Butinski

[SusanMann]

I have witnessed a new 1 year nurse that has approx 4 years behind her as a Army cor man, interrupt a very experienced and knowledgeable nurse during her hand off report to the ambulance crew or a nurse taking over. How can this be corrected without causing hard feelings. I happen to be the supervisor of Butinski, RN.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

I have witnessed a new 1 year nurse that has approx 4 years behind her as a Army cor man, interrupt a very experienced and knowledgeable nurse during her hand off report to the ambulance crew or a nurse taking over. How can this be corrected without causing hard feelings. I happen to be the supervisor of Butinski, RN.

What did the nurse have to add to the information? None of us know it all no matter how much experience we have.

Was it illegal, unethical or harmful?

If not, maybe let it go....

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Buttinski is a slang term for a person "butting into" a conversation---another example is the "slow-skis" that turtle family with the slow internet in ads. However, agree with other posters--change your user name, OP.

I am all for nipping in the bud. If you do not, it could be considered that you are allowing this to occur, and not responding to it. When it happens, I would immediately say "Nurse Buttinski may I speak to you privately, now, please?" Simply state that in fact it is unprofessional and inappropriate for her to be interrupting someone else's report, and your expectation is that it will not continue. That the next time it does, she will be disciplined. And that although you have great respect for her past practice in the armed services, she is not a primary ER nurse in the facility. Therefore, she is to not be participating in care in the ER, unless she is specifically asked by you to do so. That it is a patient privacy violation for her to do so on her own accord. That she is to stay on her own unit, doing her own assignment. That if she is unable or unwilling to comply, that you are left with no choice but to discipline her up to and including termination.

Don't beat around the bush, don't emotionally engage. Just the facts as you see them, and follow through if she can not comply to the specific standards you have set.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Well, if she's told to leave an area and refuses, she's insubordinate. Being Army, she should know what that means

.

I am her supervisor so I will be talking with her with my super, and yes, you would think being ex Army she would get it.

If you think a veteran is going to regard a civilian employer with the same level of respect they regarded their military chain of command, you're very sadly mistaken, and I think your behavior here is all the explanation you should need as to why that is.

I'd expect that a supervisor who witnessed a new nurse overstepping their bounds in such a way would step in to correct them in private, not escalate the situation by involving their own boss AND post on a website using a passive-aggressive term like "Buttinski" in reference to their employee's behavior. That is bound to cause hard feelings, as you asked in your OP

Also, if she isn't where she needs to be for the shift, it's your job as the supervisor to ask her why she isn't doing what she was told. Perhaps someone else told her to go to the ER. Perhaps she misunderstood her assignment for the day. But to not even engage this employee in a conversation about her behavior and instead opt to speculate, accuse her of "insubordination" as one poster suggested and get your panties bunched over these unaddressed "offenses" is baseless and immature. You, madam, are ridiculous.

Army cor man

The Army has medics. The Navy has corpsmen. The function of an Army medic is different from that of an Army nurse, especially in garrison. Most medics aren't formally trained in giving report, and if your employee never worked in garrison while she was in the Army, she may not have even be familiar with the concept, much less the proper way to behave during report. Just because she has experience in healthcare doesn't mean the Army taught her how to be a nurse when she was a medic.

One important aspect of military life is speaking up when you see something wrong. Quietly and privately inform your employee of her mistake without making a big deal of it. Civilian nursing culture is very different from the military and she is probably still adjusting to being in a similar environment (healthcare) while in a different role (medic vs. nurse) and entirely different social/cultural setting (military vs. civilian).

[RunBabyRN]

.

If you think a veteran is going to regard a civilian employer with the same level of respect they regarded their military chain of command, you're very sadly mistaken, and I think your behavior here is all the explanation you should need as to why that is.

I'd expect that a supervisor who witnessed a new nurse overstepping their bounds in such a way would step in to correct them in private, not escalate the situation by involving their own boss AND post on a website using a passive-aggressive term like "Buttinski" in reference to their employee's behavior. That is bound to cause hard feelings, as you asked in your OP

Also, if she isn't where she needs to be for the shift, it's your job as the supervisor to ask her why she isn't doing what she was told. Perhaps someone else told her to go to the ER. Perhaps she misunderstood her assignment for the day. But to not even engage this employee in a conversation about her behavior and instead opt to speculate, accuse her of "insubordination" as one poster suggested and get your panties bunched over these unaddressed "offenses" is baseless and immature. You, madam, are ridiculous.

The Army has medics. The Navy has corpsmen. The function of an Army medic is different from that of an Army nurse, especially in garrison. Most medics aren't formally trained in giving report, and if your employee never worked in garrison while she was in the Army, she may not have even be familiar with the concept, much less the proper way to behave during report. Just because she has experience in healthcare doesn't mean the Army taught her how to be a nurse when she was a medic.

One important aspect of military life is speaking up when you see something wrong. Quietly and privately inform your employee of her mistake without making a big deal of it. Civilian nursing culture is very different from the military and she is probably still adjusting to being in a similar environment (healthcare) while in a different role (medic vs. nurse) and entirely different social/cultural setting (military vs. civilian).

Thank you for clarifying Army medic vs. Navy corpsman- I was going to say the same thing! Gah! LOL If she claims, however, to be an Army corpsman, something fishy is up with her.

Also, I second what you're saying about civilian superiors vs. military superiors. Even though this is correctional nursing, two VERY different environments and types of COC.

I also want to second everything else here. Military medicine (as a medic or corpsman) is VERY different from nursing, especially in the civilian world. We (corpsmen) don't necessarily give a formal report. I gave report to physicians and providers when I worked with them, but it's very different than how I give a nursing report.

It's pretty simple what you need to do as her supervisor. When this happens, pull her aside at the first possible moment (that is appropriate) and explain to her that this behavior is not acceptable. You can't wait on this, or it shows that you're accepting her behavior until you're suddenly not. You must nip it in the bud. If she's interjecting something important, that's one thing, but it doesn't sound like she is. This is all pretty basic supervisory stuff, honestly. Even as a corpsman, as someone who supervised a few fellow corpsmen, I had to do this sort of thing sometimes, and the longer you let it go, the worse it gets, and the harder it is to tackle when you DO bring it up. Jump on it.

[Karou]

I think it's a play with the phrase "butt into a conversation". At least I hope it is.

OP's name does look like it could be legitimate though

I didn't even think of that. But in ski.

I just laughed out loud... For real!

I sincerely hope that is the case and the OP isn't naming this nurse. I suppose that if he is then this nurse has a very unfortunate last name.

[Mr. Murse]

If you've asked her professionally to not do it and she keeps doing it then who cares about hard feelings? Be blunt.

[eLeVatioN]

Interruptipus Buttinski, I know that guy!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I didn't even think of that. But in ski.

I just laughed out loud... For real!

I sincerely hope that is the case and the OP isn't naming this nurse. I suppose that if he is then this nurse has a very unfortunate last name.

I hope they aren't naming someone...I thought it was spelled Buttinski.

If you google, past this post, there are people with the last name Butinski....

[Guest219794]

. If you think a veteran is going to regard a civilian employer with the same level of respect they regarded their military chain of command, you're very sadly mistaken, and I think your behavior here is all the explanation you should need as to why that is. I'd expect that a supervisor who witnessed a new nurse overstepping their bounds in such a way would step in to correct them in private, not escalate the situation by involving their own boss AND post on a website using a passive-aggressive term like "Buttinski" in reference to their employee's behavior. That is bound to cause hard feelings, as you asked in your OP Also, if she isn't where she needs to be for the shift, it's your job as the supervisor to ask her why she isn't doing what she was told. Perhaps someone else told her to go to the ER. Perhaps she misunderstood her assignment for the day. But to not even engage this employee in a conversation about her behavior and instead opt to speculate, accuse her of "insubordination" as one poster suggested and get your panties bunched over these unaddressed "offenses" is baseless and immature. You, madam, are ridiculous. The Army has medics. The Navy has corpsmen. The function of an Army medic is different from that of an Army nurse, especially in garrison. Most medics aren't formally trained in giving report, and if your employee never worked in garrison while she was in the Army, she may not have even be familiar with the concept, much less the proper way to behave during report. Just because she has experience in healthcare doesn't mean the Army taught her how to be a nurse when she was a medic. One important aspect of military life is speaking up when you see something wrong. Quietly and privately inform your employee of her mistake without making a big deal of it. Civilian nursing culture is very different from the military and she is probably still adjusting to being in a similar environment (healthcare) while in a different role (medic vs. nurse) and entirely different social/cultural setting (military vs. civilian).

You make great points here. The only place where I would disagree is attributing it to civilian vs military approaches to management. I would call it the difference between good and poor approaches to management. Your suggestion to quietly and directly confront the situation is spot on, and often lacking in nursing. Asking for input on The World Wide Web, and going to your own supervisor instead of talking directly to an employee under your direct supervision is simply poor management.

It is common in nursing, and self perpetuating. Many nurses in a supervisory role have never been well managed, and don't know better.

I was recently in my managers office. Another nurse, possibly a nsg supervisor, had seen me do something she thought unsafe. Even if it was a peer, her responsibility was to approach me. Trust me, if I think you are jeopardizing pt safety, I will discuss it directly with you, not your boss.

Most people are not comfortable with direct confrontation, thinking it is a negative thing. In reality, Nurse Butinski would probably rather be told directly and in a timely fashion. Wouldn't you?

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

You make great points here. The only place where I would disagree is attributing it to civilian vs military approaches to management. I would call it the difference between good and poor approaches to management.

I actually don't disagree in the slightest--you nailed it. However, I think it's still extremely likely that even if a service member dislikes their superior, they will still show them more respect than they would a civilian manager.

The structure of the service essentially demands that you at least show respect, even when you disagree. And believe you me--I've seen my fair share of horrible managers in the military. I'd be the last one to hold up the military system as an example of good management theory, especially in the nurse corps.