I am posting this on behalf of myself and 2 other "newer" nurses at work. We need HELP!
I received report on my patient load at 0700 and I work 8 hours. I received a report that a patients "drainage tube needs to flushed "daily"" and the night nurse reports to me that it was being done at 2000 in the evening since the patient has been on the unit for days and it is written that way on the report kardex. NOW, in between A THOUSAND "daily" medications, doctors rounding during the day, radiology/lab and pharmacy interruptions all with that important "patient AM care" that the RN's do during the day, I must have not RAN MY BUTT off enough in the 8 hours, I did not get time to do the "drain flush".
I got a tongue lashing from a PM nurse at 1500 that "daily" means only 7-3pm. She was bent out of shape :angryfire and states "well.. I am not doing it... when you are done here you can go do it yourself.. you should not leave that for me to do!" :angryfire She was rude for the rest of the report and ordered me to stay late and do the procedure:o I got up and I did it. I felt as though my 8 hours of hard work was for nothing and to be honest I felt lower than dirt. NOW, this is a trend on my unit, evidently. I spoke with another newer nurse who has had the same issue. Pm's receive the same # of patients day shift does, with a significantly less amount of meds to pass, no AM care, few doctors, and minimal procedures. Another new nurse on the unit is experiencing the same attitudes and we feel like we are just being "pushed over". I can't always give a "nice, pretty patient package with a little bow on top" in which nothing else needs to be done that day.
How can we stand up for ourselves?
Does "daily" only mean 7-3pm?
What is wrong with saying "I did these 10 things for this patient, I could not get to 1"? I rarely leave anything and will stay 1-2 hours late taking off routine orders written at 1430-1530 by late rounding MD's just so I don't have to listen to the PM shift complain. How can I (we) get out of this cycle? We feel like we are powerless because we do not have the "experience" or NERVES to tell them.... "this is a 24 hour hospital facility.. I can't do everything."
That is terrible. I've had similar experiences as a new graduate. All I can tell you is that if that happened at my facility, my manager would be upset at the other nurse for not being a teamplayer and causing me more "overtime" by having to go back into the room to do something that totally can wait. Ha ha, my advice would be to start working night shift- then you could find all of her mistakes and tell her that she cannot leave until everything is done. She's made way way worse mistakes than that in her career, and if you were to follow her, you'd see that. Or a really good idea would be to talk to your manager and ask her if there is a policy about "daily" and tell her what happened. If she isn't on your side, which I would highly doubt, then fine, you learned something new. Otherwise, you could have her talk to the other nurse about teamwork and that there is no such "daily" policy.
She probably didn't even know HOW to flush the tube. Maybe you can show her how after your manager talks to her about how her shift is included in the word "daily."
I received a direct "admit" at 1435 and I have to be in the report room at 1500. At that time I was also discharging a patient as well. I faxed off the admit orders that I had, started making up the chart, made the patient comfortable, helped her undress, went over the plan of care briefly so she knew what to expect for the the rest of the day. I started gathering all supplies that would be needed and then I was called to the report room at 1500. I was literally running down the hall ways to get as much done as I could. The oncoming nurse was irritated because I had not done the full admit paperwork (takes about an hour) and taken off 2 pages of orders. She huffed and puffed" and left the room.. again I felt so belittled. What more could I have done in 20 minutes that would have made this situation better?? Should I have offered to stay late and admit this patient for her?? When I ask the manager and charge nurse they say "pass it on..." but I try and I get a lot of grief for it.
The oncoming nurse was irritated because I had not done the full admit paperwork (takes about an hour) and taken off 2 pages of orders. She huffed and puffed" and left the room.. again I felt so belittled. What more could I have done in 20 minutes that would have made this situation better?? Should I have offered to stay late and admit this patient for her?? When I ask the manager and charge nurse they say "pass it on..." but I try and I get a lot of grief for it.
I am such at a loss right now
The more a bully can make you feel guilty, the more of her work you will do for her. This is bullying, plain and simple. :angryfire The manager and the charge said to pass it on, so every time they give you grief about it, write down the time and date, and what you needed to pass on. Keep it brief, write their reply in quotes, and give it to your manager. That will give her the data (ammo) she needs to "counsel" the bully, be factual and nonemotional about it so that you don't sound like you are whining (standing up for yourself IS NOT whining).
I've stayed late when needed, such as multiple traumas rolling in, but not for routine stuff that just needed more time. Remember, all bleeding stops.... eventually:lol2:
didn't you say that it was being done at 2000 per the kardex? if it stays at 2000 it's being done daily, which to me is every 24 hrs. why would someone change it. we usually start treatments when they're ordered and continue that time, unless it interferes with the pts sleep, like on night shift.
Both of those situations are ridiculous. As a new person to the unit I can understand why you would go in and flush the darn drain if it meant so much to her. You've given her the benefit of the doubt once, and that is plenty. Now you can tell her to stuff it (politely, of course).
An admission in 20 minutes- that would make you super nurse. She was crabbing because you were a few minutes late to report because you were trying to save her some work?! That is absolutly ridiculous. This time, being new I suppose you could say something like, geez I'm sorry but I just didn't have time...and leave with your head held high. Personally I would go check and see if the patient has a dose of Narcan, or maybe a laxative that needs giving, and be nice enough to do that one last thing for her before you leave.
Check with your manager and get it from the horse's mouth that you cannot stay OT for this stuff and then each time you are harassed write a note to her. Just in case someone complains about your team spirit she has an idea what has been happening. Perhaps she can restate the policy about OT in the next staff meeting too.
If you want to stand up to them feel free. You may have a battle on your hands. Pick your battles wisely.
OH, this is definitely the battle to pick.
It's time to set limits and say 'no'. Nobody can walk all over you unless you lay down first.
No, my shift is over. I'm leaving now, whether you take responsibility for the tasks that need to be done on your shift is your business, but make no mistake: IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.
I know, that takes guts to say, but what's the worse that can happen: it'll make her irate? As opposed to . . .
The worst she can do is write you up. And then your manager has to deal with it. You can make your case, so in my opinion, all a write up will do is serve to put the manager on notice that the issue of intershift respect needs to be addressed.
And your relief looks like the crybaby for being petty and writing you up, not you. If this comes to a head with flying write ups not written by you, and your manager can't or won't investigate and stand up for you, then you needed to be in a better place, anyway.
Most managers know who the few troublemakers are: they tend to try to deflect as much of it as possible because there is a relationship between the amount of trouble being made and the level of entrenchment. It will only be dealt with if it comes to a head, and so much the better that it is the trouble maker making all the noise.
Bottom line, people like that make a habit of running off new nurses. The manager surely knows this. And that manager can't be happy with the attrition that it causes. But managers are people too, and don't like confrontation, either.
You can't completely blame the manager for not wanting to be assertive about it if it's not important enough to you for YOU to be assertive about it.
There's lots of power in the word, "No." And when you do use it, you'll be surprised how good you will feel for standing up for yourself. You'll drive home thinking just like you thought up the perfect comeback to use at the perfect time, instead of after the fact. And if that comeback is "No.", well, you DID come up with the perfect comeback to use at the perfect time, didn't you?
At my facility, when an admission comes that late in a shift we just make them comfortable, take their vitals, that's it. It's assumed that it's the next shift's admission. But if a patient came in like an hour and a half before our shift ends we do everything, even staying late to finish the admission.
At my facility, when an admission comes that late in a shift we just make them comfortable, take their vitals, that's it. It's assumed that it's the next shift's admission. But if a patient came in like an hour and a half before our shift ends we do everything, even staying late to finish the admission.
Every hospital I've worked at has either an official policy or an unwritten rule that if an admission comes within an hour before the shift ends, the next shift does the full admit.
If your manager is saying to 'pass it on', then your manager needs to re-iterate the policy in an email.
You will either have to stand up to this person..possibly by asking directly, "what will it take to make you happy? I did all I could get done".
Or, ask for her help or advice about something. I used to do that at a place when I was a new nurse learning about the medical floor, and some gripey old hags were continually rude...took awhile, but they finally softened up because I asked them about starting iv's, and ways to do things. Of course, this person may not respond to that, but it's always worth a try.
If it's on the Kardex for 2000, I don't see why there would be any discussion...if someone treats you that badly, I think it's OK to set limits, i.e. "I'll finish report when you are able to speak to me properly." If you can't get any support, you can transfer to another area, they aren't all populated with nurses that selfish and mean-spirited. You are your own best advocate!
I am so sorry that she treated you like that. It is a shame that some nurses will "eat their young". Nursing is 24/ 7. You cannot possibly do everything in 8 hours. Don't let her tell you what to do. I hope your manager would support you in this situation.
to tell them.... "this is a 24 hour hospital facility.. I can't do everything."
It has happened again today....
mediatix8
187 Posts
That is terrible. I've had similar experiences as a new graduate. All I can tell you is that if that happened at my facility, my manager would be upset at the other nurse for not being a teamplayer and causing me more "overtime" by having to go back into the room to do something that totally can wait. Ha ha, my advice would be to start working night shift- then you could find all of her mistakes and tell her that she cannot leave until everything is done. She's made way way worse mistakes than that in her career, and if you were to follow her, you'd see that. Or a really good idea would be to talk to your manager and ask her if there is a policy about "daily" and tell her what happened. If she isn't on your side, which I would highly doubt, then fine, you learned something new. Otherwise, you could have her talk to the other nurse about teamwork and that there is no such "daily" policy.