Charge nurse hates me? and overall nasty attitude of coworkers

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I just need some serious input here (and please no rude comments, I've seen enough of nurses jumping all over each other on this website).

First off let me say this, I am most definitely NOT a mean person, at all. If anything I'm probably too nice. I am a hard worker and while I am a new nurse (8 months in), I'm sure I have plenty of flaws but I do everything to the best of my ability and try not to leave anything unfinished. With that being said, let me get to the story.....

There is one particular charge nurse who I feel just hates me. Everyday I work that she's there I have a horrible day, can't keep up to save my life, I have the worst group of pts, endless new admissions, etc.....when the other charge nurses are working I don't have this issue.

**What is the policy where you work if they send a nurse home early??? for example, do they have a certain amount of time to finish up their work before they leave?***

Once before my name was in the drawing to go home and I "won". I had a few meds due and I didn't wanna leave my coworkers with anything more to do than I had to so I gave out my meds first (I had seen plenty other nurses do this before so I figured it was custom to tie all loose ends before you go). Well it took me about 40 minutes or so to finish my charting, give a few meds and give report to the nurses getting my pts. She blew up on me and said from now on if I have anything to do to let her know and she won't put my name in the drawing.

Well today I was picked to go home. All meds were given PRIOR to the drawing and I was ready to go except within the last hour an order was entered for a catheter on a pt. After I found out I was leaving I figured, no problem that never takes long I will do that before I go. Well I tell my charge nurse that I'm all caught up and ready, just going to do the catheter before I go. She tells me no, I need to go immediately and to get the other nurse to do it. Well I guess the nurse wasn't too happy about that so she complained to the charge nurse....who then proceeded to let me know that if I had anything to do I didn't need to have my name in the drawing. (let me just point out that there is ALWAYS always something to do, every nurse that's sent home early gives meds that were due or starts IVs before they go, etc...just anything they needed to finish before they left) and it seems I'm the only one she jumps on for doing this. I could have easily put in the catheter before I left and have it done in plenty of time, without making the other nurse mad at me and leaving her with it.

Not only that but 15 minutes or so after I left she called me and told me I left out something with my charting and it's against policy and blah blah blah and I have to come back and chart. I ALWAYS chart everything....everything. I checked over and over to make sure nothing was left out so it was an honest mistake. Its something that I've seen many nurses forget to do before and I've never known of them being called in to finish it. I don't wanna go into too much detail to give myself away but does this sound right to anyone? Several of the nurses I had to give pts to were talking about me with each other (some others I work with heard), I just feel like there's been alot of unnecessary meaness going on.......

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Specializes in ER.

That sounds like one of those toxic units. Put in your year and get the heck outta Dodge. She aouns to entrenched for a new grad to take on.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Thanks for the input. I really agree I mean overall I love nursing and I love my "job" but the stress from others is really getting to me lately. Maybe I didn't give much info on my original post but she was being pretty hateful.... Like undercover hateful if that makes sense..it's hard to explain via text but she's just cold and always has an accusing tone.

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I love how you asked for no rude comments due to what you've seen elsewhere on this site... I love AN but sometimes I'm too scared to even post or reply (non-controversial!) stuff bec of some of the replies I've seen around here... Anyway, from experience dealing with a manager like this (although in a different setting), all I can say is just try to suck it up and ignore her as much as possible. Sometimes these types of people thrive on treating people like you (nice, going with the flow of things) because they see the strife they're causing. Maybe if you act like nothing she does or says bothers you, she'll move on to another target. That was my luck!

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Ask for some feedback from another charge nurse that does not give you these "vibes". Tell her you feel you are getting mixed messages about what is expected if you are being sent home, especially regarding medications and tasks such as the foley; and if there is a time limit for finshing up. Ask if there is a written policy.

If there is not a policy, then suggest the charge nurses come up with a guideline so that everyone is on the same page with expectations. You don't really know for sure what others are being told behind closed doors, so even if you think you are being singled out you have no proof, only hearsay.

Noone really wants to have to pick up additional pts midshift, and if there are too many things left undone it makes it difficult. So the chatter may just be venting about having to do it, whether it is you or not. I've mumbled some unhappy things about picking up when I don't think a coworker should have been sent home, but it was at the situation, not the coworker.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I forgot to mention she told me we have to be out in 30 minutes. I wAs well within my 30 minutes but she's on me the second I'm told To go (but she didn't do this to the previous nurse that was sent home minutes before I was). The other charge nurse doesn't treat me this way. And I know she wouldn't have made me come back in to chart something that took literally 10 seconds to do bc it wasn't anything major. I do try to ignore it and I am always friendly back and act like I don't notice it. I'm as nice to her as I can be and everytime I think she's starting to warm up to me she starts acting unfair toward me. Treating me differently from others as far as what I see.

Anyways I don't feel that I would do any good to talk to someone about it, the people that have been there awhile are mostly a tight knit group with the exception of a few. So I will more than likely start looking for another job.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.

I had a Cn like that; always gave me admissions back to back; treated me like an idiot when I asked questions and wouldn't help out in a bind. This was over 4 years ago; well now she has finally run her course and is no longer the "top dog" as she thought she was. Time often brings about a change; however if this is causing you stress and distress, apply for transfer as soon as you are able. Best of wishes to you.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Yes that's it!!! She always makes me feel or look like an idiot. That's one of the daily things I get from her. She's not ALWAYS mean or picking on me but she always manages to TRY and point something out to me that would make me feel stupid.

I had a Cn like that; always gave me admissions back to back; treated me like an idiot when I asked questions and wouldn't help out in a bind. This was over 4 years ago; well now she has finally run her course and is no longer the "top dog" as she thought she was. Time often brings about a change; however if this is causing you stress and distress, apply for transfer as soon as you are able. Best of wishes to you.
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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

I am not really getting this going home early thing....if you are picked to go home is it right then or in a 4 hour block? When we cancel due to over staffing we do it in 4 hour blocks, so if someone is picking up we can tie up what needs done, give report and go. If you have a half an Hour notice how on earth can you get stuff done, give report and leave? It just sounds unreasonable. And I agree, seek input from the other charge nurse.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

If we are overstaffed because of Pts being discharged they will draw names to choose which nurse gets to go home (not in a 4 hour block, but immediately like ASAP) and the other charge nurse lets you do what you've gotta do and go, she's never on my tail about the time. So evidently we have 30 minutes to clock out. But the other charge nurse I mean....literally 5 minutes after they told me I was going I got on the computer to do my hand off report and she came hunting me down asking if I was ready to go and asked what I was doing.

I am not really getting this going home early thing....if you are picked to go home is it right then or in a 4 hour block? When we cancel due bro over staffing we do it in 4 hour blocks, so if someone is picking up we can tie up what needs done, give report and go. If you have a half an

Hour notice how on earth can you get stuff done, give report and leave? It just sounds unreasonable.

And I agree, seek input from the other charge nurse.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.
Yes that's it!!! She always makes me feel or look like an idiot. That's one of the daily things I get from her. She's not ALWAYS mean or picking on me but she always manages to TRY and point something out to me that would make me feel stupid.

Life has taught me 1. To develop a thick skin and 2. That people with that type of personality (not just nurses) either have personal insecurities or have problems managing their personal lives; neither of which were of my concern. Once I learned policies of the facility and enlisted the help of other seasoned nurses on the floor I felt better about myself and was able to let her issues roll right offy back. She soon realized that I wasn't easily intimidated.

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Specializes in ER.

I read that it's good to document bullying type incidents, in detail, date and time. I suggest you start doing so. From what you describe, she is picking on you. Keep a journal, both of what occurs to you, and comparable treatment others receive.

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