Did I do the right thing? (long)

DDRN4me · Oct 28, 2005

Even if she is young and a new grad, she needs to learn to pull her weight on the floor,you did what needed to be done, and you cant beat yourself up about the consequences she recieved for her own actions (or lack of them!)

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Oct 28, 2005

Sounds like it needed to be done. I would have gone to her myself first, but it was inevitable. She needed to be reported and long before you came along.

Mona Mona, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2005

So, you just advised the LPN to go to the DON, and you didn't yourself? I think you did a good thing. I would have done the same in your situation. The LPN was having problems with a co-worker, and maybe should have talked to the other RN first, however, I don't think it's wrong what you advised her to do. I mean, she didn't get her FIRED or anything, just brought the problem to the attention of the DON.

In ANY job if someone is not pulling their weight, that is wrong. Not just nursing, etc.

The only thing I would want is that if a co-worker was having a problem with me, to bring it to my attention FIRST. However, we don't know if the LPN tried this some other time, or not, ya know?

I hope the new RN will shape up soon. She's not helping ANYONE by not being a good worker.....

gr8rnpjt, RN · Oct 28, 2005

I. I feel like I ratted out a fellow nurse.... am I horrible??\

You did the right thing. Old habits are hard to break, so getting her into shape while still new is the right thing to do. No one in any nursing setting should be lazy. Nurses are not lazy people. We should work as a team, all the time.

I work in an office setting and it is the same thing. I work with a nurse who is fat and lazy. She just makes me sick. Not that she is fat, but the combination just drives me nuts.

She never helps people who are busy. She acts like she is busy and does nothing. She is set in her ways, and nothing anyone does helps. I did tell the supervisor about her, because I am considering leaving this particular department because I resent working very hard, while someone else doing the same job, complains that her case load is too heavy, and she needs to lighten the load. Then my assignment gets bigger, hers gets lighter, so now she has more time to waste, because she has less to do.

Sorry, I hijacked your thread to vent. But you did the right thing.

Agnus · Oct 28, 2005

Putting myself in your shoes, I read with great interest your post. The thought that kept running though my mind (as if I were you) was, why are you telling me this? I am not her supervisor or manager. I am her peer. I am a new grad myself. What do you expect me to do that you can not do yourself? I have no control over the problems you are having with this nurse. You need to go to the DON. I am betting she knows nothing about this because you did not tell her and that is the reason she is not doing anything about it.

Being a traditional student being young is irrevelant. She is an RN. She is an adult perfesional. She has a solid education. She has assumed the same responsibility as you when she accepted the job. She is a big girl. The truth often hurts. Hopefully she will become a better nurse and co-worker from this, or she will leave and eventually learn how to play with the big kids.

Tears are not necessairly a true indicator of injury. I doubt she was injured other than to discover that not everyone thought she was wonderful just as she is. that is not injury just life.

Sapphy, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2005

To clarify...people HAVE spoken to her in the past and it has gone over her head. And on Monday, she had her evaluation and came to me and said "well at least I didn't get fired." So apparently that did not go well either. That is what exasperates me about this girl...nothing is getting through to her.. The DON apparently said some things to her in her evaluation that made her think getting fired was a possibility and two days later she pulls this crap?

But I am in a position that if someone does not pick up the slack for her... our patients have to have an assessment done by an RN every 24 hours.... eventually it comes back to haunt me and all the other RN's I work with.... If there is a blank assessment form on a patient's chart... when they do chart audits what we get back is these RN's were working that day ... they are ALL responsible for it regardless of whether or not it was on my assignment.

Sapphy, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2005

Oh I forgot to mention that just last week she got reamed out for taking the staples out of a patient just because she decided it was time for them to come out...no doctor's order nothing...she just thought it was time! :eek: :smackingf .

LPN0207 · Oct 28, 2005

All I can say is WOW

Agnus · Oct 28, 2005

All you can do is continue to keep reporting it as it occures. Fill out incident reports as appropriate.

Help your DON build a case. Since talking and evaluations have had no effect if you and you collegues continue to report it the DON will eventually have a stack of stuff against her that she will be let go, if this doesn't lead her to quit first.

The DON needs to build a solid case. She can not do it alone. She needs to demonstrate that she has counseled this nurse as much as 3 times for the same offences. After the third time you can be sure she will be finding the door.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 28, 2005

All you can do is continue to keep reporting it as it occures. Fill out incident reports as appropriate.
Help your DON build a case. Since talking and evaluations have had no effect if you and you collegues continue to report it the DON will eventually have a stack of stuff against her that she will be let go, if this doesn't lead her to quit first.
The DON needs to build a solid case. She can not do it alone. She needs to demonstrate that she has counseled this nurse as much as 3 times for the same offences. After the third time you can be sure she will be finding the door.

I agree. You did not "rat" out another nurse, you are living up to your responsibilites to the pts and to the facility by trying to ensure that the pts get good, quality care.

You should be grateful that your DON listened and is taking steps to address the situation. Many DONs just ignore problems, letting them fester, and in other cases, the lazy slacker nurse is the DON's best friend.

You did the right thing, and your DON needs your help to build a solid paper-trail against this nurse to get her out of there.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Oct 29, 2005

but i am in a position that if someone does not pick up the slack for her... our patients have to have an assessment done by an rn every 24 hours.... eventually it comes back to haunt me and all the other rn's i work with.... if there is a blank assessment form on a patient's chart... when they do chart audits what we get back is these rn's were working that day ... they are all responsible for it regardless of whether or not it was on my assignment.

whoa, i really had to step back when i read these statements. i as a nurse am not responsible for another nurse's written assessment or the lack thereof....that nurse is responsible for her own. one thing to learn about being a solid nurse is knowing what you are responsible for and what you are not. if this nurse sits at the desk and neglects her duty, your picking up her slack only enables her behavior to continue doing more of the same. boundaries, even between professionals on the job, are your friend. by picking up her slack, you actually take away good solid evidence for your don to discipline her properly (for her apathy and neglect). do not do this again. hold this nurse accountable for her patients and her charting. let's turn this around a bit. do you really believe she is responsible for your behavior, your role as a nurse, and for the care of your patients? i bet not. if this type of behavior persists, especially after being confronted by the don, she will hang herself....you are not responsible for it. however, you are responsible to objectively document incidents of neglect by her towards her own patients..as evidenced by (fill in the blank) and forward it to your don (if keeping a copy/notes for yourself, it must be solidly secured). this is what a "prudent" nurse would do and what the court will ask if legalities should ever become involved...as a "prudent" nurse, what did you do when you saw the nurse consistently neglect her own patients/confabulate patient assessments (because she obviously did not assess them)? that is your responsibility...to report. you did the right thing directing the lpn. but, you also need to realize when you do not step up to the plate yourself when you witness consistent behavior like this with your own eyes, you actually condone it. ultimately, your don is responsible for her...not you. if an audit comes and this nurse's assessments are blank, your don is responsible...not you. please do not feel guilty for this nurse or for the consequences that fall upon her as a result of her inaction towards her patients and the lack of teamwork she displays towards staff. the guilt is hers, and hers alone. eventually, she will hang herself. it is just a matter of time. if this happens, you need to accept that...another boundary...in order to take care of yourself.

i wish you the best. i really hope things improve. be prepared if they don't.

wolfie