New Orientee Ticking Me Off

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I was training a newer RN on the pm shift yesterday. He will not be working on my unit, just cross-training per policy. I did the same when I started and have never gone off of my unit. He has no experience with psych nursing and is ending his training. I knew he wasn't pleased to have to come shadow on my unit but managed to keep up appearances most of the shift. Towards the end, I was busy with a new LPN in training and the supervisor came along for rounds.

I came into the nurses' station on the back end of a conversation in which he was asking if "this is normal and allowed". Although I was wondering, I had enough to do and had to leave the station again. Report was complete so I didn't need to be there for the supervisor. When I was able to come back, the super asked me to deliver a taped note to one of my staff, which I did. But, I had an awful feeling I missed something with this new RN.

I asked him if I just delivered a very negative note to one of my cna's and if so, could he explain. He stated he saw her eating crackers and had a book out during a 1:1, which is against policy. He never came to me with this information so I never had a chance to correct the bx. It was a very busy night with 2 admissions (which never happens), physical altercations, family drama...in short typical nursing evening, lol. I could have screamed I was so po'd. I discussed this with him regarding giving staff a chance to do whats needed before going to the next level and he just didn't get it.

It was a very busy stressful night and to top it off with a new orientee who I just wanted to get off of my unit and never see again. I spoke with other staff that float to the other unit and was told he's been writing up employees there. I'm just sick that someone with no experience in their new field would be so blind to chopping off their other hand. I did tell him to be careful because those same staff members are the ones that should have his back when pts become assualtive. I think he had no idea. I was new just over a year ago and understand how hard it is, but jeez was I frustrated. I just needed to let it out :)

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

No problem letting out your steam...

This is ridiculous and uncalled for behavior. He should have come to you since you're training him rather than going to the next level (which isn't even his manager/supervisor since he's cross-training).

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Specializes in LTC, Pediatrics, Renal Med/Surg.

No need to get mad. His turn will come and no one will stick up for him.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

Write him up for not following the chain of command.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Karma....:D

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Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Sounds like a rough day. Hope tomorrow is better! :-D

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.
Write him up for not following the chain of command.

That is way funny! It never even occurred to me. Sometimes giving someone just enough rope to hang themselves works as well.

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Specializes in tele, oncology.

We've got a nurse on our unit pulling the same crap. She's been with us for around six months, is not new to nursing, and now acts persecuted b/c no one will bail her out when stuff hits the fan. She also gives off the vibe of being someone who would be the first to throw someone under the bus when stuff goes down with a patient. If she wouldn't have spent her orientation and first few shifts on her own writing e-mails to our boss over inane issues, she might have some support...as is she's managed to alienate even the most laid-back, good natured people we have.

The guy you're talking about will either learn his lesson the hard way or else spend his career wondering why, no matter where he goes, he's just not seen as part of the team. I totally understand your frustration.

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

Sounds like a couple "protocol happy" nurses I work with.

I was "written up" by one of 'em and so was my pod partner over "inappropriate overuse of propofol". Basically this person claimed that 'protocol was violated' because 'pt. was given over the limit amount of sedation'. This person arrived at this conclusion based on the number of bottles of Propofol that were used on the patient within x amount of hours.

Never mind the fact that this person wasn't assigned the patient (pts. primary RN was my pod-partner. I was helping out where I could. This person got called in to "verify dose with 2nd RN" because pod-partner was hanging a new bottle of Propofol... and that's where this person started talking about "you've used too much Propofol. It's against protocol. This WILL BE an incident report!")

Never mind the fact that the ER doc, the admitting doc AND the ICU intensivist doc had no problems with the dosages. Never mind the fact that during this entire episode, pt. was hemodynamically stable (which if any of y'all who has ever used propofol knows it's not always easy).

This is what happens when people pay too much attention to "protocols" and forget about "critical thinking" (the pt. in this case was morbidly obese. Usual doses of meds won't work as well in this case. Besides the fact that the pt. WAS hemodynamically stable!!!)

As uncharitable as this may sound, I'll borrow a quote and say: "We all got a job to do. And 'This Person''s job is to be an *******. Just so happens that 'This Person' excels in it".

- Roy

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Specializes in ER.

I hate to be the devils advocate here and for the record, I have only ever written someone up one time and talked to the person first but a lot of what you guys are saying on this thread amounts to bullying.

You are essentially saying don't you dare report stuff that's out of norm because no one Will like you and other nurses will actively work to ensure you fail rather than set the example that the better way is to show someone how to work together. Seriously, turn the other cheek to this dude!

I am sorry but the tech already knows she or he isnt to read a book and if you are asking me to sign your propofol then yeah I gotta a dog in the fight when it comes to going outside of protocol. Get a new order if the patient isnt responding to protocol driven doses. Seriously, stop blaming other people for system failures and defending bad practice.

If we are to turn this job into a profesion then let's stop bullying one another, start doing what we all know we are supposed and stop watching dissatisfied people leave the unit while management complains they had no idea and then simultaneously refusing to deal with repeat offenders because there isn't enough evidence or enough complaints.

Part of the reason I say very little to management is because of narrow-minded bullies who act like they know all the answers and would make life misery for anyone who complains. The new guy sounds like a pain in the butt but you know what? So do y'all!

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He thinks he's earning brownie points. He is only messing it up for himself. Karma baby.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
I hate to be the devils advocate here and for the record, I have only ever written someone up one time and talked to the person first but a lot of what you guys are saying on this thread amounts to bullying.

You are essentially saying don't you dare report stuff that's out of norm because no one Will like you and other nurses will actively work to ensure you fail rather than set the example that the better way is to show someone how to work together. Seriously, turn the other cheek to this dude!

I am sorry but the tech already knows she or he isnt to read a book and if you are asking me to sign your propofol then yeah I gotta a dog in the fight when it comes to going outside of protocol. Get a new order if the patient isnt responding to protocol driven doses. Seriously, stop blaming other people for system failures and defending bad practice.

If we are to turn this job into a profesion then let's stop bullying one another, start doing what we all know we are supposed and stop watching dissatisfied people leave the unit while management complains they had no idea and then simultaneously refusing to deal with repeat offenders because there isn't enough evidence or enough complaints.

Part of the reason I say very little to management is because of narrow-minded bullies who act like they know all the answers and would make life misery for anyone who complains. The new guy sounds like a pain in the butt but you know what? So do y'all!

I suspect it has as much to do with the fact that he is new and not even a permanent member of that team. He has no knowledge of this person's prior working relationship with the floor, which should always be considered in disciplinary measures. One day of crackers and a book for an otherwise exemplary employee isn't the same as someone being unsafe, insubordinate etc. Part of the yardstick when measuring something should be the person's history and the depth of the offense. He has no point of reference for that. All people need reinforced boundaries sometimes. That doesn't have to mean big guns.

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