difficult co-worker

Hi All

Does anyone have a resource as to what one can do about a co-worker that is out-of-control? I have gone thru all suggested methods as to dealing with her temper tantrums that disrupt patient care with no resolve. My manager stays idol, and the rest of us suffer with embarrasment for our unit and the daily stress of dealing with this abusive nurse.

any ideas?

[sharann, BSN, RN]

Temper tantrums? Sounds like a 2 year old to me. How about offering her/him a pacifier(yes, the baby kind). On a serious note, this sounds bad to me. You need to all start documenting this stuff by each occurence, now. Management no help(why oh why..)? Go above them. EVERYONE has a boss. This sounds like an ongoing problem. Time to take control of your own unit. Good luck.

Personally, I would try the pacifier, or a baby bottle. They may get the "hint".

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Tell the UM that you are going to go above her if she doesn't do something. And write all the bad things down...human resources can place them in her file. Also, it gives you ammo when they do look into it.

We have a few of them...basically we ignore them and when they get bad enough we write them up. Our UM doesn't put up with much, so everyone minds their P's and Q's pretty well.

[ERNurse752, RN]

Document, document, document, and go above your manager...go as high as you need to until you get some answers.

What kinds of things have you tried already?

[Nitey]

I have talked to some coworkers and we are having a meeting tomorrow. If the immediate NM won't act, we are going higher.

This behaviour cannot go on. I appreciate your advice.

Happy VD!

[Teshiee]

You know I don't let those kind of nurses get to me. Don't put your hands on me or my patients and we will never have a problem. Most people like that I find their bark is worse than their bite. I would document incidents and do what the other nurses posted. HR would have a record and when she totally goes off line she would have hung herself big time. Take it higher and higher someone's ass will have a big dent in it I am sure.