LPN doesn't want to work team with me- warning -new nurse vent

Nurses General Nursing

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I worked team with an LPN whom I hadn't worked with before the day before yesterday. Last night she was assigned to work with me but changed her assignment before I arrived. This was OK with the other LPN who requests to work with me. I felt hurt.

Here are my crimes: She wanted to leave at 6:30 a.m. even though she was scheduled to 7:30. This leaves me with 12 patients and all the blood sugars, daily weights, ect. 5 of these patients are high acuity. I nicely said no. She did not have anything pressing to do in the a.m. She states "I always like to leave at 6:30". Also note that we have no aides on night shift.

Next crime: She is behind, so I do 3 patient assessments assigned to her. I check later and she has not passed meds or done any charting. I ask her why. She states "well you did the assessments so I thought you were taking them". I end up with 6 patients primary and all the Iv's med sheets, orders, ect. I tell her next time we work together we will need to communicate better. She gives me the evil eye.

I print out care plans for her and she tells me " I don't use these." Then I ask her if so and so patient has on his PAS stockings and how much are the residuals on the patients with ng tubes. No PAS stockings and the residuals are "not to bad". I ask her for an amount and she gets mad. She did not bother to see (or chart) how many cc's of residual. Then she tells me "Well I didn't know these things needed to be done'. Really? Cuz these things are printed on the PCP's I think to myself.

Next crime: She tells me patient x has an elevated blood pressure. I ask her if she took a manual. She did not. I am with a patient starting blood so I can not leave the room for 15 minutes. I ask her to take it manually. I can hear her complaining all the way down the hall. Yes-I am a monster.

Still my feelings are hurt. She was overheard telling someone " I don't like to work with her." as if I am a bad nurse or some mean evil person. I was very careful to use a nice tone of voice when speaking to her. The other 2 LPN's I work with are hard working nurses. I have learned alot from them and let them know that I respect them. I also make sure they get their breaks. The LPN who doesn't like to work with me took 5 coffee breaks and then complained she was too busy to take a lunch. Huh? Anyways, thanks for letting me vent.

You sound like a good nurse and a good person. This nurse is trying to manipulate you. Don't let her. Don't feel bad that she is talking about you, this is her way of trying to control you.

Learning leadership skills is difficult and we learn from these bad eggs. You don't want to cater to this type, believe me...it will only get worse.

Personally I would confront her (maybe with another RN present as a witness) and let her know you find her attitude, her work, and her requests intolerable and that if it continues it will be documented....forever after. I like to give one warning...then the shyt hits the proverbial fan. They can't say they weren't given a chance to improve.

Hang in there and don't let her get to you...YOU are doing well. :)

I can imagine how frustrating it is to have to deal with this individual. The thing is, you have shown that you hold yourself to pretty high standards regarding the care your patients recieve. I would much rather have you as a nurse than someone who is willing to cut corners to get out at "6:30". Keep up your work, and don't let it get to you. It will pay off in the long run.

Gregory

Sounds like you practice professional nursing. Sounds like she is one of "those nurses" who give us a bad name, demean us as professionals, and display all of the behaviors I despise the most. Sounds like she does not like to work and probably cuts corners in her care, a dangerous person. I would actively and aggressively take steps to get her out of my organization as fast as I could. The last thing on my mind would be to worry if she liked me or not, the first thing would be to safeguard my patients from nurses like her.

There's one at every facility. Two at mine's. There are still nurses out here who don't take their job seriously. I believe that you handled things fine. I also agree that the nursing supervisor should be made aware of this. Your primary concern is the residents, and if meds are not being passed out and patient care is not being handled, then something needs to be done. Keep up the good work, and believe me when I say that she is only one of many that u will come across.

I agree and think you are handling the situation in a professional manner.

Sadly experience has tought me that reporting to management is of no value.

All swept under the carpet and allowed to continue. Should some error or omission have serious consequences the RN alone will shoulder the blame.

Moral of the story. LPN's are cheaper than RN's and we know it is all about profit!

You sound like a great nurse, while nurse X sounds like she

#1 Is covering up her ineptness with rudeness

#2 Has no clue what she is doing

#3 Is a lazy bum who should seek employment in another field or is SOOOO burnt out she still should take a LOA.

You need to go directly to management. She is putting your (collective) pts at risk.

Good Luck

Specializes in critical care, med/surg.

I think that you have the right to be upset. She obviously is not fulfilling her duties. If you haven't had a problem with any of the other LPNs, then it seems as though she is not only lazy, but dangerous. If I were in your shoes, I would talk to your manager about the situation.

I think that you handled things in a very professional manner.

Keep your head up!

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

remember sjoe's tagline:

*we will get exactly as much crap as we will take*.

You know, we have all been the "new kid on the block" And to me, SHE sounds dangerous and evil. I would watch my back but I would NOT take this from her, either.. I would tell her: She is not leaving til the job is done, period. You are a TEAM and NEED each other to cooperate and get the job done so you can BOTH get out of there ON TIME!

Your standards are appropriate and on-target. This person is either used to getting by this way for real, or severely testing your mettle. Either way, she cannot get away w/it. Let her know that, in your actions and by the words expressed in the awesome posts before mine. If all else fails, and she continues this, you do need to have kept track of incidences and dates/times and have a meeting w/your nurse manager.

you are right to be concerned but PLEASE do not take her lousy, slipshod way of doing things personally. It is NOT ABOUT YOU but HER and SHE IS THE ONE WITH PROBLEM, NOT YOU! Hang in there and best wishes!!!!!

I would actually think of it as a blessing that she doesn't want to work with you. Who needs the additional stress of a lazy work partner? Don't waste your precious time on her. The fact that you have other LPNs more motivated to work hard like you and want to work with you, speaks very highly of you and your work ethic. I would though talk with your NM as well as the other RNs who might be forced to work with her. If they are like you, this LPN won't last much longer.

Kris

Thanks or your responses, they have been a reinforcement to me that nursing is all about the patient. My hospital is in financial trouble and they are bending over backwards to keep staff. We rely heavily on agency nurses and they are trying to retain staff at any level. Hence my concerns about this staff nurse will from my observations, not be taken seriously.

I find it ironic that the agency LPN's who get cancelled, get treated less than fair are the one's who work their butt's off. Just goes to show that a good nurse is a good nurse no matter where they are working. I truly admire and respect these nurses.

Thanks again for the positive reinforcement. I have a decision to make about if I am going to stay at this hospital. I feel management is terrible, and yet I feel compelled to stay. Strange. I think I may just be afraid that I do not have enough experience to go somewhere else yet. I may have to just get my courage up and find a better place to work. Until then I will just do the best job that I can do.

It seems that things like that happen a lot when the facility uses "team nursing". ... some nurses forget what the meaning of team nursing is ...sure makes the day go along so much smoother when we can work together... it takes one lazy person to wreck the whole day...... give me primary care any time....like the other posters said its "nurses like her that give us other LPN's a bad wrap"

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Sounds lazy to me. If she changes the schedule good for her, let someone else work with her.

renerian

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