Evil secretaries from hell...Do you know one as well?

Batman24 · May 6, 2009

Asking for her chair when she's not even punched in and working is absurd. I'm lucky because the US I work with are great.

Gr8Dane · May 7, 2009

Shes the devil incarniated! Luckily shes not in a position of real authority, although she believes shes higher then everyone lol.

oramar · May 7, 2009

The vast majority have been wonderful. However, I have run into maybe two that were problems. In both cases they were not very nice people to begin with, they got in real thick and tight with the managers. Which then caused them to get too big for their britches and began to throw their weight around. In both cases I blamed the manager for not realizing that the secretary was pandering to them for evil reasons and then for not catching on to what they were up to and putting a lid on it. It was amazing how similar their behaviors were. Sneaking up on people and listening to private conversations to catch someone saying something the boss wouldn't like and then carrying tales back to them. Spending the shift kissing up to anyone in management they thought they could use to their advantage while treating the rest of the staff like dirt. Of course they never did much work, but that goes without saying. It is sad that they got away with it. Like I said that the vast majority of secretaries were just wonderful.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · May 7, 2009

We have a day shift HUC like this. Has to have "her" chair, don't you DARE answer her phone (we try not to, but sometimes you have to grab a call in a hurry!), if you have a soda set down, she'll throw it out (on nights we were always less strict about having bottles of water and the like sitting out...she'd get there at 6am and start tossing), won't let anyone turn up the thermostat in the charting room (some of us DO get cold, but she doesn't, so tough luck), etc etc.

She thinks she runs the floor. UGH.

SmilingBluEyes · May 7, 2009

I think every unit has a person like this, and not necessarily a tech/secretary. Difficult people are, well, difficult for a reason. Time for each person to teach this one how to treat others and failing that, get the unit manager to help out! Distracting/disruptive people like this ruin/bring down entire units!

Start with private face to face converstions to point out inappropriate behaviors; if this is not working, telling your manager about the problem is your only recourse. Be sure to document times/dates/conversations you have had!

Straydandelion · May 7, 2009

I work 7pm-7am and this evil secretary that works days comes in 30 minutes early, starts yapping about crap being out of place from our chart checks, and demands her "spot" where other nurses may had done their chart checks at 30 minutes before she can even clock in or be there for that matter.
And she looks evil/mean everytime I see her in her black framed thick glasses :angryfire
Then she thinks shes better then all the LPN's because shes "doing her pre-reqs" to get into a RN program, which she has not even applied for yet lol.
When a doctor comes in shes as sweet as can be The doctors usually ignore her as shes very fake.

Having worked with some wonderful people, yes, I think I know who you talk about:o. At least you get to leave and not have to work the same shift! Basically ignoring her behavoir and at the same time being assertive/non-aggressive paid off this time...not sure it would all the time however.

philanurse74 · May 7, 2009

oh my God you must work on my floor, all of you!

boggle, ASN, RN · May 7, 2009

Evil anyone makes for a long shift!

The meaner they are, the sweeter I am to them. It keeps them off balance!

Seriously though, I don't get involved with the mean, bitter behavior, don't feed into it at all. Before the "grump" even starts their bitter day, I head it off with a personal greeting and a sincere "how are you doing?". Sometimes setting the tone of a respect can help. (But sometimes it it just hopeless!)

Hope things get better for you.

YankeeHater · May 7, 2009

I can picture her now!! Thank goodness I don't have anyone like that where I work now but I know exactly what you're saying. Control freak much?? As long as they get are as good as they claim to be, it's semi-bearable but if they are not good at what they do and are lazy or make mistakes to boot.. ARG!

chicookie, BSN, RN · May 7, 2009

Yup there is one where I work too. I, fortunately, an on her good side and she makes sure my charts are in order. ^_^ (All I did was stand up to her once.)

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · May 7, 2009

You know, I work in an ER and yes, the unit secretary may be crabby. But that is because they DO run the unit and the unit would not be able to work without them doing their job. They have an enormous amount of work and don't get paid nearly enough for it. Actually the registration (patient access) people who sit on their @$$ get paid more than the secretary does and thats just wrong.