How do you deal with your anger at work?

[BBFRN]

I have worked at my current facility for about 4 years, and for the most part, I love most of my co-workers, and I get along with them really well. Recently, one of our Tech's got her RN and became a Charge Nurse on my shift, and all hell has broken loose. She appears to have turned into a power-hungry maniac. She has no idea what she's doing (even our Nurse Mgr agrees with this, but does nothing about it), and she seems to get off on giving the rest of us aimless orders; i.e. one night (at about 3 a.m., after pushing some Morphine for me, she sought me out in another Pt's room to inform me that the Morphine Pt. was "itching and needed some lotion." So, I'm thinking, "Whatever....hello, mild Mso4 reaction...duh." Then, she proceeds to go "check out" another of my Pt's (who happens to have recently been a high-profile person in our local news), and comes out to tell me about how said Pt. was guilty of a crime this person had been accused of, and how she was "let off" because she was white. I said, "It's not for us to decide this, and please leave her alone, she's my patient, and I don't want people going in there and gawking at her." The Pt. was on strict suicide watch, and was extremely depressed. She then put her hand in my face and stated that yes she was guilty- she didn't want to hear it, and then she stomped off. I'm thinking WTF??? Leave me alone and let me just do my job, please. She refuses to listen to any LPN who has been there a while, and might have some input on how things are done there. As a matter of fact, she has referred to us as her children. I have let her get to me, and I don't know how to address this in a positive way, because she makes me mad every time I have to work with her. A couple of weeks ago, she hooked up somebody's LR bag to their NG tube, and wouldn't listen to several people who told her it wasn't the way to catch NG drainage. ???? How does somebody do this??? Two Dr.'s have already written her up over stuff like this. She physically pushed one LPN out of the way during a code, and then asked her, "What do I do?" Now she wants an LPN's input? This thread is in NO way intended to flame RN's at all. I just really need some input as to how to deal with this situation (our Nurse Mgr is of no help), and I have tried to tell this nurse that she can relax- they only put her in charge when she has capable, experienced staff to back her up. I took up for her a lot before I actually had to work under her a few times. Has anybody here been in her position? Should I try to be more supportive of her, or should I just try to do some "creative scheduling" and stay the heck away from her? Is this a problem with MY attitude toward HER? I hope I'm not coming off sounding like I have a chip on my shoulder about a new Grad becoming a Charge nurse- I think that some people may be able to handle it.

[rncountry]

I know that I am different than most, but I usually tackle problems head on. I would not change my schedule, if it worked for my life I would keep it. I would however tell this nurse she was inappropriate when that happened. I would also write an incident report and also go above the NM head since she is not taking her responsiblity to ensure appropriate care for patients is being done.

Have I been in this situation? Yes. About two years ago we had a fairly new grad put in as charge nurse. She irritated me on a regular basis, at the time I was working as a primary floor nurse and absolutely would not put up with someone with less experience expecting me to do what I knew was not right. The worst it ever got was a shouting match in the breakroom, got mighty nasty and within seconds the breakroom cleared leaving me and the charge alone. I let her know EXACTLY where I stood and EXACTLY where she stood with me. After that I not only had no further trouble, other nurses started standing up to her. Eventually this nurse opted to leave our facility and I for one, was not sorry to see her go. My MN also would not do anything, she handles any type of confrontation poorly, be it disciplining someone or not. I like where I work very much, I like more coworkers very much and was not about to let one person on a power trip mess that up. The place I work at is great with teamworking and getting along and one ding dong could not be allowed to turn a wonderful working environment into hell. Confronting someone can be done very professionally and directly. When that did not work with this person, the shouting match did ensue, but I was not about to do something with my patient that I did not feel was appropriate no matter who was telling me to do so. I know not everyone would agree with me, nor feel comfortable doing this, but it simply is not in my personality to put up with crap for anyone.

[hoolahan, ASN, RN]

I am with rncountry. I find that in this type of power hungry control freak, a head-on approach is best. Do not worry about embarrassing her, she needs it, and deserves it!!

Next time she pushed me out of the way in a code, I would say loudly, "When you know what you are doing, you can push me out of the way, until then watch and learn, now STEP ASIDE!!"

You need to correct her at every opportunity in front of as many people as possible, esp the supervisors. This chick needs to eat a big fat helping of humble pie!!! She is dangerous for one thing.

PLUS write her up every single time she makes an error.

I used to try to hold in my anger, count ten so to speak, in these kind of situations at work, the approcah the person professionally and privately later. BUT expereince has taught me, in some situations, that a DIRECT and IMMEDIATE response in necessary. Esp in this case as this one has done this numerous times. See my signature line and substitute make you feel inferior for "walk all over you."

First offenders, or formal situations call for a different approach, but not this time. Be direct!!!! You are the pt's advocate!!

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

Wow- great advice you guys- thanks!!! OK, now that I know it's not just me, I'm really going to start documenting everything. I don't want to get into it with her right now, because my NM already thinks I'm a troublemaker because of my outspoken attitude at work for the last few months. (I told a resident Dr. off because she wouldn't high-tail it up to the floor and pronounce someone deceased after 45 minutes of waiting on her, and their family was on their way up...the NM's asst. walked up just as I was telling the Dr. to get up off of her butt-OOPS!!! ) I think pen and ink is the right approach for now. I have to address it without getting myself into trouble...LOL.

[susi_q]

Does anyone have a good system for deciding who is in charge? I work critical care, night shift. We have a level manager who doesn't take patients - and then a unit manager in each wing that does take patients. The unit manager gets screwed. You take a full load, then manage any crisis on the unit and manage patient load, admits, transfers, etc - all for an extra $1/hr. I may be crazy (ok, no doubt about it) - but I actually like being in charge, and seem to be pretty good at it. But ... I went per diem this year so "am not allowed to be in charge". At least not until someone decides I should be for that shift. Before being per diem, I always knew I would be in charge ... now when I show up I never know until I get there. Last week they put a "senior" nurse in charge - who never should have been. She goes into a corner and stays there all night - I ended up doing her charge job, "unofficially".

I guess I'm just venting here ... but is that pretty standard that per diem doesn't get charge. How is the charge decided on your units?

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

It's pretty much a lottery on my floor, too, as far as night shift goes.

[deespoohbear]

Originally posted by hoolahan

Next time she pushed me out of the way in a code, I would say loudly, "When you know what you are doing, you can push me out of the way, until then watch and learn, now STEP ASIDE!!"

You need to correct her at every opportunity in front of as many people as possible, esp the supervisors. This chick needs to eat a big fat helping of humble pie!!! She is dangerous for one thing.

Or, you could tell get out of the way, or YOU will be the code!!

Gee, I cannot stand wet behind the ears think they know it all in any area...I have always said the new nurse who does not ask questions is the one who will be the most dangerous. They come on the floor with a real know it all attitude....I have had a couple of these and after one brief discussion they left me alone....:roll

[debRNo1]

sounds familiar ran into a charge nurse just like this in LTC. The best was she came for ADON position and asked for 70,000 yr !New grad and boasted about her GPA. Well they explained that she would need some experience for ADON and hired her as my charge nurse- Im the nurse manager. Lucky me after a day or two I began to keep notes as it was evident that she was dangerous. Not open to learn so you couldnt teach her cause she already knew EVERYTHING (and much more than us because of her GPA ??) She argued the whole shift with anyone who would listen about nonsense.

She told my CNA's not to go to me for anything but they knew better. They called me to a (dying) resident with NGT and resp distress. Never saw her breathe like this and thought ok this is it wheres the daughter who is due to visit? Feeding off HOB up O2 on repositioned and made her comfortable NGT was mostly like out of place I mumbled, charge nurse says NO its in- Oh did you check it cause she had a steth with her? No-"DUH" I can see its in why dont you LOOK at it !! Actually said DUH and "LOOKS" for proper placement. Now shes got MY steth wrapped around her neck I ask to use it to check NGT she says that it is hers someone "gave" it to her to keep and I cant use it-now Im arguing that its MINE !!! WOW ? NGT was indeed not in place. Spoke with the daughter who was ready for MOM to go and nurse tells daughter Oh breathes like this all the time ( day 2 on the unit ) !!! me and the daughter just looked at each other........

Now we used Panafil for tx's and it is DARK GREEN, omg there was panafil just about everywhere you looked. The tx book was covered the phones her clothes - just everywhere.

Another resident in RESP distress and she hollering for O2 and how there are no concentrators-so I go on the run for O2 check a few rms and run to check this resident and low and behold guess whats at the residents bedside ?? I got upset because she needed suction while she just stood there. She says well Im new here.........

Me and my CNA's begged the DON to let her go and thank god I kept notes because they did too !!! DON hired her on the spot and never called the prior facility she claimed to work, called after the fact and got an earful I guess.

U live U learn

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

OK, well I worked with her Saturday night, and she left me alone, at least, and even asked for my opinion on something, but another nurse had to take her into the break room and have a discussion with her- the same issues I've had. Well, we were both told by the NM yesterday to leave this nurse alone, and why weren't we helping her instead of making her job harder???? I said SHE is making her job harder, and that I am the first person on the scene to help when the need arises- the NM knows this to be true. The other nurse and I are both due to have our RN's soon, and the NM has already stated a desire to place us in charge positions. She asked me how I would feel if people did that to me when I got the position. I stated that I felt that the absence of a huge pole up my butt would probably be a factor in how my co-workers (co-workers- NOT subordinates) reacted to me. Consequently, the situation has a positive side. Several other LPN's on the floor have decided to go back to school, and have started the process to do so. If all goes well, I'll have my RN by August, and won't have to deal with this anymore.