working with unprofessional tech

[Double Dunker]

We have a tech on our floor who is VERY unprofessional: is terribly loud and we work nights. Several patients complained about his loudness last night, and it's not the first time. He drops the f-bomb every couple of sentences, especially when referring to patients he doesn't like, while standing at the nurses station. And with his loud voice, the patients must hear him. When I've worked with him, I've tried to kind of playfully "shush" him. His response is that he's "just loud and people need to get over it." And to top it off, he's not very good at his job - walks right past call lights without answering them, doesn't get his morning labs done on time. My understanding is that one of the charge nurses as already gone to the manager, but nothing has really changed. Any suggestions on what I can do to try to encourage change? Would it be appropriate for me to also approach my manager?

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Is this tech being accommodated for something?

Sometimes people can't help being loud. Due to not being able to hear, or it is their personality. If the patients complain enough on the surveys, then perhaps something would be done. But shushing over something that is due to habit, poor hearing, whatever is making it juvenile.

What is not OK is the swearing. And that would be were my complaint would be. The tech may not be able to always control volume, but as an adult, should be able to control language.

Unless again this person has accommodations for a disability. Seems to me that he could be hearing impaired. But the language needs to be cleaned up in a professional setting.