Agency nurses with attitude, who toot own horns, dis your hospital

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I was orienting in ER today, really enjoying myself by the way. An agency nurse came early to orient before her first shift ever in our hospital which was to start when I left at 3.

She had a swaggering manner as she attempted to establish her vast experience to our staff within the first minute of her arrival. Then she came in a room of mine to do some things, she did something incorrectly and proceeded to critisize our hospital in front of the patient. Then she went out and argued with one of the ER nurses about what she had done incorrectly, then she got on the cellphone and had some loud conversation with someone. Then, when I proceeded to hand over the patient to her who was to be admitted as a stepdown for a PE (I had already called report) I explained that the patient could be transported without a monitor if they were a stepdown, per our policy, and she proceeded to do some long exasperated sighs and a few eye rolls, and ask me if this was really true, and could I please tell her where the portable monitor was.

Then she got on the phone with her son who had lost his backpack and had a loud conversation, so I went in to help another nurse put in a foley on a broken hip lady. I went down to my regular unit to kibbitz and then went back to chart something I had forgotten and the agency nurse had already totally alienated the unit secretary. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.

I would report her. I don't know how it works there, but where I work if an agency nurse did this, she wouldn't be asked back. :yeah:

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Specializes in ICU, CCU,Wound Care,LTC, Hospice, MDS.

She didn't have long straight brown hair, did she? I think I worked with her and had the same problem! We reported it to the DON as a group and she was out of there. It gave patients a terrible first impression of the hospital!

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

This nurse had medium length brown hair, a pale unhealthy complexion, circles under her eyes, and a sour expression.

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Sounds like one I had a while back. She was asked to leave and not come back. Followed up with a phone call to the agency and an email to our administration. As hard as we work, we don't need some yahoo to come in and ruin things for us. That only makes our jobs harder

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She has a thousand clones, probably more. Some people are amazingly arrogant. It is all about them. She is a guest as an agency nurse and she can easily be crossed off the guest list for another visit!

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Specializes in insanity control.

I have never behaved like this.* I work agency when off of travel contract.* I have been asked how things are done at other places I have been but never condemed the one I was at.* If you don't like the place then don't return.* You remain professional to the core.* I am appauled that agency would behave this way.

What the one poster said about the guest is right on the mark.* We are there to make life easier, not harder.* Never say anything bad about the place you are working, the people, or their p&p in front of pts.* If questions ask at station and in a friendly way.

Sorry for the experience.

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Wow sorry for the bad experience you had...most agency nurses I have worked with are very professional....you do have the odd one who thinks she is perfect....

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Specializes in LTC.

WOW. I've only worked LTC but every agency nurse I've worked with has been awesome. That woman gives pool nurses a bad name, not to mention she made her own agency look bad. I hope they kicked her to the curb.

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Most agency nurses are very good to work with. They know there is a need and they are there to fill that need. Too bad you got one of the ones who would be a problem no matter where she worked. I hope you reported her to the CN and proper steps were taken to insure she does not return. Better luck next time.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

You know, we have just had the opposite problem. One of our regulars left for about a year to travel. She has since come back, and she acts the same way. She is always taking about how much better it is else where. She constantly berates our managers...Who up until 6 months ago worked side by side with the rest of us taking patient, so most of us don't take to kindly to her snide remarks about one of our own!

And last week she called in every day she was scheduled. She used to be a good worker, but since she traveled things have changed with her.

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In our hospital, we can report a nasty agency nurse and they will be placed on the do not call back list :PPP

Unfortunately it doesn't work the same way with regular staff!!!! LOL

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