wonder how rumors work in a nursing facility

[brotherbear]

I have been a nurse for over 5 years now but it seems like all the effort you do to control rumors, they always end up spreading uncontrollably. I mean give me a break, some minor chit chat level issues sometimes hit the rumor mill and the doctor ends up being called in for it.

For those of you who have been nurses for a while, can you elaborate on how rumors work in a nursing facility, hospital, LTAC, e.t.c. I mean if their are any patterns one must recognize it would surely be helpful. thanks

[IdrilRN, BSN, RN]

Recently a the rumor mill was turning about an issue that had to do with vacations. I simply asked my boss about it and she set it straight. I tend to do that if it's a big thing having to do with work policies. But if it's about a persons personal stuff, it goes in one ear and stays there.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

You know, Elvis has a new album coming out

[AndiSN]

The part I forgot to add is that it is certainly not just women. My husband works in a primarily male workplace (manufacturing) and the rumor mill is just as rampant there if not worse. I hear all kinds of crap when he comes home. And these are the manliest of the men. The ones who build stuff :)

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

I don't socialize with or otherwise discuss my personal life with coworkers, at all, ever. I worked with the same dozen or so people for 10 years; they would know that I'm married and that I have kids but I don't think a single one of them could tell you my kids names, ages or anything about me really, other than what I eat and read. As far as I know, there have never been any rumors about me -in 25 years. Gossip? Probably, but I don't give them much to work with, lol. My policy has always to raise an eyebrow and walk away with a little shake of the head when the gossiping starts. Someone has probably gossiped about that.

So how to control it? Start by controlling your own disclosure. And don't sheet where you eat. In other words, maintain boundaries. Most rumors start with the victims poor judgment IME.

[Poi Dog]

"Great minds discuss ideas.

Average minds discuss events.

Small minds discuss people."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

Sometimes you tell somebody something in a conversation and before you know it everybody is talking about you

So question if you tell somebody, something good is it a rumor

Or is it only a rumor if you tell somebody something bad!

We will often talk at work about nice things that have happened to somebody and it does go round quickly-then you are being asked about the event and you smile hard because you are happy!

But if the bad news come back you question who has been gossiping about you and you become angry!

If you are to stop the rumor mungers then you have to stop talking about both the good and bad.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

You wont believe the girl I was caught having sex with in the break room.

That is my current favorite one about me right now. Word of mouth spreads like a wild fire with firefighters dropping napalm instead of water.