Problems with a co-worker

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Looking for information on what to do about a co-worker who has a nasty attitude? I started working at this job approx. 1 year ago. There was no orientation to the job (as usual) and I was thrown right into this new environment. I loved it! It was a great job, great hours, decent pay, and not too far from home. After about a month, I noticed the RN was delegating a lot of her work to me. This was fine, I stayed busy and made the day go by quicker. As time has gone on, more work has been delegated.. to the point that I am having difficulty getting my own work done. However, this was not the big issue. My issue is that while I am working like a dog, she is playing candy crush on her phone. When I ask if she could call the pharmacy or help my pull charts, she says she can't or comes up with some excuse of how busy she is.... (candy crush) I should mention our supervisor is her close family. More recently, she has developed a terrible attitude with me. I have never disrespected her authority, and have always done exactly as she asked. The company we work for was bought out about 2 months back and one of the new managers asked me how I felt about her - I didn't say anything negative. I was always taught in nursing school not to be a trouble maker - I choose not to be. But I am not sure I can take much more. She throws charts across the room often, throws medication, yells, curses ( which I do not like), and speaks to me in a degrading manor. I also feel as though patients are being neglected. I was assigned to go through all 1000 charts we had and chart check - I found several errors - Some patients had not had doctors orders followed through with in months - back braces, xrays, halters, and many more. With this new company, I was considering discussing it with the new manager - she said if I had any issues that she was who I needed to talk to. How should I address this with her? This has made me BEYOND upset - I have never worked with someone so lazy, and just down right hateful.

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Looking for information on what to do about a co-worker who has a nasty attitude? I started working at this job approx. 1 year ago. There was no orientation to the job (as usual) and I was thrown right into this new environment. I loved it! It was a great job great hours, decent pay, and not too far from home. After about a month, I noticed the RN was delegating a lot of her work to me. This was fine, I stayed busy and made the day go by quicker. As time has gone on, more work has been delegated.. to the point that I am having difficulty getting my own work done. However, this was not the big issue. My issue is that while I am working like a dog, she is playing candy crush on her phone. When I ask if she could call the pharmacy or help my pull charts, she says she can't or comes up with some excuse of how busy she is.... (candy crush) I should mention our supervisor is her close family. More recently, she has developed a terrible attitude with me. I have never disrespected her authority, and have always done exactly as she asked. The company we work for was bought out about 2 months back and one of the new managers asked me how I felt about her - I didn't say anything negative. I was always taught in nursing school not to be a trouble maker - I choose not to be. But I am not sure I can take much more. She throws charts across the room often, throws medication, yells, curses ( which I do not like), and speaks to me in a degrading manor. I also feel as though patients are being neglected. I was assigned to go through all 1000 charts we had and chart check - I found several errors - Some patients had not had doctors orders followed through with in months - back braces, xrays, halters, and many more. With this new company, I was considering discussing it with the new manager - she said if I had any issues that she was who I needed to talk to. How should I address this with her? This has made me BEYOND upset - I have never worked with someone so lazy, and just down right hateful.[/quote']

How would you be a trouble maker by telling the truth?

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well that's a good point. I guess I just don't know how to address this situation with the manager.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I think you should definately talk with your new manager, especially since she took the initiative to ask you. Honestly, to me you don't come across as disrespectful.

Think of it as advocating for your patients...if the pattern continues their care will eventually suffer. Hope the situation works out for you!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

I agree that you should talk with your new manager. Just take care to keep the information factual. No complaining about the other nurse's "nasty attitude." Instead, talk about the yelling, cursing and throwing charts. Factually, please, not emotionally, although I know that will be difficult. Discuss the errors you found in your chart audit.

I'm guessing that the reason the new manager asked to talk to you about this nurse is that she knows there is a problem. Unfortunately, there's a process to getting rid of a bad employee, and part of it is documentation. She needs your help to document what this nurse is doing wrong. Do yourself and your new manager a favor and help her out!

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Just stick to the facts. "A great deal of work is delegated to me. I have observed that Nurse Candy Crush is on her phone at the nurse's station when she is giving me tasks". "I am concerned because I am having a difficult time with getting everything done in a timely manner, and Nurse CC is unwilling or unable to assist me".

You on your own reviewing 1000 charts is a bit over the top, and you could make a mistake. In other words, you do not want your own job in jepordy because of the lack of participation on the other nurse's part. Additionally, if a patient has a --for instance--fall, you do not want patient's safety to be in jeopardy due to you having to take everything on yourself.

Chart checks speak for themselves. You are to note any errors, and I am not sure what would be done with orders that are months old that were never done. It is the perfect time to ask. And an ideal way to have a paper trail of the things left undone by this nurse. It is non-subjective information.

Good luck with this, and let us know how it goes.

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In nursing the squeaky wheel doesn't get the grease, they get the even shorter end of the stick. I would be looking for something else. Some battles are not worth fighting.

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You really need to say something. When the manager asked you how you felt about her you basically lied and made no comment. You knew what your thoughts were about her when the new manager asked you what you thought about that nurse. The reason she asked you is because the manager has her own thoughts about her and she may be looking for confirmation on these thoughts but she will not tell you that. Speaking up is not a bad thing and you are not a bad person if you speak up. Reverse the situation if you were the nurse playing candy crush during working hours, that same nurse would not hesitate to tell you what she thought about your actions and she would definitely report you. You need to do the same.

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