Issues @ work with coworker

[SDALPN]

Hi! I'm currently working a case f/t. We have a new nurse that I oriented that is new to private duty. I spent a few days with her teaching her about trachs, feeding tubes, and all the basics about private duty. A few weeks later she has decided to bring politics in to a case that never had it before. It was a quiet, mostly drama-free case until she came in. She has hospital experience and I guess she thought she would have to bring the politics with her. I gave her every tool I could to help her succeed. Even gave her my cell number so she could call/text me with any questions when I went on vacation or was off. She turned around and started playing games. I was the one that got her on the case to begin with as the mother wanted my opinion on who to put on the case. At first I thought that other than lack of experience with trachs, that she was great. Then all of the sudden she sent me a text asking me why I backstabbed her. I never did a thing except tell the supervisor what a pleasure it was to work with her. Then she took a day of mine by manipulation. So the office called me and told me that they were putting her on a day and pulling me off because I had OT. But I was scheduled!! The office told me during that call that they had already talked to this nurse and she would be working that day. So next thing I know the nurse texted me asking "Who is working tomorrow". Even though she knew...she was playing around. So then she started politics with the parent trying to make me look bad. Well now the parent has been "cold" to me the past couple of weeks. Well last week the nurse got a DWI and I had to cover her shift for her while she was in jail. Well that gave me more OT and the agency pulled another day from me and she got her hours back as she had been scheduled. The agency didn't and doesn't know about the DWI....the agency will shoot the messenger!! So basically I lost OT for covering for her and keeping my mouth shut while she got her hours back. Well I went back to work after a day off and see that this nurse has decorated the patients casts....thats great, except on the underside where its hard to see she wrote "my best nurse is, (nursesname)". Excuse me?!?! Really?!?! So tonight I see that she has friended the parent on facebook. So then I see that the mom had something nasty to say about me because I did my job like I'm supposed to and she didn't like it. Unfortunately, there are no other cases with work available right now. I'd ask the agency to put me on another case or at least move some of my hours to another case. I can't afford to lose any hours. But I don't want any trouble by staying on the case either.

This other nurse is wrong on soooo many levels. What do I do?

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

I would report her to the BON. What is she shows up to work impaired? If the agency hired her without a background check, then they need to be held accountable too.

[SDALPN]

I checked her out on the BON. Her license is unrestricted and shows no discipline. But she could have kept the felony hidden from them. They only ask when you renew if you have any convictions. But they don't actually do an annual background check.

[SDALPN]

I'm thinking I will do an anonymous report to the board. That will also cover me because I now know about the situation.

[caliotter3]

I was going to say to have the mother of the client call the agency with the DWI 'news', but it seems she is getting to like the other nurse at your expense. I would contact the nursing board without delay. The faster you do this, the faster the board will act, and then the agency will not be able to look the other way. And you need to find another case, preferably at another agency.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Also, check to see the obligations you have to the board for knowing about the DWI, and if you DON'T report it.... in TX, if a nurse knows that another nurse is impaired or otherwise a potential danger and doesn't report it, and the BON finds out later- you're toast. She's not worth that- and neither is a job who won't respect it... your license is a one shot deal- jobs may be scarce, but without a license , they're irrelevant :)

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

To those nurses out there working home care or private duty is this jockying for position with the patients and family a common problem among coworkers?

The other day I had a patient that let me know she wanted a different nurse who wasn't on that night because she had given her a long neck and back rub. I didn't feel very wanted, and I'm just not a touchy-feely kind of person to give out back rubs, not to mention I was much too busy anyway. Funny patient was complaining she had no one to help her at home, but admitted she was estranged from her family for being unkind back when she was healthy and independent.

We did eventually hit it off and she was talking my ear off and making me laugh in the end. She did have quite a sense of humor after all!

Sometimes you feel like work is a popularity contest with the patients, but I know my fellow coworker didn't set out to do this. She is just a new overachieving RN, but it sure does take the wind out of your sails when a patient lets you know they prefer someone else!

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

Then I would report her to the BON. I guess you don't have an Intervention program or this chick would have to be in it. She needs to be stopped-for her own good. It sounds like she is playing fast and loose with the old prescription pad, and now alcohol...this is a recipe for disaster...it also shows a complete lack of judgment or rather poor judgement...I would not want her caring for my child or grandchild...I would bet she has worked at some point "impaired"...and what if her mother can not take her to a sudden shift she is called in to work and she has been drinking...and she decides to drive anyway...and then she kills someone on the way...dramatic but we all know it happens.

I would report her...you may be saving someone's life...or at least her life.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

So this nurse, who has just gotten a DWI and has convictions for felony controlled substances is taking care of CHILDREN?

Anonymous email to the BON is definitely in order here.

[caliotter3]

To those nurses out there working home care or private duty is this jockying for position with the patients and family a common problem among coworkers?

Yes. It is very common, actually, it is par for the course. And almost always, the nurse who says anything at all to the agency supervisors about anything out of kilter, gets branded as the troublemaker, not the offending parties. The supervisors do not want anyone to rock the boat at all. That means work on their part, and they don't want work. So, they attack the person who reports any wrongdoing at all. This behavior can be found from case to case, from agency to agency.

[SDALPN]

Yes. It is very common, actually, it is par for the course. And almost always, the nurse who says anything at all to the agency supervisors about anything out of kilter, gets branded as the troublemaker, not the offending parties. The supervisors do not want anyone to rock the boat at all. That means work on their part, and they don't want work. So, they attack the person who reports any wrongdoing at all. This behavior can be found from case to case, from agency to agency.

Thats common in my experience too. I've never understood why. Because you would think that removing risks for lawsuits would be in the agencies best interest. But they are more interested in warm bodies with licenses. I was recently told that the agency may be removing the amt of med to give on the MAR so that nurses will have to do the math on each med. I see that being a risk too.

Nurse reported. I'm not taking a chance with my license. The board does have an intervention program. But it only works if the board is aware of the nurse having these issues. She apparently has chosen to hide this info.

[BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN]

Yes. It is very common, actually, it is par for the course. And almost always, the nurse who says anything at all to the agency supervisors about anything out of kilter, gets branded as the troublemaker, not the offending parties. The supervisors do not want anyone to rock the boat at all. That means work on their part, and they don't want work. So, they attack the person who reports any wrongdoing at all. This behavior can be found from case to case, from agency to agency.

Would the agency still feel that way if the informer is informing them that one of their employees is a felon, and that the parent of the client (no matter how "friendly" they've become) would not be too thrilled that this is the nurse the agency trusts her child with?

Report her, anonymously, if you insist. If they find out it was you and they deem you a troublemaker, walk away with your head held high, knowing you did the right thing.

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

Don't worry, the BON would find out sooner or later. You can not hide these issues forever. How long ago were the drug charges? Actually, she may BE in the alternative program, it's confidential, so you wouldn't know anyway..nor would it be on the BON site...b/c it's in lieu of the BON dicipline...but the BON will find out about he DUI anyway...and if she is in a program, that is grounds for dismissal, or they will send her for treatment and start her contract all over again.