Back Stabbing

[NSGstudent12]

I am not a nurse yet but will be in less than a year. I have been on this site for only about 3 months but I have noticed a big trend. When someone is venting about a co-worker alot of the responses seem to be "write down everything they do, keep a record then report it all to mgt." I understand that if someone is being unsafe they need to be aware, but why is this the first thing ppl say to do? I know that if I was doing something wrong and nobody ever told me and then just turned in this long sheet of no-no's to mgt I would be so hurt and I would feel betrayed. Now if someone has been told and keeps doing or not doing something, that's a different matter. Just wanted to hear your thoughts on this. I know not everyone does it, but does this happen where you work?? Thanks!

[G MA RN]

OK, people are people no matter what the profession is.....

Remember, no one is guaranteed or intitled to a happy, stress free work place.

Unless you are being UNDERMINED, or in Jeopardy of losing your job due to Untruths, or sabotage SUCK IT UP.... Stop the POOR LITTLE ME cry.

Do you really want to be responsible for some one that has worked just as hard as you to become a nurse losing their job? There are many people that think thy are OWED something. Forget what THEY are doing and DO YOUR JOB to the best of your ability. That why we went to Nursing School RIGHT!!!!!!!

[Piper17]

you'll get a better perspective once you're a nurse...unfortunately.

you're best bet as a new nurse, is to keep to yourself/myob, don't offer anything personal about yourself, be team player (without being a doormat), and respect yourself enough not to let anyone bring harm to you.

don't make yourself an easy target by presenting yourself with head up and chin out.

I'm going to commit this to memory for when I get out of school!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i am not a nurse yet but will be in less than a year. i have been on this site for only about 3 months but i have noticed a big trend. when someone is venting about a co-worker alot of the responses seem to be "write down everything they do, keep a record then report it all to mgt." i understand that if someone is being unsafe they need to be aware, but why is this the first thing ppl say to do? i know that if i was doing something wrong and nobody ever told me and then just turned in this long sheet of no-no's to mgt i would be so hurt and i would feel betrayed. now if someone has been told and keeps doing or not doing something, that's a different matter. just wanted to hear your thoughts on this. i know not everyone does it, but does this happen where you work?? thanks!

i confess that after more than thirty years as a nurse, i still don't understand this. people cry and carry on about "backstabbers", yet that's the exact behavior they advocate.

not sure what a "ppl" is, but i recommend talking to the person first. could be -- and i'm not saying it is -- but it could be that they're right and you're wrong. at the very least, talk to them about it first. and if, afterward, you're still convinced that you're right and they're wrong and that they haven't heard your point of view or are doing something that could compromise patient safety, then document and report.

[NSGstudent12]

Ruby Vee: I agree! and "ppl" is my short hand for people ha. Don't even realize i do it anymore!

[Poi Dog]

Where I work we have both types of people. There are two nurses I work with that come and ask me whether or not I have done something. If I have, they tell me what I did wrong and show me the correct way. I like their approach and the fact that they'll pull me aside. I respect those nurses because they nip the problem in the bud and don't go running to management pointing fingers. I like to be given a chance Now if I screw up again after being showed the correct way, sure I deserve a write-up.

On the other hand, I have coworkers who will go running to management because I forgot to give patient x a bib. A freaking bib? Is this a life or death matter? Coworkers like that irritate me because they are nitpicking and looking for stuff. I blame management for even listening to concerns like that and allowing the petty bs to continue.

My feeling is that if someone is going to run to management, then it damn well better be with a valid (patient safety/abuse concern) rather than petty kindergartner "Tina stole my red crayon" issues.

Bottom line, I despise tattlers.

I believe in giving people a chance to clarify and rectify, if necessary.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I would talk to a coworker first if at all possible. We all have off days and would give the person the benefit of the doubt. If it was serious let them know so they don't make the mistake again. I can't say I've ever filed a complaint against a coworker, but there are backstabbers and cliques that I've heard play games such as you go talk to the manager about this RN today and I'll go and talk to the manager about her tomorrow, where they gang up on someone they don't like with their petty insults.

Ridiculous but true. There can be alot of bullying and harassment in nursing.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

Scenario:

A staff nurse (Nurse A) that worked primarily on open hearts in the OR applied for a position to be "team leader" for the Heart Team. She has been working at the hospital for 3 years. All of her nursing experience has been at this hospital.

There is another nurse (Nurse B) who is also well qualified, has years of experience in cardiothoracic surgery, but has only worked at the hospital for 5 months. She also submitted her application for the job.

Nurse A is in the scrub role for an open heart. Nurse B is the circulator. Nurse A knows that the surgeon prefers XYZ instrumentation for his open heart surgeries. She instructs Nurse B to get MNOP instrumentation, knowing full well that the surgeon will throw a fit when the preferred instrumentation is not on the field. When this expected melt down from the surgeon occurred, Nurse A innocently looked at the surgeon and stated, "I TOLD Nurse B to get XYZ instrumentation. I guess she misunderstood. There is nothing that I can do now since I am scrubbed in. I guess she is going to have to find your preferred instrumentation that I told her to get in the first place. Can you believe her incompetence?!?!?"

This actually happened. Nurse A purposefully sabatoged Nurse B. She made Nurse B look like a complete jackwagon. After the other nurses had worked with Nurse A for another couple of weeks, they caught on to shenanigans of Nurse A. They started to document the experiences they had with her. This documentation, in the form of incident reports, generated a paper trail, alerting HR and subsequently Risk Management. Nurse A was fired shortly thereafter, BECAUSE of the diligent factual documentation of the nurses that worked with her. Management was aware, but because the NM role was in the process of transition, the complaints of the staff nurses fell through the cracks. They had no choice but to submit incident reports.

Documentation is important. The above scenario was not tattling; rather it is describing untoward events that led ultimately to patient safety being compromised. A patient should never be under general anesthesia for an extended period of time as the result of a ******* contest from a nurse that was only out for her own good.

[NSGstudent12]

Wow, that's awful Unfortunately I have some stuff like that happen where i work as well. Someone who was intentionally trying to sabotage someone should def be documented. I guess it all depends on the situation.

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I learned first-hand at another job that talking to a co-worker about an issue can go very, very wrong. Some people won't take anything that appears to be direction from anyone but a manager. Some people can't admit that they're wrong. Some take any criticism, no matter how mild, as an extreme insult.

[roscopeeco]

need more men in profession.