i cursed somebody at work, somebody overheard and filed a complaint. what can i do?

Nurses Relations

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so there was a very mean employee im calling on the phone for my patient. After I hung up, I said ***** and an employee overheard me. This happened a few months ago and She reported it to the manager. And the manager wants to talk to me now. I feel sorry aboutit , I know I shouldnt have. It was at the end of the day and I was very stressed with high acuity patient loadand I needed to make sure the painet will be okay but she's hanging up on me. I have always been soft spoken and I would never do this again. I'm so sorry I said this.

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Seriously? Some people just need to mind their business. If I had a penny for every curse word I have heard at the nurses station I wouldn't be working in a hospital.

We have one surgeon who has a notoriously nasty mouth, but nobody says anything. If you were cursing towards a pt then that would be different, but swearing to yourself, under your breath after a difficult phone call is no biggie. IMHO

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

Well my dear it all depends on if your boss has your back or not. I've seen a faithful CNA who had worked for the same place for 20 years fired stat for someone reporting her swearing at a patient. This place did not stand behind it's nurses. I've seen far too much related to this type of thing to know it's mainly all about how the facility has your back. Verbal warning, written up, 3 day suspension are things that other places have done in a step fashion. Anyway I would hope they would just talk to you and have you apologize. We're all human and they can't expect perfection; though they try.

Go in there and tell them what you did was wrong and you want to write an apology to the person and apologize in person (it's called BN). Tell them how much of an assett you are to them etc... You know the drill. Good luck. I would tell you not to worry but I know you probably can't help it. Try meditaion (I'm serious) it truly is relaxing.

:)

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My floor could go up against any prison gang for dirty jokes and curse words. Makes a hard job a hell of a lot easier.

ps Never infront of pt's.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
Well my dear it all depends on if your boss has your back or not. I've seen a faithful CNA who had worked for the same place for 20 years fired stat for someone reporting her swearing at a patient. This place did not stand behind it's nurses. I've seen far too much related to this type of thing to know it's mainly all about how the facility has your back. Verbal warning, written up, 3 day suspension are things that other places have done in a step fashion. Anyway I would hope they would just talk to you and have you apologize. We're all human and they can't expect perfection; though they try.

Go in there and tell them what you did was wrong and you want to write an apology to the person and apologize in person (it's called BN). Tell them how much of an assett you are to them etc... You know the drill. Good luck. I would tell you not to worry but I know you probably can't help it. Try meditaion (I'm serious) it truly is relaxing.

:)

IMO, swearing AT a patient is WAY different than swearing ABOUT a fellow employee after a phone call has been ended...

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me thinks the employee that overheard you, needs to take the popsicle stick out of his/her....nevermind.

yep, apologize and chalk it up to a bad day...

and that it won't happen again.

and then flick that employee the bird, behind his/her back.

just don't get caught.

leslie;)

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Wow if swearing was forbidden I would have had a short career.......say you are sorry and watch your back.

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This happened a few months ago and they are just now complaining? Don't they have anything better to do? Tell the boss that you will apologize and that you won't do it any more and continue on. If I was the boss, I would not be bothered unless the patient or the visitors heard it and it was just a once in great while thing that you did and not a daily thing.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Hope it all works now. The occasional cuss word is therapuetic....

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Oh for heaven's sake, your manager is foolish to allow tattletaling like this. We will never be a real profession if some RNs "run to mommy" to tell, and the manager allows it.

Oldiebutgoodie

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Specializes in ER/ MEDICAL ICU / CCU/OB-GYN /CORRECTION.

could you imagine a physician doing this to another MD who cursed? And they wonder about why there is problems in nursing.

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Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

If this happened a few months ago, and your manager is just getting around to talking to you about it, I can't imagine he/she is that concerned. Just say, "I'm sorry. It was unprofessional. I had just ended a telephone conversation with a very rude person and after I hung up I let my emotions get the better of me. I'm sure it's happened to you before. It wasn't directed toward a patient or a co-worker and I didn't mean for anyone to overhear and I'm sorry if 'so and so tattle-tale nurse' was offended by my words."

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