Re: Issues with a nurse who eat their young!
I have been researching "Horizontal Violence" or "Lateral Violence" for a couple of years. It is a passion for me because your story is all too familiar and also it happened to me on my first job as an LPN (I lasted 6wks - I had NO IDEA that this even took place, they didn't address it in school), and on my first job as an RN on Tele. I last there almost a year, but just couldn't take it. It was sink or swim, and I was screamed at in the clean storage room on my last day of work there (after giving my two weeks notice) by the Brunhilda of the unit...she pulled me out of a cardioversion to do this as she was acting sup for that shift...oh joy! And I just stood there, took it, told her "oh yes you did do this and that"...and finally at the end I just burst out in tears. I couldn't be strong and assertive and I just reported it to my sup when she got back from her meeting. Didn't phase her...oh you know how SHE is. Great...and yes we do, but why won't anyone do anything about HER? Well because she's a dang good nurse and the docs respect her...that's all that counts. *sigh* I was a fav target of hers at times, but this time she was acting sup and didn't help me when I asked, she just turned and walked away to go to lunch without saying a word...the "lovely" unit sec ratted me out that I was mad that she took off on me...so I got chewed out because she would NEVER not help me. Oh whatever. It happened...can't change the facts. I really was on a fast moving cardiac floor and I did not have a good preceptor either...she did not want me slowing her up...she was off at 11:30p and that was that. So she didn't allow me to do the paperwork or anything on my own during the preceptorship. NOW I know to speak up and say, this is NOT working...let's try someone else. As a new nurse I didn't know I could do that.
Well anyway...many hospitals are being proactive on horizontal violence in the workplace. Funny thing is after six years I went back and applied to that first hospital (where I only lasted six weeks), and interviewed for an ER/SCU position. And I said I wanted to work towards preventing this from happening and it was a passion of mine for recruitement and retention of nurses...they just stared at me like I was crazy and didn't hire me. And now the hospital is going down the tubes fast...it's sad. Morale is down and turnover has been high for years. Oh and when I did work there another new nurse was also treated like crap and only stayed six weeks! And while I was there I would hear the older nurses plotting against a newer (1yr) nurse....they would watch and let her make mistakes then take them to the manager and she would get written up! No regard for patient safety!!!! That's why it's so important to nip this in the bud! Patient safetly. That nurse was able to make it one more year and then transferred to Home Health (her mom was a sup on nights). It was awful the things they'd say about her (she was young, blonde, pretty, smart, newly divorced, and the docs loved her). She's a great nurse.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12641816
"CONCLUSIONS: First year of practice is an important confidence-building phase for nurses and yet many new graduates are exposed to horizontal violence, which may negatively impact on this process. The findings underscore a priority for the development of effective prevention programmes. Adequate reporting mechanisms and supportive services should also be readily available for those exposed to the behaviour."
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_111895683/ http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenu...eBullying.aspx
Just Google Horizontal Violence...great info. As far as management...find out if there is a task force that is addressing this and you'd like to join or start one. It's important for R&R as I mentioned above. Take control that way. She/he may know about the issues, but doesn't have the time to address them or doesn't know how.
Anyhow there are a couple of nurses on nights that are impossible to give report too. They are not rude to any of the day nurses that have been there for years but they always feel like it is their right to give the new grads a hard time. Well yesterday I had to give report to one of these nurses. The unit itself was really busy alot of transfers and admissions so I tried to help everyone out. I had Q 1 hour neuro checks and my other pt was on bipap and would desat very easily he was also in AFIB and as the day progressed his heartrate started going up into the 130-150s. By 1850 the doctor finally comes up to the unit and I tell him that I think we need to switch his PO Cardizem and start him on a Cardizem gtt. He agreed and wrote bolus 5 mg now and start gtt at 10 mg/hr and titrate to keep heartrate 70-100. Before the doctor was up on the floor I had already pulled out my 1800 meds and had already given my meds to my bipap pt but not to my other pt. I dont know how it is for you guys but we have an hour before and an hour after to give our meds. By this point the night shift nurse had showed up so I thought I would just go ahead and mix the cardizem gtt and bolus him. She goes mix the gtt 25 mg in a 50 cc NS bag. As I was at the pyxis I figured to make it easier Id mix 100 mg in a 100 cc bag since he gets 10 mg/hr and make it an easy 1:1 ratio (also it takes our pharmacy FOREVER to bring us our meds). I asked the chargre nurse and she said that was fine. So I went and found an extra pump and hung the gtt. The nurse sees the gtt and goes, "WHY DIDNT YOU LISTINE TO ME AND MIX 25 MG IN A 50 CC BAG! YOU JUST WAISTED ALL THAT CARDIZEM! PHARMACY IS GOING TO COME UP AND BRING A NEW BAG! YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST LISTINED!" So I responded, "I made it an easy 1:1 ratio for you, plus just call pharmacy and tell them not to bring up the extra gtt unless you order one later." Then she says "WHATEVER!" So then I go and grab my other pt's meds and I go do you want me to update you on the pt's first and give these meds after (I had given her report yesterday, doING report would only take 10 mins) and she goes, "NO GIVE THOSE MEDS NOW YOU ARE ALREADY LATE IT IS 1915 JUST GIVE THEM NOW! So I give them but I told her that we have an hour before and an hour after but it didn't matter to her. After the meds I gave report and she pretty much didn't say two words to me. Anyhow I don't know how many times I've seen other nurses go and pull 1800 meds at 1900. Plus if she was so concerned about the meds she could have been nice and given them while I was mixing the gtt for her. So I guess my question is was I in the wrong? And should I speak to my manager b/c this has been an ongoing problem for awhile now and these nurses are part of the reason why I switched to days. Sorry this is sooo long!
Search Tags
Sorry your feelings were hurt.
Re: Issues with a nurse who eat their young!
Nursing News