I'm a relatively new DNS, but I've been a nurse for 25 years and have had every nursing job there is to have in LTC and then some. How do all y'all deal with disrespectful staff? I don't mind a spirited discussion but I am mighty tired of nurses saying "How do YOU know?" Mind you I've been a nurse longer than they've been on the planet. They complain about everything, feel 'entitled' as new nurses, and are so rude it's unbelievable. One of them today was complaining and said she was over worked because she had 33 patients on a 2p-10p shift. I explained to her that she had no sick people, no IVs, no trachs, no dressings...she said 'Why don't YOU try it'. I told her that I had worked on a true sub acute floor and had 30 patients for meds, treatments, 5 IV's with antibiotics every 4 hours, 2 fresh trachs, 3 central lines for TPN, 2 people at life's end from AIDS AND I had to do my own MDSs. She said "You did that and got out on time?" Yes I did I told her. "Then you must be a better nurse than I am and besides it was probably 20 years ago." I was speechless. I wanted to tell her I AM a better nurse than she is and it wasn't that long ago. Instead I told her if she was going to speak to me in that tone of voice, she could leave the office. She slammed the door on the way out. I am at my wit's end on how to deal with these totally unreasonable fresh nurses. Any advice?
She DOESN'T do the shifts. She signs up for them and then calls out. What about that should I thank her for? Oh,thanks for once again messing up the schedule by signing up for shifts and then calling out at the last minute? Are all y'all for real?
I was reading this thread and I just had to respond. I have only been a nurse for 2 years. Worked Mother baby in a hospital before I went to LTC. I ended up after a week being night charge nurse on a 48 bed unit with half of those being on the locked unit. I never ever disrespected my DON, ADN or administrator, I may not have agreed with them, but in my humble opinion they got respect because they earned those titles! As charge I may have been new but this is what I told my aids. "you may not like me, you may not always agree with my decisions, but I EARNED my degree. and until you get your license, you will do nothing to jepordize mine!" Some i ticked off, some laughed because they thought it was funny. But i also didnt mind doing aid work. If I was in a room and someone was dirty, I would go and change em myself. I didnt expect my aids to do anything that I wasnt willing to do myself. I think that worked more than any threats I could have made. For the really difficult ones, You mouthed off, you got written up end of story. I had enough patients to worry about. I wasnt going to babysit them too!
You should thank her for those shifts. She is taking time out of her personal life to help cover shifts.
We only give new nurses (whether they are "new" to nursing or just new employees) 3 days of orientation then they are on there own. I work in LTC also.
I haven't read all the posts, but I agree that if a manager is willing to lead by example and pitch in when needed in this time of critical nursing shortages, it goes a long way.
I have one manager who has worked some shifts, because she had no other alternative, but 'forgot' the med pass in the morning (on nights). Also, will only do it if supervising a student. I lost respect when she asked me to to do it with a fractured femur, after one month off and still non-wt bearing. She takes advice from no one and will not listen to what aides and RNs tell her about patients, often ending with falls and fractures that could have been prevented. She schedules staff on weekends that don't know they have been scheduled (our prns work full time weekdays and help us on w/e) and then when no one shows up she won't answer the phone. Her response when one of the casuals who was written in agreed to come in after the Day shift had to stay OT an hour, was "oh well, you're here now".
The other manager is nicer, but makes comments like "this job is easy" and " they'll learn to work now" when people leave to find other jobs due to lack of hours. When he's had to come in to replace us so that we don't have to work 24 hours, and gotten stuck with a death, an ER visit and a patient admission, he can't keep up, and can't wait to be relieved. But our job is easy.....
So, yes, maybe some nurses are rude, but maybe we are also at our wits end because it is taken for granted that we want to live at work, don't have anything better to do than sit by the phone and don't mind when someone from outside the facility with no experience gets a position based strictly on 'seniority'.
Why dont you work that shift and show her how easy it is to finish up your work on time? It will only take 1 time, just have her shadow you. You will get more respect that way in my opinion.
Nursing homes are hard, having 33 patients really is difficult in my experience. That scenario you gave would be much more difficult to work but in my honest opinion it would also be extremely unsafe and end stage pts would likely not be given the care and attention needed.
New nurses are under horrendous pressure, especially with a large load of patients. Their lack of experience really take a toll. We all have been there but what seems minor to you could be pretty intimidating or scary to a new nurse.
I quit the nursing home after about 10 months, I will be honest--it was just too much for me. Never had a problem in the ICU or ER but bad memories of those long med passes.
Again just me 2 cents (which isnt worth much) but as a supervisor and older nurse you should give more support before writing someone up. I think you would get better results and more respect.
That's a great idea to work side by side with her and show her how to do it. Rudeness should not be tolerated, door slamming, cursing, shouting, none of it belongs on the job, especially toward our bosses.
I wonder, forgive me for thinking it, is it possible our memory has faded a little, Noryn? Maybe you really did do it all and get out on time but did you do it all from the start or was that after doing the same assignment for a while? Did you get a meal break and/or rest breaks or did you donate an hour a day to the job for free? Just asking, no insult intended. I find that some of my own memories are beginning to develop some fuzzy edges. I noticed it with my parents and in-laws when I was a new mom and they were telling me how to be a good parent. Their memories of how they raised us just weren't so clear.
The company I work for a family owned and operated and for profit. Believe me, no one in that family is making a lot of money. We lose money giving all sorts of free care. We all need to be respectful of each other. And, just as an aside, for all of you who thinks it's so easy being in administration....I've worked 7 days straight...did my regular time and was in the facility yesterday all day. Got called this morning at 5:45 and told there were 3 nurse call outs. I got up, hopped in the shower and went to work. Did one person there say thanks? No...they get paid for every minute they are there. I get paid for 40 hours even if I'm there for 80.
To be honest I think that statement is rude and disrespectful especially considering your major gripe is about rude and disrespectful employees. Those posters took time our of their day to give you their opinion and they seemed to post their opinion in a pleasant way.
I am sure your job is challenging, I am sure you have paid your dues but i would also remember that your job, regardless is much better than theirs (and it pays a heck of a lot more too).
Sometimes instead of blaming people we do need to look in the mirror. I will say it again, I honestly think 99.9 percent of the nurses could not handle the load you did safely and adequately. You may very well be the exception to the rule but your expectations also are likely too much for the average nurse.
I didn't think she was rude or disrespectful. She just spoke her mind directly. look, guys, every job can be hard. Whether we're doing bedside care or paperwork and administrative work, each can be challenging and painful.
I don't like the habit of some people to assume that direct care staff always have it so much harder and are paid less than those who manage and supervise. If direct care want to supervise, they can probably do so. there are enough openings for managers. that should tell us that the manager spots are not always so great, especially when we see them open at the same facilities over and over again.
I think you missed my point. I didnt say it wasnt hard--in my other post I even admitted it was too much for me and I am a RN. My point was the work/pay ratio. These aids work for like 8 dollars an hour and bust their butt, RNs around here get about 20-25 dollars and also bust their butt. Lpns about 13-15. So yeah us RNs do have hard work but at least we make a decent amount of money.
Some nurses are making twice that much. Your pay is way too low, but if you are happy, right on.
Noryn
648 Posts
Doh sorry, how in the heck did I read over that.