Coworker nurse trying to ruin my reputation...

ionatan · May 16, 2012

If management approaches you with these allegations, I would immediately contact an attorney. I don't play games when it comes to this kind of garbage. I'm all about going to work, doing my job, then leaving. I don't need drama, and it sounds like there is a lot of it where you are working. I don't understand why this is being blabbed by everyone. If this person approached me and told me another nurse was stealing or addicted to drugs, I would be livid and tell her those are very serious allegations and I am not the appropriate person to speak to regarding it. It would end there. I would not repeat it to anyone. If this b**ch is stupid enough to go around making these types of allegations, and none of these other nurses are brave enough to tell her to shut her face, I would follow Patti_RNs advice.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · May 16, 2012

I noticed one comment that called what you are experiencing as "lateral violence." The redefinition of gossip and slander as "Violence" takes away from the real thing.
I beg to differ, and this is akin to calling verbal/psychological spousal or child abuse "not real". People skilled in this bull**** will use the same type of psychological warfare, and HOPE that someone in the mindset as the above has a narrow view of violence.
From Advance article wayyyy back in 2007--
The term "horizontal violence" (sometimes called "lateral violence") is quite new to many individuals but the behavior it describes is not. The term was developed to describe distasteful behavior nurses sometimes portray toward colleagues.
Horizontal violence takes on many different characteristics. Simply put, it is overt and covert nonphysical hostility, such as criticism, sabotage, undermining, infighting, scape-goating or finger pointing and bickering.
Horizontal violence is so severely underreported because opinions surrounding horizontal violence are subjective in nature. Each us tolerates the behaviors of others a little bit differently. However, if the behavior is in any way offensive to you, or undermines you and your job in any way, then it probably is horizontal violence......
Hence the need for education and consequences, and the workplace to not support such behaviors, and take a pro-active stance that this will not be tolerated by the facility.

PetsToPeople · May 18, 2012

I think you don't necessarily have to prove a loss with a slander/defamation charge; there is also "defamation per se," which I think basically means the rumors have huge potential to cause you big problems, not that they already have.

That would probably be something like where a person posts thing on Facebook or otherwise puts info out there against you that you can show the judge in court. You can't just say, "Hey, so and so said she was saying bad things about me at work." It has to be proven, in writing and/or co-workers showing up on your behalf telling what they heard in person. Then you could use that proof, and explain how nursing is such a close group, that this rumor could affect your future employment. Love to watch the court shows! Whether or not I actually learn anything that can be of use someday, who knows What I have learned from basically every show is you have to show evidence, evidence, evidence!

Patti_RN · May 18, 2012

PetsToPeople, "Love to watch the court shows! .... What I have learned from basically every show is..."

YMCMB, "whao!

i remember watching an episode of judge Pirro where these 2 Drug dealers sued each other!

the buyer didn't like the stuff he bought from the dealer and couldn't get his money back so he went around the area telling me people that the other guy drug is no good making him lose business. The dealer went on judge Pirro and sued the guy for defamation of character and won the case! got rewarded $2000.....i would definitely open up a case and let co-worker know who's boss!"

TV trained lawyers. I rest my case.

canned_bread · May 18, 2012

This indeed is very serious, and I can see why you are very scared. Personally, I would inform my nurse ward manager of the allegations and why I am concerned. Then, I would write a polite letter to the director of nursing explaining it is causing problems. The point of this would be so they would see another side. Unfortunately this does not resolve the problem however... I'm not a very confrontational person so personally I wouldn't "front-up" to the offender.

I am sure, by law, they couldn't fire you based on "suspicions" of taking drugs when you are actually not. They need evidence, and they simply can't get evidence if you aren't doing it.

DroogieRN · May 19, 2012

That would probably be something like where a person posts thing on Facebook or otherwise puts info out there against you that you can show the judge in court. You can't just say, "Hey, so and so said she was saying bad things about me at work." It has to be proven, in writing and/or co-workers showing up on your behalf telling what they heard in person. Then you could use that proof, and explain how nursing is such a close group, that this rumor could affect your future employment. Love to watch the court shows! Whether or not I actually learn anything that can be of use someday, who knows What I have learned from basically every show is you have to show evidence, evidence, evidence!

Agreed. My point was that one does not have to incur actual loss but that the potential for loss is there.

HM7380 · May 19, 2012

I have decided to leave the job. I have an interview next week at another facility, so fingers crossed I get the job. I told my manager I felt like I was working in a hostile environment, and it was making me very uncomfortable. Nothing was done, and the other nurse is STILL continuing to try and get me into trouble. I spoke with the DON yesterday, and she told me that it would be best if I just ignored this nurse... NOT a satisfactory response, as while I was in her office, she handed me a write up, telling me that she was writing me up because an 'ANONYMOUS person' (the evil co-worker) claimed I'd back dated something. (I didn't.) However, I couldn't prove otherwise. :flamesonb

I can't WAIT to get out of that place. They'll be lucky if they get a full 2 week notice.

Patti_RN · May 19, 2012

It's perfectly understandable that you're angry, but don't leave w/o giving adequate notice--you don't ever want to burn bridges. Hold your head up, count the days and be as gracious as you can possibly be. Hope you get the new job. But, even at a new workplace it's likely you'll run into other gossips or young-eaters'; you need to learn how to effectively deal with them. Good luck!!!

dbscandy · May 20, 2012

Absolutely no durg testing. You are accused but innocent. It is up to the co-worker to prove this.

Ask for a meeting with your lawyer, the administration/your immed super and this co-worker. Force her hand to accuse you and prove the accusations.

Do not leave without having these accusations settled. It will make you look guilty otherwise.

morte, LPN, LVN · May 20, 2012

It shouldn't be up to you to prove you didn't, but up to the accuser to prove that you did. There for, I am thinking you DON is in the process of getting rid of you. While I would ordinarily concur with giving notice, in this case I am not so sure I would work out a 2 week notice.

I have decided to leave the job. I have an interview next week at another facility, so fingers crossed I get the job. I told my manager I felt like I was working in a hostile environment, and it was making me very uncomfortable. Nothing was done, and the other nurse is STILL continuing to try and get me into trouble. I spoke with the DON yesterday, and she told me that it would be best if I just ignored this nurse... NOT a satisfactory response, as while I was in her office, she handed me a write up, telling me that she was writing me up because an 'ANONYMOUS person' (the evil co-worker) claimed I'd back dated something. (I didn't.) However, I couldn't prove otherwise. :flamesonb
I can't WAIT to get out of that place. They'll be lucky if they get a full 2 week notice.

kcmylorn · May 21, 2012

The OP is right- these poeple are everywhere in every nursing enviornment I have ever been in at least. That's one of the biggest reason's nurses resume's reach like a War and Peace novel. The golden question is "how to deal with them" especially if the DON has bought into the issue. An OP gave some sound advise(especially since the DON has bought into the drama) keep your nose clean, your work performance has to out shine everyone else's. Everyone you work with can be able to sit around reading the celeb gossip mags all shift but you will have to be hard at work. You will have to be very controlled and not react to it. This is where their are found out by your not reacting.

They just work harder at making you look bad. Their efforts don't go unnoticed. Some times their efforts are infront of a group- A co-worker tried this on me once. She was an LPN, I was an RN new to LTC. At the end of the shift in this LTC facility, we had to count syringes. I was new but worked with this vermen before in a hospital setting so the role was reversed. The hospital was gettng rid of all their LPN's and she was in that fall out. Now in the LTC facility I was on her turf. Many times in LTC LPN's are designated charge, however: That doe not mean the Board of Nursing changes it's stand on the nursing hierary. The LPN may be designated in charge but the RN is still ultimately in charge of that charge LPN. I don't think Missy got that. The syringe count was off. She loudly went through every patient I was assigned to- no one was on Insulin coverage. Then she went through her patient assignment- she caught herself, one of her patient's needed insulin coverage twice and she didn't sign out the syringe. She ended this power play charade by screaming at me- 'You did something, I know you did!" One of her buddies jumped in ( a brand new 19yr old CNA) and continued the berrading, in front of 2 shifts. It was that one that I responded to. I wrote it up and the DON came after me. Needless to say- I did not stay there. And I told the DON what I thought of her and showed her my state Dept of health bagde(I was also working for the DOH at that time as a temp doing investigstions, this LTC thing was only a part time gig) and her crazy staff. Made me feel better but probably not the smarted thing to do. As it turned out- this facility has now closed. It was a county facility bought out by private investors because it was too costly for the county to fund with taxpayer money. I hope in true buy-out style, the DON lost her job. I don't know where she would go and do what- as DON at that facility is all she'd done for 32yrs and out in the wild world of private LTC, DON's are changed like one's underpants. It's a revolving door.

I had heard this LPN and DON duo did 2 other RN's diry after I left- one was new BSN who finally landed a position in an OR and wanted to stay on at the LTC facility part time- the DON fired her when she told the DON of the OR position, The other new RN, got a position in an ED, and the same thing was done to her- fired from the LTC. So now the closing of the LTC facility- What goes around, comes around!! An other posted- just move on.

apatt2 · Feb 8, 2013

Lateral violence and bullying is not fun at all. I was a target of these negative behaviors. I noticed real early a co-worker lied on me simply because I asked her a question and she was precepting a student. She told my nurse manager that I hollered at her. I tried to explain to my nurse manager that I did not holler at this nurse. She would not hear what I was trying to say and told me early on that I was new and she knows her staff. One sided communication. They tried to say I had a med error on the accudose machine and I did not. I told my nurse manager that I will only correct the error with pharmacy. Well, the error got corrected on my day off. They tried to say I was abusive to a patient. The last thing was I was verbally abusive to staff. I contacted corporate compliance and then I was retaliated against; therefore, I was written up. All of this was a bold face lie. I told my nurse manager to watch the tape and she will see what happened, but she refused. I prayed and prayed about the situation. God opened up two doors for me and I resigned effective immediately. I felt in my spirit they would try to pin something on me and I would lose my license. After i turned in my resignation letters, I did not realize how much stress I was actually under. Now, I feel like my old self and I pray for those that have

despitefully used me! Remember, God will righteously judge us all and He will prevail.