lose the attitude

No one is talking about lowering the standard of care. Of course a nurse needs to be informed when he/she has made a mistake. But does the informing nurse have to badmouth the error-making nurse and let everyone else in the unit know... I think not_ or treat the error-making nurse contemptuously from there on out?

I agree with bluesky, you KNOW who leaves work and who doesn't. I simply say I'd appreciate you not leaving that admission assessment that is 5 hours old for me to do. If you say you will and don't, it will be waiting for you the next day if you return. If this is a trait that you've acquired, I let management know that in no way can I provide an ......... this far out and will leave the medical record # with a note to compete in this nurses mail box.

I won't be taken advantage of, but I sure as all get out will do the form if that nurse had been busy but you can tell by the shape of the unit walking in how things really were.

When other nurses complain I offer the above suggestion and add that they should take it up with the "offending nurse" and quit complaining and move on, there's work to do. If I started adding about how they suckered me in last week and tell tales... I only add to the problem. No matter how true it may be. But I'm finding less work being left for me that could have been done. The rest is ongoing effort

Different people react differently under stress... human nature to protect

I wish I worked with you! You sound like an Angel!

You know there's also a context issue. If I've had a slow night with 2 easy pts, a good tech and decent staffing, and I didn't get a bedbath done, then you have a right to give me a little tude in the morning seeing how you're the one who's going to get whined at by the fam. If on the other hand, my one pt crashed over night and got multiple lines (quenton, a-line, blah blah), multiple blood products, CVVH, you know all that jazz, Please don't whine because I didn't have the time to bathe the other patient. Thank You.

I had a experience recently when my own manager talked to me about 'some ' nurses complaining about my 'attitude'. I was shocked because this is not my personality and I am new to the unit. I only worked 2 days that week!

I think...we should all learn to be objective and stop stereotyping and putting others under the microscope. My manager and her complaining nurses have fallen into the trap of attributing anything and everything unpleasant to 'attitude' because it is easy to not think of root cause. She did not want to dig deeper into the problem. They are dumping the blame on this newbie to disredit her because I who found their work deficient and who had to correct the work. The prrof is all in the charts! When I presented my counter-argument, it was like talking to a brick wall. She has no prooff of my 'attitude' either. She just made up her mind because 'more than one nurse complained to her. She did not listen to logic, that she just gave me an appraisal that said everyone liked my positive attitude. I have not shown her the award I got from my previous hospital that praised my attitude but will do the next time she metions my attitude. Attitude is persistent behavior that occurs over a loner period of time that a day! When my fellow RN is having a bad day, I just support her, it is the least I could do to ease her pain. I do not further cause her greater grief by running to the boss becasue that destrpys teamwork. If he/she continues the behavior, then that is something else.

I think that no matter what, just like in the military, the commander in chief bears responsibility. Negative working atmosphere will continue to exist if the boss does not do anything about it. In the case of 'attitudes', the nursing manager should step in and set clear expectations, monitor and correct appropriately. I came from the business world prior to nursing. I was a manager myself and I know not to thread into hollow accusations because that is inviting harassment charges and very unprofessional at the very least. I have not figured out my manager.

I have thought of quitting but then I decided that it might not be better eslewhere. I have it good at my hospital and at my position so far. I do not want to risk getting a black mark on my record nor do I want the headache of a grievance.

Every unit has a culture, and within that, every shift. I'll only do nights. The teamwork potential is maxed there. The big sucks (who are usually the chief critics and micromanagers) hang with days where they can pursue their hobbies to the max. They are one of the chief reasons there's so little teamwork on days. I've seen promising new grads come, get beat up, and leave the day crew without ever having given nights a chance. Sad waste.

[quote=kate1114;2055581]I think a lot has to do with the culture of the unit and the leadership of the unit (both formal and informal).

This is so true. Within my hosptial there are managers that possess very good people skills, and there are those that would just as soon step on their staff than listen to them. I am fortunate enough to work with a very personable manager in my ICU. The way she treats her staff is a model for expected behavior from the RN staf, and this respect has become part of the unit culture. We include a mix of nurses spanning years from 1 to 30+. We do have one or two that have their attitudes but they are kept in line by the staff- we police our own here and it is very effective. The same goes for standards BTW-if a nurse is not keeping to our high standards of care we take him/her aside and talk to them about it staff to staff. When it's a serious breech, then the manager must get involved. Managers, team leaders, and staff nurses should all set examples and live by the Golden Rule...that is how you can defeat the "nurses eat their young" stigma.

I think management is completely key here... If bad attitudes are tolerated by management than they flourish. If not, then they are snuffed out. We bring lots of new grads into our unit and it is expected that we are inviting, helpful and friendly, as well as being the same to everyone who works here. Not to say that there is never a snide comment, but you have to put it into context. Every once in a while, everyone has a bad day... If you are a repeat offender, you are in trouble. We had one nurse that was a "repeat offender." When she was confronted my management, she was really hurt, because she didn't realize that it how she was coming off to people... (after all, in her mind ICU nurses had to be strong!) Now, she is the most helpful person, a pleasure to work with.

A couple of thoughts:
1) Most (if not all) types of nursing specialties (NOT just intensive care) are subject to this phenomenon (i.e. previous nurses leaving loose ends). I chose NOT to pursue a position in the ICU because I'm not interested in the five percent of our population that consumes 50% of our healthcare resources. Try having nine patients...
2) As my mother always said, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."