Conflict Resolution Advice?

[Iker]

I am a new grad working the 3-11 on a med surg unit. A particular patient aspirated during a colonoscopy and had been having unstable vitals all shift. The doctor ordered hourly vitals for four hours. He ordered this around 2200. I was in the room getting the 2300 vitals. Ordinarily I wouldn't get these vitals, but since they were going to be hourly I wanted to get them so the tech had some time to get her other vitals before she had to be in there at midnight. The tech came in at 2300 while I was getting vitals, I told her she didn't have to worry about the 2300 vitals because I was getting them. She seemed put off by this and stayed outside the door and asked questions about how she's been voiding and if she had a bed alarm. Now this is where I realized I had been so focused on monitoring her vitals that I forgot to put a diaper on her and turn the bed alarm on The patient was lethargic, not jumping out of bed at all. Anyway, I turned the bed alarm on then and there. I was trying to count respirations while she was asking about the diaper, so I think my responses came off short and distracted. I leave the room and apologize to the tech if I came off as rude. She said "hmph!" and went into the other room. I later overheard her complaining to the nurse about having to get hourly vitals and about me because I forgot the diaper and bed alarm. I would have gladly helped clean her up if she had asked. My questions is this: Should I ignore this, or should I apologize to the tech and let her know that I will try to improve and if there's a problem she can come ask me. I will help her clean up a patient before I leave if I have to. I really didn't mean to leave extra work for her. We only had one tech for the last half of the shift and I forgot and I feel terrible about leaving her extra work

[Sour Lemon]

I am a new grad working the 3-11 on a med surg unit. A particular patient aspirated during a colonoscopy and had been having unstable vitals all shift. The doctor ordered hourly vitals for four hours. He ordered this around 2200. I was in the room getting the 2300 vitals. Ordinarily I wouldn't get these vitals, but since they were going to be hourly I wanted to get them so the tech had some time to get her other vitals before she had to be in there at midnight. The tech came in at 2300 while I was getting vitals, I told her she didn't have to worry about the 2300 vitals because I was getting them. She seemed put off by this and stayed outside the door and asked questions about how she's been voiding and if she had a bed alarm. Now this is where I realized I had been so focused on monitoring her vitals that I forgot to put a diaper on her and turn the bed alarm on The patient was lethargic, not jumping out of bed at all. Anyway, I turned the bed alarm on then and there. I was trying to count respirations while she was asking about the diaper, so I think my responses came off short and distracted. I leave the room and apologize to the tech if I came off as rude. She said "hmph!" and went into the other room. I later overheard her complaining to the nurse about having to get hourly vitals and about me because I forgot the diaper and bed alarm. I would have gladly helped clean her up if she had asked. My questions is this: Should I ignore this, or should I apologize to the tech and let her know that I will try to improve and if there's a problem she can come ask me. I will help her clean up a patient before I leave if I have to. I really didn't mean to leave extra work for her. We only had one tech for the last half of the shift and I forgot and I feel terrible about leaving her extra work

You don't say what your "short and distracted" responses were, so it's difficult to discern if an apology is in order.

[Lisacar130]

You sound like a nice person and sometimes you can only do so much to be nice to others and ultimately it is their problem if they don't like you. Sometimes new grads are treated a little worse by CNA's for a variety of reasons. It is harder for you to have the time to be more helpful because you're new and still learning what you're doing. You're more distracted because you're a new grad. In time things will get better. I would just "apologize" by trying to be helpful. Surprise her by helping out if you have extra time. Also, if she is working by herself and is the only CNA, you might not want to wait for her to ask you for help. Try to be proactive and ask her which pt's she needs help with.

[Iker]

My short and distracted responses were one worded, like "yes" or "no" or "I can't remember". But thank you for the response. I was going to try to be more organized so maybe I won't forget it next time. I made my own report sheet.