Reporting other nurses

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

My first nursing job I had such a hard time dealing with this. A lot of the nurses I worked with would report other nurses to our manager. Usually through an email, things like "Jane didn't change this dressing on time, or Jane left her room in a mess, or all the iv tubing was expired,etc.." and you would get an email or meeting from the manager asking why this happened.

I haven't been reported for anything in a long time, and last week during my very first week at a new travel assignment I get a phone call from the manager saying she wasn't happy with my standard of care and she expects more. Apparently the nurse following me reported me to the manager.

She said I left my room messy (the room was clean with the exception of the trash...I am not a housekeeper and do not empty trash...but was told I should have paged housekeeping). I am usually very anal about keeping a clean room, as I'm sure most of you guys are.

Also, she said I didn't shave my pt and it appeared I didn't get him mouth care all night. He was intubated, and I just generally don't shave my patients daily. Although I have made it a point now to do so everyday now. I gave him mouth care, but he was just one of those pts who had horribly thick secretions.

Also I was reported for not emptying my foley bag. She said the urometer was overflowing. My pt was on a Lasix drip, and could have possibly just dumped over 300cc for that hour.

She then said the EVD wasn't level, it was about 1 inch to high. The pt probably just slid down a bit in his bed.

I was just so upset about this, and still am. It was like a huge list of all these things and she made me feel like such a horrible nurse. She said they have a higher standard of care, which really upset me. It was my first week there and now I feel I will be looked at like this horrible nurse.

I often see things that the nurse I have followed hasn't done. I have never ever reported anyone for something, I would much rather just casually and politely tell the other nurse whatever she forgot to do if it is that important. I feel like I have been singled out here. I have now been at this assignment 3 weeks and have found lots of things that other nurses have done wrong, but wouldn't dream of reporting this to the manager. I now find myself paranoid at work and scared to death someone will report me for something. I'm scared what if I overlook something I am supposed to do. I'm just really upset about this and wondered if anyone else has had any problems with nurses reporting eachother.:crying2:

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you should report her

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So sorry you are experiencing this type of pettiness. My response to the NM would have been flippant, probably something like "I can see now why you have the need for travelers". (not the best response, but we have lots of jobs here.)

Your first week in a new assignment is not reflective of your standard of care. My god, doesn't this nurse realize it probably takes you double the amount of time to do everything cause you don't know where things are or how their system works.

Take a deep breath and do your best every shift. No one can ask anymore of you.

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I hate the tattle-tale mentality that pervades nursing.

Sorry.

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

I've been seeing a lot of this lately too. What really bothers me is that usually the people doing the write-ups aren't exactly Florence Nightingale either. Can we all move past 3 grade?

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
I hate the tattle-tale mentality that pervades nursing.

Sorry.

Sue - You are so right!! You just think, "Aren't we all adults? Aren't we all human and all make mistakes?!" If that is the mentality that is in the majority at that facility, it makes me even happier that my dh (who is also an RN) and I never actually did anything about it when we had thought about doing travel nursing.

I'm just too old for that kind of bull. That was ok when we were in elementary school and fighting over swings or in class when one student was jealous of another classmates stuff.

I would be nice one day if nurses and other ansillary staff working on a unit actually helped each other and didn't try to slit their throats as soon as they left the station.

Anne, RNC

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It sounds like you are a great nurse! Don't let it get you down. Many facilities actually enjoy picking on the travelers. As long as you provide safe, quality care to your patients who cares about the trash!

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Yeah I wouldn't worry about it. None of us are perfect...and none of them are either despite their delusions.

I stock the floor every night I work, to help out because no one else does it. Do you think I ever get a thanks? No, but when my tech forgets to dump a foley I never hear the end of it.

Tait

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
I hate the tattle-tale mentality that pervades nursing.

Sorry.

Totally agree. Why can't we just talk things over with each other rather than running to the manager's office all the time. I used to work with a girl like that. She'd run to the manager and cry all the time about stupid things. They would just laugh at her.

I don't understand how everything has to be perfect. A couple nights ago I was helping out another nurse who had an extremely sick patient. Nothing in my room was neat/clean. The hallway was a mess because we had the crash cart, bronchoscopy equipment and our cart with various central lines were all outside of that patient's door. Not once did management or any of my co-workers ask "why wasn't anything clean"

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

I often see things that the nurse I have followed hasn't done. I have never ever reported anyone for something, I would much rather just casually and politely tell the other nurse whatever she forgot to do if it is that important. I feel like I have been singled out here. I have now been at this assignment 3 weeks and have found lots of things that other nurses have done wrong, but wouldn't dream of reporting this to the manager. I now find myself paranoid at work and scared to death someone will report me for something. I'm scared what if I overlook something I am supposed to do. I'm just really upset about this and wondered if anyone else has had any problems with nurses reporting eachother.:crying2:

I'm probably not the one to give advice on this. As I just lost my job due to others reporting me, but, I have refused to report them. My former DON told me it was my job to report others. I never saw that in my job discription. I'd get out of there before you end up fired like I did.

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Specializes in ICU/PACU.

Thanks for your support. I wish I could leave, but unfortunately I have a contract, so 13 more weeks left. I'm really trying to be cool about it, but I am internally upset and want revenge on this girl! I'm just defensive and paranoid at work now, and it sucks. Thanks again for the support:)

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I have a feeling she might just be jealous because you are doing something she probably wants to do and you are making more money than her. It's just a thought. I wonder if the manager went to see the patient's room to see if all of those complaints were true.

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