yikes! new nurse/old nurse conflict

[JoI8815]

Hey guys. So today was a rough day. It was one of those I dont want to go back to work days. A seasoned nurse got in my face to the point two people had to hold her back and escort her out the room. Sigh...I absolutely hate conflict. I need some advice though. But first, let me try to make a long story very short:

I've been orienting as a new nurse with a certain nursing home for a couple of weeks. I was told that this is rare, but I love the job so far. Every person who have trained me, and every unit i've worked on has been rewarding in some way, until today.

I began orientation today on the unit im supposed to be working on permanently. Orienting on a new unit always feels like starting fresh because i dont know the patients, the med cart is different and each mentor has their own way of doing things. Well this mentor literally just gave me the cart, told me to go do the med pass, as she retreated to the nurses station. So here I am, 1st day, by myself with a cart I've never worked on and patients I'm not familiar with. Not only that, but the cart was in a hot mess! There were all kinds of hippaa violations on the cart etc.

So while I'm slowly passing meds, one of the CNAs came to me and told me that I need to give a certain pt all his meds...including his 6, 8 and 10pm meds all crushed in one...and put it in his chocolate milk at 4pm. I told her that its not safe to do so and that I will give him the meds that's due at this time. She goes and gets my mentor who came, crushed all the meds including the ones due at 10pm, and put it in his milk. Now the CNA is looking at me like im stupid lol. Fast forward...

I'm in the managers office crying because I'm so overwhelmed by everything that's happening on the floor and I felt like I was alone. I had no intention of bringing up the med incident to the supervisor but I did. The supervisor then insists on bringing it up to the nurse because we all know that you need an order from a Dr to do something like that. She goes upstairs then 5 mins later, I hear the nurse/mentor, angrily page me over head to come to the floor...that's where she got in my face, saying how dare I call her actions unsafe...she has 30 years of experience etc etc. I kindly and calmly asked her to move her hand out of my face, and that's when two people grabbed her and took her out of the room. As she is leaving, she says that she was going to bring this up to someone and write a report on me. Now I don't know what she's going to say, but the only thing she can do is lie, or throw herself under the bus.

As I was leaving the floor with the supervisor, I see her at the end of the hallway with the other nurses talking. Problem is, I now feel like an enemy, because nurses/women/people tend to form bonds at work that no one can get through, no matter how wrong the person is. I have to go back on that floor and train with a different nurse. I do feel intimidated and afraid of what's going to happen. I dont want to work in a hostile environment. I do not want to be that nurse on the floor no one likes because one person in the clique has an issue with them. Its just not healthy. Im wondering if I should go to the DON and ask for a transfer to a different floor, or what should I do. Im so clueless right now. And I'm honestly afraid. Help!

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

1. Then he needs to have the timing of his meds changed to reflect the actual time he takes them. And the fact that unless incompetent, can refuse his medication. Perhaps a talk with the MD about the "essentials" is in order.

2. What will happen with the nurse who "went after" you? If she is agency, then can't they assign her elsewhere? If she is part time, then hours that do not co-incide with yours?

3. Depending on the answer to #2, that would be the deciding factor in if a trip to the DON is justified. Because, in fact, you are not satisfied with the way it was handled. (Unless something happend to that nurse that we don't know about). If the supervisor is going to essentially ignore a nurse who behaves so inappropriately, then you need to ask yourself--WHO is running the show?

4. All the CNA's acting like 5 year olds is not good either, however, you are there to work, let 'em talk. When, and only when they decline to take direction from you to care for patients is when I would then again go to the supervisor and be firm in the fact that it is not working out, as the culture of the unit is making it impossible to care for the residents.

Good luck and let us know how it goes. I would, however, transfer to another unit the moment you are able to!

[chrisrn24]

I would say "you have your ways and I have mine." Patients all the time will tell you "nurse xyz lets me _____." I say "I'm not nurse xyz."

[CharlieTaco]

Everyones advice is completetly correct, the nurse was not supposed to give meds that way and she was probably not the best person to mentor you with the kind of attitude shown. With that said, you are done on that unit. If she is well liked, you just dug your own grave. Everyone will now hate you and treat you horrible. They will bad mouth you to everyone and when given the chance, will get you fired. Why? You snitched her out. I don't care how great of a nurse you are, if you work in LTC or on a busy unit you cut corners. They know that if they do it around you, you will tell on them so they can't trust you. And your new so they already didn't trust you. If she is doing something dangerous that is one thing, crushing meds together for pt probably doesn't qualify for that. I'm not saying this is right, but it is the way it is. You might have done the right thing by the book, but your going to pay for it.

[JoI8815]

I def realize that now. I didn't tell on her because I was trying to snitch her out...like I said, its a long story. I was talking to the supervisor about why I was upset and that was part of it. That conversation was supposed to be in confidence...but regardless of the reason I did it, I truly regret doing it because like you said, people cut corners at these places and I understand that. I also suspect that she's gathering her army. The other day she was in the office with a bunch of CNAs gathered and when my new mentor walked in, she said everyone stopped talking. I assured her it wasnt her, it was me. Afterward, some of those same CNAs who were not even there were being passive aggressive toward me now. I really don't think its worth it to stay if im going to be on that unit.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

if that nurse is there on a regular basis, you now know why they need regular staff....she runs them off.

[nursel56]

I've only run into one manager that fits this description and your options are really limited. I think Morte is right and if there is any bright spot at all it's that you weren't subjected to weeks of attempting to fit into a toxic, no-win situation before you followed what was probably a long line of former employees out the door.

[doppelganger2]

I agree that it is completely out of line for that nurse to be aggressive with you and essentially leave you.

But You could look at it this way: the new nurse (you) on her first day on the unit(not first day on orientation) goes running to the supervisor crying about xyz feelings and issues she's having. Which is acceptable but did you talk to your "mentor" about these issues before you went to the supervisor? Were you proactive by asking questions about things you didn't understand first?

From what you've written here this situation/job won't be very good for you especially if no one including the cna's have your back. Transfer to another unit as soon as you can! Or another facility.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

With all due respect, the OP shouldn't feel badly because she declined to take any potential fall out from others cut corners. And if she did so and the "mentor" had her back.....I am not sure a state agency would accept "but I told the CNA to have her to do it" is a plausible explaination....could be just me, but.....

And it is quite common in some facilities to have a "so how is it going" conversation with the DON when starting a new position. That is usually when the DON speaks about what the new person could do differently, discuss policies, and the like. That the OP was honest while not making one particularly "popular"-----she was honest. And we all know how some DON's can "get it out of you" even if your intent was not to "snitch" on anyone....

[SILVACH24]

Im not a nurse yet, but I would like to assure you, you are right in every which way or form to feel how you do. You have to protect the pt And your license. Ypu have gone with your gut feelings. Work is not a place to make friends. Certainly it makes it easier, but if you have no friends then you will come to work, perform efficiently, and not be concerned with anyone else but you and your pt. On lunch eat by yourself, be the out cast. The fact you will be different from every other nurse on the floor will make you stand out to your supervisors. Your supervisor does seem to be on your side about this. And if that other nurse keep harassing you then that is also a job violation and she is looking for more problems. Im sorry you had to experience this, I hope everything turns out for the best for you. Keep your head up. Im proud that you stood your ground with instinct about the pt meds.