Accused of being too busy and not "social" enough?? (long)

[jbp0529]

I work in a fairly busy ICU, in which it is not uncommon for us to get 3-6 sick admissions/transfers on the night shift alone.

So tonight I was confronted by a fellow co-worker (who was charge on the night I am about to describe), who basically said that on a regular basis I am too busy, running around too much, not socializing with the rest of the staff enough...however she was especially referring to this one particular night in which I had a critical GI bleeder with a low BP, who was getting transfused as quickly as he was pooping the blood out.

2 hours after my shift started, I got an unstable transfer from an outside hospital: a guy who was s/p PEA arrest, on vasopressors, unresponsive, with renal issues (K+ 6.0, Cr > 5), questionably about to start CVVHD (dialysis), and who recently developed a head bleed at this outside facility. He was being transferred to us for neuro-surg evaluation.

To make things worse, on this night: we had no unit secretary, no CNA, lots of inexperienced staff, lots of inexperienced docs (July), and I had gotten no report on this new patient until literally 2 min before he rolled in the door.

Needless to say, between this guy and my GIB patient, I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off !! LOL The rest of the staff enjoyed a relatively calm night of playing on the internet, flirting with each other, and talking on the phone. No one would step in to help me unless I specifically called out, and then they would only do the bare minimum, and give me disgusted looks for interrupting happy time. Finally, I reconciled that I'll just eat it alone and do the best I could.

Anyway, to wrap it this up, tonight (a week later) my coworker told me that on this night I was rude, abrupt with people, wasn't using my resources enough, and generally wasn't much fun to be around. Well DUH...I had the heaviest assignment on the whole unit! And excuse me if shooting the breeze, walking slowly, and putting on a smiling face are a distant second to keeping my two sick patients alive. And all this coming from someone who has less experience in the ICU than I do.

And then here comes day shift... "What, you didn't bathe your patients?" Whew!! Ok I'm done.

[loriann, BSN, RN]

I think it's great you spoke with your manager and also that you feel you could have been more assertive in getting your needs across. Hopefully, things will be different next time.

I understand how you feel. I'm new and when I first started, I was accused of being "anti-social" on my unit a few times. I think more experienced nurses forget that new nurses are still trying to feel competent, get things done, understand things, etc. and that leaves no time for "extracurricular activities." I have to say though, even when I do have down time (not much on a tele floor0, I try to do something like my committee work, restock supply carts, clean around the nurse's station, review rhythm strips for practice, etc. just to keep myself busy.

Keep up the good work...you should be proud of yourself!

[blueheaven]

Needless to say, between this guy and my GIB patient, I was running around like a chicken with it's head cut off !! LOL The rest of the staff enjoyed a relatively calm night of playing on the internet, flirting with each other, and talking on the phone. No one would step in to help me unless I specifically called out, and then they would only do the bare minimum, and give me disgusted looks for interrupting happy time. Finally, I reconciled that I'll just eat it alone and do the best I could.

This happens where I work too. Then they SIT around saying "oh, I help anyone who asks"....yea right! Only if it's their buddy! I could go on a vent right here myself but I won't.....LOL

[Ms Kylee]

Geez.... this week I got accused of being "too social" with the patients and families... all because I DARED to ask a patient if they wanted their bed changed, and I gave my preceptor's one patient a bath because she was busy doing vitals. My baths were pretty much done except one was sleeping, and the other one could do themself, but wasn't doing it fast enough to suit the one nurse on the floor. All this resulted in my preceptor hauling my butt into a room and saying I had to "move faster". Then she said that the nurses all like me, and the patients "adore" me. I told my preceptor I can move faster, but I can't change who I am, and if I spoil my patients because I asked if they wanted their bed changed, then so be it.... Things settled down the next day.... but still.... :angryfire