How do I handle lazy coworker??

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 9, 2014

I have no specific advice for dealing with your situation. However, my general advice is to start looking for a new job. If your manager comes up with a new complaint every 3-6 months, sooner than later you will be "shown the door." It's better to have a new job lined up before that happens. I would just put up with the "lazy" nurse. As for social skills, there are people aka therapists who can help with that.

smartnurse1982 · Jun 10, 2014

Gosh,i hate to point this out,but WHY are you guys doing laundry?

Is this a child or an adult?

I know for me,i had a coworker who used to say i did not know how to fold clothes properly and she used to refold them.

I told her knock herself out. You do not like it,tough.

It is not like folding laundry properly was in my job description,and i must if missed the part in nursing school when laundry was taught.

Powder to creases?

Nobody uses Balmex anymore?

Does the pt have a trach or respiratory issues?

allnurses Guide · Jun 10, 2014

I work a high acuity 24/7 PDN case. I like the family, my client, and the situation here. It's a positive home and I'm appreciated here.
I have low self esteem, depression and social anxiety due to an overly sheltered background leading to awkward social skills. I'm very direct by nature. I tell the person straight up what I have issues with and try to be nice but occasionally (about once every six months) I offend someone. Then I apologize profusely and best myself up mentally over it and feel even more socially awkward.
So I have a hard time confronting people with issues I have.
I have an issue here. The night nurse I follow is lazy or careless or improperly trained. I don't know which.
Today, for instance, she: 1. Left a mix of dirty and clean clothes piled on a standing frame that I had to sort through/put away before using said standing frame. 2. Bedside suction machine was unplugged, its battery was low and it didn't suction well. 3. Towels and draw sheets were folded/stacked poorly--I had to refold and restack them so a door would shut. This door needs to be shut for me to work properly. 4. Night drainage bag's nozzle was open and touching floor. 5. Powder to patient's groin folds was dumped on top of the folds. It caked and didn't reach the bottom of the folds (where it's needed most). This powder was caked deeply into the suprapubic stoma. I had to dig it out with a qtip and wash the powder also dried onto catheter tubing. It was like this last time I followed her too. 6. Tray used for giving meds was dirty and sticky. 7. Living room suction machine was unassembled.
I don't know if she's being passive aggressive. It's possible. I approached case manager with concerns after I first followed her--that time there was unflushed urine in the toilet in client's bedroom (it smelled), a towel with crusted tube feeding was put away with clean towels, and catheter nozzle was also open and touching floor plus many small things
I'm scared, honestly. The former DON (now works in management at this company) personally dislikes me (Every 3-6 months she calls and tells me what I'm doing wrong. I have the "wrong attitude", I use the "wrong tone" when speaking to her, I "really know how to make her feel bad". Never any issues with my skills or with me in the home.)
I don't want to rock the boat and get in trouble with her again. I've gotten in with her trouble for re-arranging my work schedule, for taking three sick days in one year, for making self-deprecating jokes, for complaining about no MAR or charting notes in the home. I like this case!
At the same time, I don't want my client getting an infection from this nurse's carelessness.
So far, I have notified the case manager about the caked powder in catheter stoma and urine drainage bag left open. I've silently cleaned up/fixed all the other mistakes as they are small things and aren't likely to cause infection. I also texted the nurse about proper application of powder to creases.
I honestly do not know how to handle this situation besides what I've done.
Other relevant info: The case manager and family *really* like me. The former DON was reassigned to some other function in company and hasn't called me in about a year. Still I'm afraid my name will be mentioned in the office and she will say negative things about me that affect my employment with the company. It's entirely possible I'm overly anxious about this.
tl/dr: Former DON dislikes me for no good reasons. She scolded me every time I did anything she decided was wrong. She was reassigned to other position, hasn't bothered me for a year. Current coworker is doing a very poor job. I'm afraid making an issue of it will bring former DON down on my case. I also wonder what's best way to handle it. Go directly to nurse or approach case manager?

I've worked behind a lot of night nurses and have noticed some of them do not do much but presumably listen for alarms (and even that is not 100% with some) some apparently excuse this because they feel any noise or activity is disruptive to the household and/or client.

I'm not understanding what you can do beyond what you have done. I'm really at a loss as to why your case manager isn't educating the nurse on safe practices considering that is the reason managers exist.

I think the best course of action would be to ask the case manager to schedule a conference where you can bring up your concerns and learn a little more about what motivates night nurse's behavior and how your manager interacts with her, and provides a benchmark you can reference if you need to address something she isn't doing right.

ceebeejay · Jun 10, 2014

Document, document, document anything pertaining to patient, like drains contacting the floor. The other stuff, you just have to say it to her face, non-judgementally and matter of fact. Beyond that, if you really enjoy the case, you just have to lump it or leave.

SDALPN · Jun 10, 2014

Document, document, document anything pertaining to patient, like drains contacting the floor. The other stuff, you just have to say it to her face, non-judgementally and matter of fact. Beyond that, if you really enjoy the case, you just have to lump it or leave.

Yep, that^. Document and CYA. If you continue to discuss with your boss, you will be shown the door. The boss clearly doesn't like you or want to be bothered. They will be the type to keep you from finding another job. Get your foot in the door somewhere else now...just in case. There are plenty of bad nurses in PDN ruining good cases.

When I get to work and start my note, I describe what I see as I walk in. After that, I describe what I did about the problems I found/described. If the night nurse reads the notes, they will correct behavior. If they don't read the notes, that is their problem. Your boss may read some notes, some never read notes. Insurance will see the notes. The case manager will read notes and possibly do something. They may even tell your boss there is an issue.

caliotter3 · Jun 10, 2014

Agree that you should continue to document, in detail, those patient findings that you must correct. However you have identified your position in this company and you say you like your job. You have already informed the supervisors about the other nurse. If they want to take action, they will. Otherwise, keep complaining and the action they take will be about you. If it were the family doing these things instead of another nurse, your supervisor would tell you to fix things and move on with your duties. Do the same in this situation and they will have one less reason to dislike your presence. Unfortunately, it is almost always the nurse who mentions things that gets singled out, but that is how it goes.

systoly · Jun 10, 2014

here's your problem

you have some valid concerns, but you loose credibility and validity by

nitpicking unimportant stuff such as towels were folded poorly

my response to that would be build a bridge and get over it

as you can see, while i don't aim to be inappropriate, i don't loose

sleep over people getting offended in the process of keeping it real

i believe quitting your job would be a bad idea

all good jobs come with unpleasant duties, situations and coworkers

that's life

my advice, lighten up

the next time you find stuff in disarray at shift begin

boost your self esteem by recognizing that you would not

leave stuff in a mess like others do

sigh and tell yourself not everyone can be as good as me

you're absolutely right about some of your complaints, but being right, often,

does not equal rectifying, so perhaps using a different, dare i say more positive,

approach with your coworkers might get better results

doodlebuttRN · Jun 23, 2014

I don't know if this could be the case, but sometimes we do things (or fail to do things) without realizing it. Maybe this nurse is just careless, or thoughtless, and does not realize what she is doing.

Having said that, let me say this...

I understand 1000% and sympathize with your emotional and anxiety issues. I have some of the same issues: social anxiety, depression, anxiety, etc (though the things I focus on are not as 'blatant' as what you've described. I have been on both sides; feeling like someone I worked with was being passive-aggressive and trying to force a confrontation. I also was told (in a very supportive way, thankfully) that I had been doing something (not related to clinical skills or nursing tasks) at work that was being construed as rude and inappropriate. I had NO IDEA. And, in hindsight, my behavior was wrong. I had no idea.

We are just people. There are not necessarily hidden motives (though I will absolutely admit that sometimes there are) behind our actions and behaviors.

As a fellow nurse with emotional/oversensitivity/overthinking, etc etc issues, I recommend that you try to take a step back, if you can (easier said than done, I know). It hurts when we give our all, and are told by family/nurse managers what a great job we do, but receive mixed messages from our colleagues and, unfortunately, from our DONs/ supervisors.

Remember that you are a GOOD NURSE; that you try your best, do all you can, go above and beyond, it sure sounds like; and have no reason to feel anything less than fully appreciated and respected. At the same time, some nurses don't think about the effect their behavior has on others. I wish you the very very best, and hope that you are able to resolve these issues without leaving your job. It sounds like you enjoy what you do, and are good at it.

I really feel for you, and wish you ALL the best. Please keep us updated!

emmylue