Do you have (or are you) a bully queen of the ICU?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Float Pool Nursing.

She's loud and outspoken. Markedly unattractive and overweight, in her mid 40s, she describes herself as having been in the ICU "forever." She's large and in charge, and everyone knows better than to argue with her because she's always right, and there's only way to do everything. An adult learner, she was a former waitress or CNA before "gettin' her RN" now attending an online-for profit school for her BSN or, more likely, refusing to further her education at all. She has been uplifted from a low income upbringing to "professional status" and for years has been drunk on an artificial sense of authority as an RN. Her particularly favorite hobbies include talking endlessly about her experience, describing the problems she has with "today's young nurses," and behaving rudely toward float nurses and travel nurses and medical interns just getting out of school because "they should know how to do all this without asking." She also makes frequent trips to the manager's office to pester and annoy.

I transitioned from my hospital's float pool to the medical ICU about 6 months ago, and we have one of these in my unit. I don't think I've ever met anyone with as rotten a personality as this individual. Luckily I have never been one of her targets.

"Anyone who takes a dump in the lounge bathroom is going to taste my shoe heel for a week! No one better be doing THAT." (Dictating the rules of the use of the staff bathroom, believing that any nurse or tech with the urge to empty their bowels need do so in a different part of the hospital)

"You could literally get FIRED for eating that. That's considered STEALING. That may have flown over on such and such floor, but not here!" (To a float nurse who didn't have time to break and took a package of two saltines to eat)

"Guys, you see that traveler Jen who started last week? She's always in her patients rooms, and you can never find her when you need help. It's because she has nothing to do so she stays in her patients rooms so she doesn't have to come out and help. Just watch you guys, that's how she's going to be all day." (Spoken at 730AM as being are just finishing getting report. Great way to start the day!)

Do you have (or are you one of) these dips running around in your unit? What do you think of these types? This person also orients people, thankfully on a very seldom basis because she's not a preceptor of choice. I have made reference to her in my other threads about bullies, and people have said she is not a bully.

What do you think? Use this thread to talk about "veteran bully queens of the ICU" or any med-surg floor.

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She does sound like a genuinely unpleasant person from your description. Those exist in all professions. She and I would in all likelihood have some ahem, issues that we needed to resolve if we were coworkers :whistling:

Not sure why her looks are relevant though? Her behavior is the important thing in my opinion.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Float Pool Nursing.

They don't matter; I'm just trying to paint a visual image of this person for creative writing reasons and make this true story come more alive.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Okay, I was going to ask the same question. Thanks for clearing that up, because her appearance has nothing to do with her abrasiveness.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.

Nor does her previous history of low income. However, she does sound like a toxic person, best to be avoided. Hopefully management takes what she says with a grain of salt...

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Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.

I have a queen on my floor, but she is way easier to deal with than your ball of pleasantries. She actually got called out on which duties she performs poorly and now she's not allowed to be charge anymore. I do think she means well in general, but you can't spend all day criticizing everyone who is busy without helping and expect anyone to want to help you when you actually have an assignment and can't hack it. All she does is sigh and roll her eyes and chastise. You're not my mother or my boss lady! I just avoid her if possible so I don't say something I'll regret. She was there long before me and will be there long after me so there's no point in me making a fuss.

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I appreciate your writing style/ability.

What is the size of the facility/ health system, please.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Float Pool Nursing.
I appreciate your writing style/ability.

What is the size of the facility/ health system, please.

~1500 bed hospital, with two campuses about a block from each other.

Thanks for the compliment, btw!

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Specializes in Hospice.
They don't matter; I'm just trying to paint a visual image of this person for creative writing reasons and make this true story come more alive.

It didn't work. Being old, fat, working class, proud of my experience and decidedly less than gorgeous, I'm hurt that you conflate these qualities with bullying behavior.

The only thing that "came alive" in that post was class prejudice.

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Specializes in Rehab, Med-surg, Neuroscience.

I love your writing style!! Lots of vivid descriptions. Truly I enjoyed reading your thread.

I used to work with one of those types. In her case though she was actually a very depressed person. I don't work there anymore but I hope she's doing better.

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Specializes in Hospice.

Come to think of it, how does sneering at someone's looks and class background make you anything other than a "mean girl" bully, yourself?

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I totally worked with her too! Is this who you're talking about?

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