Disgusting Behavior of Nurses

[pagandeva2000]

I am just flabbergasted. My best friend, who is manic depressive is an excellent, organized nurse who really puts a positive foot in her work. Since her last manic episode, she has really been diligent in taking her meds. A downfall of the medication is that her hair has broken off and she gained weight. Because of that, she decided to cut her hair very short and wear it natural (she is African American). Sometimes, it is a short afro, other times, small twists.

Well, this morning, in front of at least 10 other witnesses, a head nurse walked up to her and said that her hair is horrible, she looks disheveled and also looks homeless. She also said that 'everyone is talking about it' and it appears that she is decomposing 'before their very eyes'. My friend was horrified, to say the least. She called me on my cell phone as I was on my way to work and told me this. This is the first day of her vacation and this is how it is supposed to start??

First off, did this woman even think...my friend was very meticulous in how she wore her hair in the past...now that it had broken off, and she has to pay cash for her medication to keep her stable, she decided that it was not worth spending money on the chemicals-it was wiser to take her medications as prescribed. Can that make her happy? But, she accepted it and make accomodations for her new hair.

All I can say is if I were present to witness such behavior, especially after knowing what my friend went through, I would have probably been the one suspended by the time I put that witch in her place. See, this is why nursing is going down. We can't even respect or show empathy for each other. It is all about embarassment, harassment, competition and insults. What has this line of work come to where our so-called leaders can get away with this?

My friend reported this to the Director of Nursing. Thank goodness, before she became a nurse, she was the DON's private secretary and she adores my friend. She told her that she WILL speak to that fool before the end of the day. Also, you never know who you are speaking to. This sorry head nurse doesn't even know that the DON and my friend are so close that she has been invited to spend the weekend with the DON many times over the years, with her children and the DON has also paid my friend's tuition for her daughter to attend private school. My friend, however, is not a name dropper, nor does she exploit her relationship with this woman. Oh, I am so angry...

[nursel56]

Do what?

Sued for defamation of character, for a host of other things - NOT FOR RACE, folks. There are opinions and then there are ways of expressing those opinions that can get you sued. Mary might sleep around a lot, but if I tell the boss Mary's a ****, I can be sued for defamation of character - even if it's my opinion. Opinions can land you in court in a heartbeat.

Is it that impossible to believe that someone honestly is not concerned with what color someone is? Or that comments can get you sued for something besides being concerned with what color someone is?

Thankfully most of the posters understood that. It became a distraction injected by that poster for a short while.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Thank you for putting that out there. I really didnt want to state the obvious. But yeah, hair is a VERY sensitive subject in the African American community.

As a natural African American woman, I can attest to this personally. And please don't get me started on the good hair versus bad hair debate.

Wasn't there some fallout over a kid's book on this subject a few years ago, where it was taken out of context by some? And this is purely a question, not meant as a hijack.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Thankfully most of the posters understood that. It became a distraction injected by that poster for a short while.

Thank you. Why that burned me up I don't know. :)

You made me feel better.