coworker complained: I dared to say "butt."

[Johnny Moo Man]

My supervisor told me about it; I was having a deadly busy day. I had just had 2 discharges and the beds weren't cold before ER called report and delivered new 2 new admits. I hadn't seen the 1st admit yet and I had to discharge a third patient, and the very second that bed goes on the board to be cleaned, ER calls with a 3d admit. I was also charge nurse and had to deal with other issues on the unit. I called the house sup who was placing these patients and asked her to back off for a minute so I could breathe, because all these admits were mine. I know what she was doing, looking at a computer monitor downstairs at empty rooms. She had no idea who was taking care of what beds. So, I spoke to her very briefly and she hung up abruptly. After a few minutes I went into my supervisor's office, and she told me, don't use any kind of slander with this house sup. Apparently I said "butt" in some fashion to her and she became offended.

Did I say I was working my butt off? I don't recall. I really don't. So my question to you all is, do you work with easily offended people? And what are they doing in nursing?

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

Oh man there are such senstive folks out there! I have been in trouble tons for saying simple things...like being busy and not really watching when I say "okay hon thanks!" Or saying "I am running my tooshie off" (yes, someone said that was profanity!), or one day one of my patients fell and I said 'Oh crap' and ran to them...got written up for that one! (my GOD what if I had dropped the F bomb or the S bomb like my brain said???). I have also been written up for the use of crud...guess that is a cuss word too...OH LORDIE!

One of the things I hate about my job, is the fact that I have to treat everyone like they are the utmost in human...but I am seen as less than~!

So basically...fire me if you don't like the fact I was at the pixis and was concentrating on that and called you hon...fire me for saying crap in an urgent situation...I can not help these little accidents of normal human speech at times no matter how much I censor myself as to not offend anyone. Luckily it is far and few between to find these co-workers that are easily offended, but they are there...and patients...oh man that is totally different, some will get mad if you say Good Morning with a smile!

I am just going to be me...that is all I can be!

[ebear, BSN, RN]

TriageRN,

Now that's a crock of **** !!!!

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

triagern,

now that's a crock of **** !!!!

******* right it is!!

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

LOL!!!!!!!

Oh my goodness...one night shift at an LTC when all the patients were asleep (Thank GOD!), one of my caregivers fell in the hall...sadly she had just had a biopsy on her leg that was a good 8 inches long and it split open! So I get a call to help her out, that she is bleeding all over...

I was in a patient's room and had my walkie on and said "Okay I am comming"...and just as I was taking my finger off the walkie I kinda said under my breath..."Oh ****!". Okay well...the button was not quiet released! LOL!!!!! Patient looked at me funny, but I don't think she heard me at all...she was the type of gal that used that language anyway...but she would have teased me big time forever! LOL!

No one but my caregivers heard it and we were all good natured and said profanity in private anyway...but I got razzed for a long time! LOL!!!!

[hogan4736, BSN, RN]

You are a charge nurse AND take a pt assignment?

Sounds dangerous to me...And the sup places pts?

Not in my world...I am a house sup, and my charge nurses place pts...

[Agnus]

Saying,"I am working my butt off is not slander by definition." Since you do not know what you may have said and do not know what this person is calling slander, I would ask. It has been my experience in these situations that the person doing the accusing does not really have anything and once called on it they back down.

"If you (or "she" when talking about someone making a complaint to a supervisor) are going to make accusations or complaint about me. You need to be specific because I do not know what you are referring to and therefore can not correct it or prevent it in the future. If you are not specific then I have no way of knowing what you want and therefore can not do anything about it. "

After saying this I walk away with a clear conscious.

[aeauooo]

BUTT?!! Are you kidding? You should hear me when my patient is crashing - I cuss like a sailor!

From your post I would say there are two morals to this story:

1) know your audience

2) Make sure you know when something is your problem and when it is not - there are plenty of people who are all too willing to make their problem yours.

[leslie :-D]

one time, i hurriedly responded to a phone call...it was the housekeeper complaining.

i retorted, "what the hell do you want me to do?"

he complained to the DON.

the DON got us together, and said, "leslie, will you apologize to 'john' (as she rolled her eyes)?

i dutifully (and somewhat facetiously) said, "sorry, john".

DON and i walked out-

john was ticked that we both had blown off/downplayed situation.

thankfully in this situation, DON just wanted to shut john up, and went through the motions...

you just have to know your audience, i guess...

silly people.

leslie

[siggie13]

:icon_rolloh, please!!! with all the serious stuff going on in a hospital, someone had the nerve to complain about "butt". i would complain about her and her total "stupidity"!!! what a waste of time and effort!!!:yawn::yawn:

[Mulan]

I'm not young, and I don't see anything wrong with using the word butt to a patient, it is short for buttocks, after all.

[Ado Annie, ASN, RN]

First of all, I understand ... just wanted to point out that I don't think I'm easily offended, BUTT (pun intended) I'm not crazy about vulgarity. Hence, if you'd said "I'm working my butt off here"... I wouldn't even notice or think about it.

BUTT if you said "I'm swamped and you keep shoving patients up my butt"... I'd feel a little put off. Not sure I can explain the difference, BUTT that's how I feel.

Would I run to the supervisor? I doubt it. I hear a lot worse from my coworkers, though not directed at me like the above statement, BUTT vulgar nonetheless. And haven't ratted on anyone yet!

[Dolce, RN]

I made an ill-advised comment once to a patient about "running my buns off." He had the gall to comment, "Well, they are some mighty fine buns!" :imbar:imbar

I usually refer to a patient's derrière as their tush or bum but always refer to it as their butt when I am outside of the patient's earshot.