Co-worker Harassment

[AngelCat]

I am having to deal with a situation at work right now which almost has me at the end of my rope. I'll try to keep this as brief but as clear as possible.

I currently work in an OB ultrasound dept and my duties are that as nurse, reception/secretary, NST tech etc. I work with an ultrasound tech who has to be one the most difficult people I have ever had as a co-worker. It is obvious that she does not cope well when the clinic is very busy. When it is quiet, she can be fun, but when it's busy, she becomes insulting, derogatory, very tense and verbally abusive in the presence of patients and their families- and as I'm the one she sees 95% of the time, I get the brunt of it. I let her provoke me into arguements :argue:. She has such a long history of complaints made against her by patients that it's mind boggling. But, her whole demeanor changes when the docs come around to review U/S results - very sweet and pleasant. I used to cover for her whenever I received a patient complaint by stating a lanuage barrier was to blame for the misunderstanding. I am fed up doing this. I now send the patients to our director, but he only talks to her and does not take any action. Her behaviour has not changed. She can be cruel e.g. 3 weeks (and again at 4 months) after my husband died, she smiled and suggested I wear a brighter coloured blouse/join a dating club and go find a new man. Sorry, this is not a brief as I had planned. Has anyone here else had a similar experience? :grn:

[Dolce, RN]

It sounds like she has a pattern of abuse that management has just allowed to continue. That is a shame. Have you talked to her about her behavior yet? I would suggest waiting until she is not stressed or overwhelmed and having a heart-to-heart with her about her harassment and treatment of you and patients. Let her know that you will not tolerate that behavior any longer. Then, follow up by writing her up when she is abusive to patients or staff. It sounds like this has gone on long enough already!

[psalm, RN]

. She has such a long history of complaints made against her by patients that it's mind boggling

Are the complaints in writing? If they aren't, the next time a pt. says anything to you about her, suggest the pt. write to the manager of the dept. and send a copy to the CEO. It's so easy to complain, but to put it in writing gives more umph! to a complaint. Sorry you have to deal with her...and the suggestion to talk to her when she's in a good mood is excellent.

[Batman24]

As your manager hasn't done anything I would go to HR and tell them she is abusive and creating a hostile working environment.

You also need to start a paper trail. If nothing is ever in writing they will keep sweeping it under the rug. When there is written documentation it gets harder to do so.

I would tell patients to complain via phone and in writing to the manager, patient relations, and the CEO. This should get the ball rolling.

[AngelCat]

Hi and thanks. Yes I have spoken to her...she's not interested in a heart-to-heart. She denies what she has said or points to her head to indicate that it is all in yours...that "perhaps you are upset about something and it is your imagination". She is a real piece of work. However, our director recognizes and has admitted that she not a team player and easily gets into a frenzy.

[psalm, RN]

Is she OCD? Bipolar? Or just plain mean?

Does your workplace do random drug testing? If so, maybe she's a good candidate.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

If management is unwilling to take action, my choice would be to find a different unit to work in. People basically don't change, she sounds emotionally unbalanced and has probably been this way much of her life.

Start looking around because things might go from bad to worse if you start making waves...

[AngelCat]

Hi pslam,

Good question and I've often wondered. What I will say is that her and her husband were both physician's in their native Russia but were not accepted here in Canada. She was bitter about that. They have settled to work here as U/S techs. She is terribly biased where patients from her homeland are concerned...really goes out of her way for them. She does not hold nurses in high regard...we are "only nurses" and in her country, nurses do housekeeping duties besides bedside care. She was surprised to find the same is not true here. Perhaps she is so embittered she can't express herself any other way.

[AngelCat]

Re: jlsRN

That is an option I've seriously been considering. There is no guarantee that the next place I go will be without it problems, but hopefully not as bad or any worse than this environment.

Thanks

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Hi pslam,

Good question and I've often wondered. What I will say is that her and her husband were both physician's in their native Russia but were not accepted here in Canada. She was bitter about that. They have settled to work here as U/S techs. She is terribly biased where patients from her homeland are concerned...really goes out of her way for them. She does not hold nurses in high regard...we are "only nurses" and in her country, nurses do housekeeping duties besides bedside care. She was surprised to find the same is not true here. Perhaps she is so embittered she can't express herself any other way.

Ah, that explains a lot... I've run into these types before. Part of it is a cultural thing. In Russia the educated class is very elitist, yet also they often harbour an inferiority complex because their nation has not lived up to its potential in the way that the U.S. (and Canada) has. Also, as you say, this woman is bitter since her social status is not recognized in her new country.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Re: jlsRN

That is an option I've seriously been considering. There is no guarantee that the next place I go will be without it problems, but hopefully not as bad or any worse than this environment.

Thanks

It sounds like, however, that where you work now you are in very close proximity with this difficult woman.

Another aspect of the Slavic culture is that the women tend to be overbearing and volitile, did I mention that? Sorry to stereotype, but many of the women are similar to the wife of Tevye in 'Fiddler on the Roof'.

[AngelCat]

A huge thanks to all of you that responded tonight (and so quickly at that!). I really needed to get this off my chest (my shirt feels looser)and relieved to know that I'm not the only one who would feel as I do. Wishing all of you a pleasant night.