I'm a relatively new RN - 8 months of med surg and 7 weeks on my current unit, which is faster paced and shorter shifts than my old unit. I've been holding up well enough so far, until an inicident last week. In a situation with a patient, I endorsed a few non-critical and well documented things, all of which would have been ideally completed on my shift but due to other (documented) factors, I had not. The next, very senior, RN stated this was unacceptable and that she would write me up to the unit manager. She proceeded to raise her voice tell me to "shut up", say I was stupid and arrogant, that I'd kill all my patients, and that I'd better stay over time until the MD called and I could get the signature in question (I had called the MD about the situation earlier and he said he was coming in to see the patient and sign). This blowout was witnessed by the entire staff, it was at the nurse's station. It was also not the first time I endorsed to this RN and was loudly berated over something, this was just the worst blowout that had taken place. Given that she stated she would seek disciplinary action against me, I went to talk to the general supervisor about what had happened. The general supervisor said I hadn't done anything that warranted discipinary action, everything that happened was routine. The general supervisor said I need to talk to the unit manager about this, as the other RN's hostile behavior was unacceptable (although already known to management). I did that, with written documentation about the patient situation to tell my side of the story. The unit manager said she needs me to also write up what happened with the other RN becuase she can't have this kind of behavior on the unit.
I am terrified of retaliation from this RN after she learns that I "wrote her up" rather than her writing me up, as she stated she would do but did not. I don't think it helps that most of the staff are of one ethnicity, and I am not (nor is the manager). I feel like if the manager wants a statement I have to provide her with it, regardless of consequences from the other RN. I don't know how much worse it could get since I am already being publically berated, called stupid, told to shut up, etc. but I fear it will. What on earth can I do for damage control?
