Nurses Who Talk Too Darned Much

Nurses Relations

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Have you ever made an error at work? You take steps to mitigate any damage, you follow procedure re: reporting. Your coworker gets wind of it, then blabs it to everyone in sight, including to people who don't need to know at all, like the assistants, the cook, and the housekeeper. Naturally, she spreads the word to the next shift 8 hours later, well after the pt is observed to have had no ill effects. Naturally, they blab it to the supervisor, who now labels you an incompetent boob and writes you up for this minor error. I say minor because the pt is alive and well and suffered no known horrors.

How do you deal with Ms. or Mr. Motor Mouth?

I don't think MM did it maliciously, I think she just talks too much.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

If you followed procedure for reporting the error, it doesn't seem fair to blame the motormouth for your supervisor's write up.

If you followed procedure for reporting the error, it doesn't seem fair to blame the motormouth for your supervisor's write up.

What do you think of her blabbing to the others I mentioned, like housekeeper, cook, and everyone else in the entire building? In other words, it's bad enough, scary enough to make an error, it's scary enough getting a write-up (which is why so many nurses don't report so many errors). Is it really necessary or helpful to anyone to go telling the situation all around town?

Also, it wasn't I who erred, it was another nurse from another ward. That's what I mean about telling it all over creation. Where is the good in that?

There's always going to be at least one motormouth, and then there's the supervisor's pets who will also tell. There are going to be errors, we're only human. Your best bet is to be transparent, follow procedure for error reporting, then be the first to tell your supervisor about it. And then at least you can get to them with your side before anyone else does.

Specializes in Oncology.

I typically am open about my errors so others can learn from them.

I typically am open about my errors so others can learn from them.

Same here. People can talk all they want. I know they make mistakes, too.

Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

When I was a young, naive new grad, I caught a pt's new MI starting, couldn't get the resident to buy in. He did order an EKG, and admitted to me "gee, she really is having an MI". I went around telling everybody..... don't know if I was bragging on me or trying to put him down; but my manager pulled me aside and put a stop to it. Told me I didn't know what HIS supervisor did about it, but it was none of my business.

Lesson learned! Mistakes happen, take responsibility and move on; keep your mouth shut about other people.

Sounds like her manager needs to have a heart to heart with Motor Mouth.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
What do you think of her blabbing to the others I mentioned, like housekeeper, cook, and everyone else in the entire building? In other words, it's bad enough, scary enough to make an error, it's scary enough getting a write-up (which is why so many nurses don't report so many errors). Is it really necessary or helpful to anyone to go telling the situation all around town?

Also, it wasn't I who erred, it was another nurse from another ward. That's what I mean about telling it all over creation. Where is the good in that?

If it wasn't you who erred, why were you written up?

What do you think of her blabbing to the others I mentioned, like housekeeper, cook, and everyone else in the entire building? In other words, it's bad enough, scary enough to make an error, it's scary enough getting a write-up (which is why so many nurses don't report so many errors). Is it really necessary or helpful to anyone to go telling the situation all around town?

Also, it wasn't I who erred, it was another nurse from another ward. That's what I mean about telling it all over creation. Where is the good in that?

HIPAA. Housekeepers and cooks have -0- need to know about a med error.

Specializes in Oncology.
HIPAA. Housekeepers and cooks have -0- need to know about a med error.

As long as identifying patient details weren't discussed, talking about the situation doesn't violate HIPAA. I do think it should be the nurse who erred's decision to share or not to. We occasionally talk about mistakes that happened in our staff meetings without saying the patient or nurse's name.

Maybe you should confront her and tell her she needs to keep her mouth shut.

Do you have a policy in your facility against gossiping?

Definitely a violation.

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