co worker is a bully, help!

[jane_34]

Hello, I'm an LPN who has worked for about a year. I recently got a job as an LPN supervisor in a long term care home. I supervise care aids and other LPNs. I have this LPN co worker who is a major bully. She seems bent on trying to get me to screw up. She hides medication patches in the weirdest locations on residents, hoping I'll miss it, put a new one on, hence performing a med error. A little while ago, it happened. I couldn't find the patch, so I applied a new one. The resident was sent to hospital that same day for another condition, and 2 patches were found at the hospital. The nurse who was bullying me was working the evening the hospital called to inform of the patches. She gladly wrote about the error in the staff book for all to see. I know it was my mistake and I took full responsibility for it, but she seemed to delight in my failure. Why do some nurses have to be so unkind? Thank goodness management is on my side, and she's been disciplined several times before for her behaviour towards co workers. She's been an LPN for years, and I know she wished she had my position. She's quite bitter and spiteful actually. I just needed to vent, thank you for listening. Has anyone else had this happen? How did you deal with it? I dread coming into contact with her, it's an awful feeling when someone is plotting against you like this.

[FieryPsychRN, BSN]

Unfortunately there are nurses out there who thrive on seeing their coworkers fail, and will even try to set their coworkers up. She is jealous I'm sure, for many reasons that you may not be aware of. This is when you make sure you document everything you do. Are you her supervisor? If so call her in your office and have a talk with her. Make sure you have a witness in there with you; and tell her this type of behavior will no longer be tolerated. Write her up if you have to, that way you'll have documentation. No one enjoys working in a toxic environment. If management is on your side, I would just let her do her thing. Just make sure you pay attention next time and look your residents over from head to toe to find that darn pain patch! I would even document, "removed _____ (med and dose) pain patch from right upper back, placed _____ pain patch to _____ (where you place it on resident). Mistakes will be made, we may be nurses, but we are human too! What is important is that you learn from your mistakes. Good luck and hugs to you!

[jane_34]

Thank you for your supportive reply. I will never be able to understand how one gets pleasure out of seeing others make mistakes, and actually makes the effort to help the mistake happen. Very manipulative, destructive behaviour. She is a very unhappy person. She is away on leave at the moment, and I hope she never comes back. Her behaviour is not only harmful to co workers, but also to the residents when she deliberately puts them at risk for overmedication. She clearly doesn't care about their well being, which goes against what nursing is all about.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Does she work at the same time as you? If she does and you can't find the patch, I'd ask her directly. Otherwise, the location of the patch should be documented at time of application in the MAR. If that isn't happening, that's a policy change that needs to happen at your facility for the safety of your residents. It'd be a good thing to spearhead, especially now that there's a documented error because of it.

Best of luck!

[ixchel]

Does she work at the same time as you? If she does and you can't find the patch I'd ask her directly. Otherwise, the location of the patch should be documented at time of application in the MAR. If that isn't happening, that's a policy change that needs to happen at your facility for the safety of your residents. It'd be a good thing to spearhead, especially now that there's a documented error because of it. Best of luck![/quote']

I agree with this. I was actually surprised by your story that this doesn't already get documented. I'm sorry for her behavior toward you. It's a shame people don't stop to recognize we're all in this together.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

If you really need to make a point, another option is calling her at home on her days off if you see that the application was documented but you can't find the patch. That'll get the message home real quick that she can't jerk people around, whether they're a nurse or patient.

[sourapril]

Think of a way to get her hired or talk to her in person and then get a mediator if the talk is not productive. Either way it's gonna be a long time before she accepts you or one of you quit.

[lmccrn62, MSN, RN]

She might enjoy being a bully but she is putting patients at risk because if her games. She needs to be fired.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

She is subversive. That is Way beyond unkind. She is jeopardizing patient safety and your license.There should be documentation of patch placement included in the medical record at the time of administration.

The patch placement issue is only the tip of the iceberg as to what her agenda contains.

Document your concerns immediately.. take them to administration... I would even consider reported this to the BON or law enforcement.

[jane_34]

Thank you for all your replies. Yes, I am her supervisor. The problem is that she is not very approachable and extremely unpleasant. My boss suggested I implement a rule that requires the nurse to write down the exact location of where a patch is placed, as mentioned above. It was always supposed to be like that, but it wasn't specific enough. I am enforcing it now. This patch business is not the only thing she has done. She will often call in sick at the last minute, (I know she is not really sick) when she knows there's nobody that can work, so I end up having to stay. She does this knowing full well what will happen. I've had to do this a few times, and became very close to burning out. She would phone me at home on my days off, asking about things she could easily have figured out by reading the charts. She was actually supposed to be fired a little while ago, but was able to manipulate them into letting her stay. It's interesting how some people behave, isn't it?

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Wait, is she a coworker or are you her supervisor? You can't be both unless she's also a supervisor.

If you have the authority to fire her, then I'd strongly suggest you do so. Otherwise, you're going to have to put on your manager panties and get the job done. She is a danger to her coworkers and more importantly, her patients. I don't care how unpleasant she is. You're a supervisor. With that authority, you need to step up and ensure the safety of your residents.

[jane_34]

I am her supervisor, but I don't have the authority to fire her. That's up to my boss, the manager. All I can do is document her behaviour and pass it on to the manager. I can enforce rules and regulations, and make sure everybody is doing their job. If it was up to me, she would have been fired a long time ago.