Dear Nurse Beasty....I'm new

beeker · Apr 9, 2012

And it coyld be that she is rollung her eyes and interrupting you during your great report is that in reality you may be giving a crapoy report. there are always 2 sides of the story.

You had to be that girl didn't you? There is always one! Are you the eye roller on staff? Watch for the smack in case we work together....its coming!

dudette10, MSN, RN · Apr 9, 2012

And it coyld be that she is rollung her eyes and interrupting you during your great report is that in reality you may be giving a crapoy report. there are always 2 sides of the story.

That might be. However, passive-aggressiveness on the part of a more experienced nurse doesn't improve a crappy reporting habit from a new grad, does it?

Merlyn · Apr 9, 2012

Great kinda Nurse to have around when a patient needs a "Reality Check."
Greater Kinda Nurse to have around when another Nurse needs a "Reality Check!"

But when I'm Nursing, they pay me. It's amazing money can turn me into a pussycat. Seriously, the OP did what my father always taught me to do she got even.

dmdmd · Apr 11, 2012

OM Goodness, that was hilarious! And right on track! You go girl! I think

we had the same relief last shift-----

Chiggysmom · Apr 11, 2012

and I am going to make mistakes, and run a little behind when I get an admission right at the end of the shift ( 0625). But that is because I actually did the admission and took care of faxing all the med orders to pharmacy for you so the meds will be here when you make your rounds. So please, just keep rolling your eyes at me like a broken kewpie doll while I give you report. I love all the huffing and puffing and tongue clicking . I am new now, but I won't be forever. You treat me like dirt on the bottom of your shoe right now, and thats fine. I can take it. So for now I'll eat your crap. But one of these days......that overwhelming urge to smack you in the forhead to fix that eye problem of yours....it might happen.
Ok I feel better. But seriously. If this weaatch doesnt stop rolling her eyes at me and giving me disgusted looks while constantly interuptting my report, its a gonna get ugly!

You Go Girl! There's no excuse for that kind of behavior! I feel bad that you're treated like this!

learner1108 · Apr 11, 2012

When you are talking to anyone about her treatment of you, DO NOT mention being verbally abused or any words approaching abused. Such a place as a hostile workplace does exist, and there are laws against it. Verbal abuse could contribute to hostile workplace. You just might be replaced instead of having the problem taken care of.

Nurcpou · Apr 11, 2012

When I first started as a nurse, I got a complicated admission at the very end of a difficult shift. I was able to do most of the admission except for one or two things. When I gave report, the nurse told me I HAD to do the rest. I believed her and finished those things, leaving WAY later than I should have, but I wanted to be a good nurse and do what was required of me. Now I know better, thanks to my lovely mentors who repeatedly told me that patient care is 24 hours, it's not all up to one nurse to do everything all the time. It's okay if you can't get it all done, especially on those days when you play the "let's keep everyone alive" game. Personal growth: one of the last reports I gave was to a nurse who did a lot of sighing and sarcastic "I guess I'll just have to do that..." over some not very big things. I just smiled and continued through the interruptions, knowing that I had worked very hard and done my best and had given lots of good care to my patients during the shift.

Over-the-hill-Nurse · Apr 12, 2012

I personally would report this nurse. In your comments, you state that you know she does it to others as well as towards you. What she is doing is called "Lateral Violence-which is defined as A consistant pattern of behavior designed to control, diminish, or devalue a peer". Other things that the literature states is considered the same is name calling, bickering, fault finding, criticism, intimidation, gossip, put-downs, raised eye brows, and many more that fall under this category.

It is with behaviors such as these that are like infection, and when tolerated by other nurses, the behaviors spread and infect the whole entire team. Just by witnessing, let alone having it done towards you, these rude behaviors, it can significantly impact your ability to perform cognitive tasks. This Nurse Beasty is fully aware of what she is doing and knows what kind of response she will get as well.

These are the type of people that enjoy seeing their co-workers squirm and these are also the types that cause other nurses to quit, to transfer, or just plain suffer through it. For many new grads, they start questioning themselves and their abilities to work as a nurse.

We as nurses take a oath to do no harm. Most of us in healthcare take this to mean towards our patients but maybe nurses need to take another oath towards other nurses, doctors, and other healthcare staff to keep each other safe, to nurture, support and protect each other because we understand and recongnize how vulnerable we all are and the critical role that we play in healthcare.

We all need to find the same voice of compassion toward one another that we give towards our patients. Lateral violence has no place in the work place. The work place with its many many changing trends, and new policies, new guidelines that are coming down the line now is stressful enough without adding in the behavioral issues to go along with it.

Lateral violence is not new in the field of healthcare, there has been some form of it for I know the 21 years I was a active RN. But not much of it was ever really dealt with until the last 5 to 7 years. I think its a great idea and policies need to be in place for zero tolerance. But these type of policies won't work if nurses do not report the offending behavior.

This Nurse Beasty is getting too much enjoyment out of making nurses and techs miserable. She needs to be reported and written up. She will not stop this type of behavior on her own. Maybe by reporting her, she will get the much needed education on what constitutes lateral behaviour (spelled out to her), reprimanded in some manner and then terminated if she doesn't stop the behavior.

Raise above her and report it. At the very most, you will have saved the next new nurse from being put through that type of behavior as well. I do wish you the best and hope that Nurse Beasty will also learn how to "not" promote lateral violence in the work place.

MJB2010 · Apr 12, 2012

OP I have to be the bearer of bad news. There are Nurse Beasties on every floor. But I think you have a good attitude and will handle her just fine! And is it just me people, or are the Nurse beasties always the ones that leave you a huge mess when they go home? At first I dreaded giving reports to these types of people who nit pick every part of my report, but soon I realized they are usually the ones leaving you a crap sandwich on their way out the door, and I started throwing it right back. They do this because they are lazy. They want all the info you can give them, because they rarely learn anymore througout the day. And when they leave, nothing is done.

EVERYONE gets slammed once in awhile and has to leave something for the next shift, and we all understand that, but if it is every single time, it is just how they are.