Cra Cra co-workers

[NursesRmofun]

I know you have had them. Ones that drove you crazy, acted off kilter, and just made things either more interesting or more difficult. If you can write about them without IDing them, go ahead.

I had one several years ago....omg...I would get to work and had some time between duties. She had a different position, but she also had some seat time. I sat near her and she told me how her meds. weren't working and her whole personal history in a matter of just a couple work days. Then, at some point, I know she was gossiping how *I* was sitting and doing nothing but talking to HER. My mistake was I sat near her. I changed seats after that...to another sitting area all together.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

I was asked once to participate in one of those group interviews for my company, where floor staff sits in on the interview process.

We were questioning a lady for an open LPN position on nights, and all was going well until we got to the part at the end where the applicant is asked if they have any questions for us.

She asked what our safety policy/plan was in the event of a meteor strike. We sort of just laughed, thinking she was making an odd joke, but she persisted. And, without a shred of irony or sarcasm, goes on to educate us about the dangers of meteor strikes, and how it was only a matter of time before one devastates the earth, etc.

(and, believe it or not, she got the job)

[amandakayern]

I have had quite a few nutty coworkers in the NICU.

I work NOCS, so there is a lot of "anything goes" type of stuff going on because parents aren't typically there and neither are any of the bigwigs.

One particular nurse uses the foulest language when talking to the babies. Just imagine these kinds of things being said in a sing-song cooing kind of voice: "Oh my God! You stink sooo bad! Did you just sh** yourself, you nasty little thing?" or "Oh man, you are one ugly little motherf*****, yes you are! I bet your parents are ugly too, just like you!!!" She also has been known to randomly mutter curse words under her breath after talking to other nurses, but just quietly enough that you know she is saying something nasty but you can't really make out exactly what it is. I walked by her cursing in the parking lot loudly one morning at 3 am. Just walking around cursing.

As the parent of a former NICU baby, this is super offensive to me. If I'd ever caught my kids nurse doing something like that I would've strung her up by her toes. We were the type to pop in unexpected at night frequently though :).

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

I was asked once to participate in one of those group interviews for my company, where floor staff sits in on the interview process.

We were questioning a lady for an open LPN position on nights, and all was going well until we got to the part at the end where the applicant is asked if they have any questions for us.

She asked what our safety policy/plan was in the event of a meteor strike. We sort of just laughed, thinking she was making an odd joke, but she persisted. And, without a shred of irony or sarcasm, goes on to educate us about the dangers of meteor strikes, and how it was only a matter of time before one devastates the earth, etc.

(and, believe it or not, she got the job)

Well, since I think most meteor strikes would be be annihilation....I hope her plan works when it is put in place. LMAO

[chopwood carrywater]

This is a great topic. I work with quite a few of them... Can't detail any of it for fear of them also being on this forum.

Hey I heard that!

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

One CNA who could never be found, who seemed to make up some of her patients' vital signs (could never be proved for sure though), was one night found sleeping in a bed in an empty patient room, covers pulled up and everything! Refused a drug test. Was fired immediately.

One CNA who is a hard worker, so sweet in many ways, excellent at the tasks of her job, but is very paranoid and when anyone is laughing or shaking their heads near her, she thinks they are talking about her and gets insulted and goes off in a huff and no one knows why until we realize we were laughing in her vicinity. I really like working with her most days and we get along pretty well, but when she gets upset or feels insulted, there is no talking to her at all.

One nurse who had all of these fantasies about pretty much any decent-looking man she met, that they were in love with her- encompassed famous band members, her doctors, patient family members, etc. She was also a "close talker" (like in Seinfeld), whispering about patient families that didn't like her or, conversely, loved her more than they loved any other nurse; or making up some crazy gossip about coworkers, or talking about her latest conquest/fantasy man. Spent so much time talking she had no time to do her actual job.

Oh then there's me, who has had to use medical leave multiple times for my depression/anxiety/eating disorder, and gets anxiety attacks sometimes at work, but that I have learned to cope with through therapy. I know I'm one of the crazy ones, but my co-workers seem to love me anyway, (or at least pretend haha), so I'm lucky there. I just have to work hard to keep it under control and stay "compliant" with all of my treatment, and I know I am a good nurse when I do that.

[24gaDalek]

As the parent of a former NICU baby, this is super offensive to me. If I'd ever caught my kids nurse doing something like that I would've strung her up by her toes. We were the type to pop in unexpected at night frequently though :).

Of course it is offensive to you, that is the point of this thread.

It always makes me lol when I hear about the parent experiences in regards to NICU. We have a unit assistant that just started who had a preemie in the NICU a few years ago which "inspired her to want to work in the NICU." She started on the unit with these stars in her eyes about the magical world of NICU nursing. A few days later a fellow nurse and I are commiserating in the break room after change of shift about a Cra Cra parent who was at the bedside all night long driving the nurses crazy with out of control demands "no pain relief for my post op gastroschesis kid because a pacifier should be enough" and "no PICC because Dr. Google said they will cause sepsis" and she got that look on her face. The look of, "Oh my, all the nurses who work in the NICU aren't these sweet little angels who work here because they LOVE all the babies and don't care about how they are treated because having babies as patients is a CALLING not a job?" I felt like we broke her that night. She got over it, thankfully, but I think seeing the other side was an eye opener. Yes, we love babies. The parents....eh, it depends.

Sorry to thread hijack, but I love it when former NICU parents comment on NICU nurse posts. Sorry to burst your bubble, amandakayern. NICU nurses are people too. We all realize it was inappropriate. That was the point.

[amandakayern]

I realize that nurses are people. Patients are people too. Regardless of how you feel, it is your job to respectfully provide care. Being annoyed at a parent sounds like a personal problem to me. Parents in the NICU are trying so desperately to be parents to their babies that sometimes things get a little crazy. In that instance it's your job to encourage and uplift and move them in the right direction. Not complain behind their back and tell all the other nurses how crazy they are.

I'm so sad at how jaded you are with your job. I'm not above being tired or annoyed but I'd never disrespect someone or their child over it.

[amandakayern]

Sorry I'm thread hijacking too. That just struck a chord with me because we spent four long months in the NICU. I feel like it's just a horrible breach of trust for a nurse to behave that way.

[Nurse Leigh]

^^^But the point is they didn't act that way in front of the parents. I see you spent a year in med surg. Can you honestly tell me you never had a pt and/or family member whose unreasonable behavior and unrealistic expectations didn't annoy you and cause you to vent to your coworkers who totally understood?

[24gaDalek]

^^^But the point is they didn't act that way in front of the parents. I see you spent a year in med surg. Can you honestly tell me you never had a pt and/or family member whose unreasonable behavior and unrealistic expectations didn't annoy you and cause you to vent to your coworkers who totally understood?

Thank you. You are picking up what I am putting down.

[24gaDalek]

I realize that nurses are people. Patients are people too. Regardless of how you feel, it is your job to respectfully provide care. Being annoyed at a parent sounds like a personal problem to me. Parents in the NICU are trying so desperately to be parents to their babies that sometimes things get a little crazy. In that instance it's your job to encourage and uplift and move them in the right direction. Not complain behind their back and tell all the other nurses how crazy they are.

I'm so sad at how jaded you are with your job. I'm not above being tired or annoyed but I'd never disrespect someone or their child over it.

You don't know me. I am not jaded with my job. I am simply telling you that nurses are nurses, regardless of where they work. Just because I work with babies doesn't mean I am unaffected by rude and irritating people. On the surface I am the perfect nurse for NICU parents. In fact, they call me the "Closer" at work because I have a knack with demanding parents. On the inside, however, I am allowed to feel irritated. Because I am a human being. I don't need anyone commenting on a vent thread about crazy coworkers about stringing nurses up by their toes. Were the parents and baby affected by this nurse's behavior? No. I was just getting into a light hearted discussion about coworkers that are strange. You took it to the next level based on your personal experience. I can't speak to that but I can speak to NICU nurses' experience in that there is this weird societal perception of us as "angels" because of the population we work with. We are RNs, just like everyone else here. We complain about parents. We get upset. We cry. We move on.

[Dacatster, ADN]

I worked with a nurse that was bipolar and had a maniac episode. She went running down the hall topless.