and her faith that her daughter would be ok. They knew I couldn't (and shouldn't) cut that encounter short so they covered for me while I was in there with her. Things like that make your shift a lot less stressful.

[nurseangel47]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

Lucky you, Tweety! I wish I could experience the joys of working in a unit like the one you've described. How fortunate you have it to be close and crazy/silly with your coworkers while dealing with the stressors/rigors of the workday .... count your blessings...Yes I'd MUCH rather have fun once in a while and cut up when appropriate not in ear range or sight of the more serious ones or upper mgement/patients whatever, it does make for a much nicer work environment than the raging, writeups, etc. that goes on in a lot of nursing units, unfortunately. I hate that a lot of nursing depts are that way. This has been discussed ad nauseam so will stop now.
Seriously, count your blessings....am sure you do.
Good for you that you've got a "good home" unit...!

[Tweety]

Re: What have they done for you lately?

Originally Posted by nurseangel47

Lucky you, Tweety! I wish I could experience the joys of working in a unit like the one you've described. How fortunate you have it to be close and crazy/silly with your coworkers while dealing with the stressors/rigors of the workday .... count your blessings...Yes I'd MUCH rather have fun once in a while and cut up when appropriate not in ear range or sight of the more serious ones or upper mgement/patients whatever, it does make for a much nicer work environment than the raging, writeups, etc. that goes on in a lot of nursing units, unfortunately. I hate that a lot of nursing depts are that way. This has been discussed ad nauseam so will stop now.
Seriously, count your blessings....am sure you do.
Good for you that you've got a "good home" unit...!

It does help bust up the stress. But sometimes we don't realize whose watching. A coworker was showing me how to shake her booty like Beyonce and a doctor walked in on us...............that was embarrassing. (But he was good natured and said he enjoyed the show). Another time to pull up an obese patient I only found two tiny coworkers and we began playing like we were Supremes in the room.............the patient cracked up...especially when I said "You girls are the back up singers, so you'd best back up!"......"you guys are having way too much fun........I love it!".

We get the work done, and first and foremost that is my focus, and yes there are some people that aren't team players, that gossip and complain about others, but overall the unit has a good rapport at the current time. The few trolls don't bother me and I certainly don't label the profession or their gender based on their behavior. I'm glad I don't have to be one of those people who goes to work and keeps to themselves. That would make for a long 12 hours.