Am I a bully?

[haron54]

I was written up and was fired for this. I was charge doing three different tasks at the same time at 1200. A RN comes up to me and says I' m so busy.I looked up from the discharge paper I was working on and said "that's too bad you are so busy , staff should be returning from lunch soon". So I'm being told saying "that's too bad "was a bulling remark.I thought it was just feedback.Also that I refused to help her now sure how her saying "I'm so busy "was a request for help.I also was busy doing discharge paperwork and watching telemetry and answering the phone.Was I a bully?

[Erythropoiesis]

Maybe it's the way they said it?

I am honestly shocked if that's all that was said, in a wrong tone of voice or otherwise. I really do want to hope that there's a lot more to this story. Truly.

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

I was having a issue with new nurse manager... she came out with I was to do all discharges I basicly said it was stupid...

I think the reason you were ultimately fired is pretty obvious.

[nurse1959]

My charge nurse in med/surg has so many duties plus can have up to 4 patients herself. She is a wonderful nurse and person, and helps when asked, if possible. All the nurses in med/surg are stretched thin to provide basic patient care, assessment, med passes, ABX, etc. If something goes wrong, i.e. bad IV needs a new one...unstable vitals, out of the ordinary orders, order clarification, patient advocacy, our day goes from real busy to frantically busy. Admin doesn't care. We run our asses off for 12+ hours a day. We become exhausted mentally and physically toward the end of shift. We are making hundreds of micro/macro decisions daily to keep our patients safe and on the road to recovery. Somethings gotta give. We are human beings, but expected to perform like we are super human 12+hours a day. Not right, not fair to us or our patirnts, not safe.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

oh yes, oh yes!!!

[morte, LPN, LVN]

actually it think that was the start of pushingher out. and the request WAS stupid.

I think the reason you were ultimately fired is pretty obvious.

[gemininurse71]

Sorry about your troubles, but even in my Union hospital with a signed contract, there is a clause that allows the hospital to terminate employment within the first 90 days (probation period) without cause.

I hope you find a new job soon. Maybe you can use the scrubs at a future employer?

[bgxyrnf, MSN, RN]

actually it think that was the start of pushingher out. and the request WAS stupid.

I don't disagree that the request was stupid; it was.

However, telling one's superiors that their decision is "stupid" is a sure path onto the black list.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

There is no way we can evaluate you over the internet with this short, one sided story. Tone of voice and body language are too important in communication, and we can't see or hear you.

I've seen nasty nurses who've been cranky, distempered, and have made people miserable for 40 years in one job. They are making top dollar and firmly entrenched. Once in a while a new manager will be able to get rid of them. Colleagues will publicly decry the injustice of it, while inwardly thinking "It's about time".

This is the lowest common denominator theory and it is so true. The entrenched people you define are all over the place and despite their often times malevolent influence on the workplace they seem to be endowed with an indescribable kind of force-field that makes them impervious to being held to task. I sometimes wonder if they are not used as a concsious or even unwitting foil of management to sadistically achieve socially unacceptable objectives.

It's just a theory but when you see this personality type over and over for decades run off good people at god knows what cost to the organization in futile training and wasted treasure, you have to wonder if there is not some dark and perverse motive at play.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I don't disagree that the request was stupid; it was.

However, telling one's superiors that their decision is "stupid" is a sure path onto the black list.

I agree. Radical honesty is a turnoff, especially to superiors. Sometimes the truth hurts so badly that you'd be better off keeping quiet.

Many people claim to want the truth. However, when the moment of truth arrives, they cannot handle the truth. Thus, think twice about a policy of radical honesty.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

yes, that is why i think it was a set up.

I don't disagree that the request was stupid; it was.

However, telling one's superiors that their decision is "stupid" is a sure path onto the black list.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

OP has been at this hospital for 40 years. She is WAY past that window

Sorry about your troubles, but even in my Union hospital with a signed contract, there is a clause that allows the hospital to terminate employment within the first 90 days (probation period) without cause.

I hope you find a new job soon. Maybe you can use the scrubs at a future employer?

[blackberry, BSN, RN]

I'm confused. You mentioned two infractions that you committed. But, which one led to your getting fired: violating the 3-day suspension or your comment to your co-worker?

In any case, it sounds like you have history of making off-the cuff comments which some may have found unprofessional, demeaning or plain rude.

If the charge nurse said to me, "that's too bad your busy...," I would have have been pissed off, hurt and felt helpless. The better response would have been, "what's going on and let's prioritize to take care of the most immediate needs of the patients." I have had to delay discharges when I was needed to take care of a patient who needed immediate attention.

Also, if you tell your nurse manager that her idea is stupid, the only thing you are doing is working your way toward a pink slip. Believe me, they are using that as ammunition for HR to get rid of you.

Word of advice, it is best to THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK. In other words, LEARN TO edit your thoughts before you speak.