As I post this, yes, I'm aware true bullying does exist.
Today, our clinic had 2 PCTs quit (call in and quit). Their claim when the exit team from HR called them? The nurses are bullies. They won't let me text, won't let me do my homework, won't let me go to my car and smoke, etc. Of course my clinic manager got a phone call from these HR morons who have no clue about the reality of what working directly in patient care requires. She told them that the nurses aren't bullies, and shouldn't even be considered as such, for just asking the techs to do their jobs. Right now, I'm so tired of the subject of bullying, I could scream. It makes it very hard for those who truly have been bullied to be taken seriously. Off my rant now...
I do agree with doing homework is EVERYTHING ELSE that you could be doing is done. For example - on the night shift in a nursing home - if all of the patients are sleeping and none of them need care, have you looked at their wheelchairs? Food gets spilled, sometimes a code brown doesn't get cleaned up thoroughly, etc., and those chairs can be a mess. I would not be doing homework when these need to be cleaned.
When I'm at work, my time (other than breaks) belongs to my employer. If . . . IF . . . all my regular work is done, then I look for something useful to do.
Here's another thing in the world of corporate disconnect. The LTC I used to work in was a union facility for pretty much everybody but nurses. The CNA's, maintenance, kitchen, laundry and housekeeping are all union. The housekeeping staff was looking at getting hours cut and brought up the point that cleaning wheelchairs is well...cleaning and should be their job.
The powers that be agreed. CNA's were no longer allowed to clean chairs on overnights when the chairs are generally not being used, housekeeping doesn't work overnights so the chairs rarely get cleaned.
Chair cleaning only happened when a resident or more likely their family complains about a filthy chair then the housekeeping manager would actually schedule somebody to come in on nights to clean chairs. Then the manager was a "bully" for telling them to work a night shift to do a job that they were the one's that insisted they should be doing. More often than not when chair cleaning actually happened the housekeeping manager ended up coming in to do it.
This! It was drummed into me that nursing was a team sport. Yet I see nurses or pcts with heavy assignments and people texting or streaming a movie at the nurses station while others are massively busy. They get upset if they are asked to help (eye rolls and complaining behind peoples backs). If those people have heavy assignments they loose their minds and are the first to complain if they don’t feel they are getting assistance.
If the work of the unit is done, by all means relax. But it should be “we” and “our” not “you and your”.
It isn’t bullying to have something delegated to you not is it bullying to ask someone to do their job.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
I just happen to be reviewing a journal from early 1990, when I worked in CD as an LPN, where a team concept was used. Generally, the team concept worked well, except for a couple of power-hungry employees, one being the NM and a freshly hired RN.
During this period of my life, I had just gone through some major life changes, was in the last semester of the RN program, going to school and working full time.
"Monday March 19th 1990: We interrupt this program to bring you... The Anally Retentive RN! 'I'm in charge!' She lights a cigarette in the NS while saying, 'I never smoke around my boyfriend! Except when he comes over early and catches me!' I gnash my teeth. This is a good time to practice patience. Right now she's she's telling me what she's gonna fix for dinner. The complete menu. Oh hum..."
"Sunday April 29th 1990: The passive aggressive, anally retentive RN continues to be the 'RN IN CHARGE!' to anyone who lends an ear, calls on the phone, comes for help, or is within a 25 mile radius. So maybe someday I can whip out my Lance and charge an RN right up her ask me no more questions, tell me no more lies..."
I graduated from the RN program in May, and passed state boards in July. Having worked the CD unit for 3 years as an LPN, I easily transitioned into my role as an RN. Even though the team concept was reviewed with the power hungry RN, she continued to flaunt her power.
Then, in December 1990, she pushed the limit, called me "boy" and ordered me around like a stepchild. I filed a grievance, had a meeting with management where I was made the perpetrator, and turned in my 2 week notice on the spot.
Even though I had quit, I won an adjudication process with IDES, got unemployment benefits, and refused to pay back the tuition the hospital had funded for my education.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
27 minutes ago, DolceVita said:
I’m so sorry. What an awful experience for you.
Wow. Thank you, DolceVita. The experience happened over 30 years ago, and I think I'm over it.
In fact, some of the most trying times in my life presented opportunities for growth, and I'm grateful for those experiences. I have learned to hold no ill will over past transgressions, because without them, I probably wouldn't be the person I am. And generally speaking, the majority of the time, I like who I am.
Which means a lot, coming from a chronically neurotic malcontent.
kbrn2002, ADN, RN
3,970 Posts
Here's another thing in the world of corporate disconnect. The LTC I used to work in was a union facility for pretty much everybody but nurses. The CNA's, maintenance, kitchen, laundry and housekeeping are all union. The housekeeping staff was looking at getting hours cut and brought up the point that cleaning wheelchairs is well...cleaning and should be their job.
The powers that be agreed. CNA's were no longer allowed to clean chairs on overnights when the chairs are generally not being used, housekeeping doesn't work overnights so the chairs rarely get cleaned.
Chair cleaning only happened when a resident or more likely their family complains about a filthy chair then the housekeeping manager would actually schedule somebody to come in on nights to clean chairs. Then the manager was a "bully" for telling them to work a night shift to do a job that they were the one's that insisted they should be doing. More often than not when chair cleaning actually happened the housekeeping manager ended up coming in to do it.