Work Ethics (Warning Rant Included)

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Does other's people's work ethics bother you. Lately I've found myself getting infuriated at my coworkers. For instance, one nurse called in "tired", "I've been running around all day, I'm going to take a nap and come in about four hours late". The same nurse had her assignment switched from one day to the next with good reason, and decided to leave the unit short staffed and went home because she didn't like her assignment. (It's very very hard to get fired these days, must be counseled and written up a hundred times).

Another nurse has a low priority for antibiodics and meds. She just leave the meds at the bedside uninfused. Plus she lies. I despise lying.

Another CNA saw she was floating. While I was counting narcs she called the staffing office with a sudden onset of illness and went home.

I give 110% and more, and work like a fool getting my job done, while providing leadership and patient care, and only call in sick when sick (which has been over a year ago). These people can't even muster up 10%.

I hope I'm not sounding "holier nurse than thou".

What bothers me, is the guy I'm precepting is choosing loosers for role models and has said things like "well, no one else charts that way, why should I" "when I get off orientation I'm not doing all that work".

I should just live and let live, concentrate on myself and my work and not worry about others. The overwhelming majority of nurses I work with kick butt and work hard. But I'm get so seething angry sometimes at this dead weight.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Dear Krrn3,

Welcome to the board! I enjoy reading your posts, but I thought you should know that if you write in all capital letters, it means you are shouting when writing on the Internet. Some people might think you are rude and might not answer politely as a result.

Please keep posting! I would've private messaged you to tell you this, but your button wasn't there.... i dunno why... :confused:

Dear Krrn3,

Welcome to the board! I enjoy reading your posts, but I thought you should know that if you write in all capital letters, it means you are shouting when writing on the Internet. Some people might think you are rude and might not answer politely as a result.

Please keep posting! I would've private messaged you to tell you this, but your button wasn't there.... i dunno why... :confused:

Ok...just a thought.....how many of those lazy workers are just plain burned out?...In the climate of nursing today, l find it more and more difficult to go above and beyond..no one EVER says thank you when you come in sick...mostly complain if you don't pull your weight...l am all for doing a great job..for myself and for my patients...tired of sacrificing my time, family and health for management who never seem to acknowlege and promote...l will defanately conceed that there are some staff that are just plain lazy....and most of time they are "friends" with the powers that be....does that make me want to give more that 100%?...NOT!....just some different thoughts here.......LR:(

Ok...just a thought.....how many of those lazy workers are just plain burned out?...In the climate of nursing today, l find it more and more difficult to go above and beyond..no one EVER says thank you when you come in sick...mostly complain if you don't pull your weight...l am all for doing a great job..for myself and for my patients...tired of sacrificing my time, family and health for management who never seem to acknowlege and promote...l will defanately conceed that there are some staff that are just plain lazy....and most of time they are "friends" with the powers that be....does that make me want to give more that 100%?...NOT!....just some different thoughts here.......LR:(

3rdshift, I can't believe this guy you are precepting is telling you those things. Does your facility have a failsafe for new hires, the type of thing where if the preceptor doesn't feel the nurse is ready, they don't come off orientation? I know a hospital I worked at as a CNA had a problem with a new nurse (who unfortunately graduated from my school :( ) that was pulling some of the same s***, very lazy, wasn't wrong about ANYTHING, and constantly putting her patients at risk with serious med errors. She was a liability to the hospital, so back on very tight preceptor orientation she went....and failed, commited another serious med error when she flip flopped IV antibiotics on two patients, and one got a medication they were allergic to. Did it while he preceptor was on the phone with an MD, because she "could handle herself and her nursing responsiblities." Scary, scary.

And if there is anything I have learned about my charting, it is all about CYA, cover your a**, cause other nurses, doctors and the hospital sure won't.

3rdshift, I can't believe this guy you are precepting is telling you those things. Does your facility have a failsafe for new hires, the type of thing where if the preceptor doesn't feel the nurse is ready, they don't come off orientation? I know a hospital I worked at as a CNA had a problem with a new nurse (who unfortunately graduated from my school :( ) that was pulling some of the same s***, very lazy, wasn't wrong about ANYTHING, and constantly putting her patients at risk with serious med errors. She was a liability to the hospital, so back on very tight preceptor orientation she went....and failed, commited another serious med error when she flip flopped IV antibiotics on two patients, and one got a medication they were allergic to. Did it while he preceptor was on the phone with an MD, because she "could handle herself and her nursing responsiblities." Scary, scary.

And if there is anything I have learned about my charting, it is all about CYA, cover your a**, cause other nurses, doctors and the hospital sure won't.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Thanks everyone for listening. To the Devil's Advocate, I hear you, there are times, I'm so tired and burned out that I can't emotionally and physically be there 100%, but the point being that I try. Ranting and raving and holding my peers hostage and then abandoning them because I don't like my assignment is not appropriate behavior.

In these days of nursing shortages and fear of being accused of being racist (not an issue because the people I speak of are not minority, but it quietly seems to be an issue, but we won't go there), it seems management does have to put up with a lot.

I like the response "It's you who has to answer to the state board, not me". And yes, my preceptee's orientation has been extended much to his dismay.

It is good to know that most people out there are wonderful.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Thanks everyone for listening. To the Devil's Advocate, I hear you, there are times, I'm so tired and burned out that I can't emotionally and physically be there 100%, but the point being that I try. Ranting and raving and holding my peers hostage and then abandoning them because I don't like my assignment is not appropriate behavior.

In these days of nursing shortages and fear of being accused of being racist (not an issue because the people I speak of are not minority, but it quietly seems to be an issue, but we won't go there), it seems management does have to put up with a lot.

I like the response "It's you who has to answer to the state board, not me". And yes, my preceptee's orientation has been extended much to his dismay.

It is good to know that most people out there are wonderful.

sjoe hit the nail on the head I think....it all comes down to management.

If nurses feel appreciated and valued then they put more into their work performance. Nurses burn out when they feel undervalued and are treated as a warm body. I speak from experience. In this day and age of increasing workloads and accountability, nurses need to be appreciated. In my old place of employment, we used to bend over backwards to accomodate any management requests...because they responded when we requested something. It was a 2 way street. Now, noone tries at all, coz there is never any appreciation of the extra effort or work performance. It is solely the reason I left that establishment, after many years.

Leadership means valuing your staff and asking for their input on policy decisions.

Of course there will always be lazy nurses, but I think these are definetely in the minority.

sjoe hit the nail on the head I think....it all comes down to management.

If nurses feel appreciated and valued then they put more into their work performance. Nurses burn out when they feel undervalued and are treated as a warm body. I speak from experience. In this day and age of increasing workloads and accountability, nurses need to be appreciated. In my old place of employment, we used to bend over backwards to accomodate any management requests...because they responded when we requested something. It was a 2 way street. Now, noone tries at all, coz there is never any appreciation of the extra effort or work performance. It is solely the reason I left that establishment, after many years.

Leadership means valuing your staff and asking for their input on policy decisions.

Of course there will always be lazy nurses, but I think these are definetely in the minority.

sjoe and aus nurse- Yeppers-lack of leadership and good management are certainly what ails me.I'm the only nurse ( and an LVN) at a small rural outpatient mental health clinic. The clinical director is a politician, the deputy directors chair is empty, as is the bookkeeper, two clerical staff, office manager, and a full time clinician for adult services. (This is what the county has alotted us too not what in reality would be efficient)By default, guess who's doing the deputy directors job as well as her own and reining in 3 docs all over 70? I'm ready to grieve it to the union. Litterally no one is watching and the clinicians are pulling "It's not my job Im busy I dont know how to make copies answer the phone file

take a crisis call" Didnt Woody Allen once say " It has the body of a crab and the head of a social worker?":eek:

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