Feeling some heat after a nurse aid was fired...

[MassED, BSN, RN]

So, was in a situation where a patient and non-nurse had words regarding non patient care info. Can't get too specific, but it escalated and I intervened.

Apparently the pt complained about this interaction and the non-nurse was terminated. I was told this patient had taken measures and it had gone above immediate management. This non-nurse, apparently, had some issues with management prior to this, that I never knew about. This isn't new for me, as I am usually last to know everything.

So there's a nurse who tries to throw me under the bus for whatever she can (which isn't much, since I am professional and try not to interact with her - usually my small talk, humor, etc) and happens to be friends with said terminated person. I just learned this information and that she felt I was a "ring leader" in getting this person terminated. What the H***.

It's not necessarily any different than any other nurse/staff person who may just be a witch for no reason, other than they just are that way to other coworkers, but this irked me. I haven't done anything to this person. I am professional with her. I don't need or want to make friends at work, but there's a certain amount of professional courtesy that I expect. I don't usually have to "try" to work well with others, but now I feel like she has it "out" for me. She doesn't know the situation, first hand, of the scenario and it's unfair to judge. I know I can't (and don't have) any inclination to change her mind. I had someone else go to bat for me saying I don't stir any pot and stay out of most drama and have never thrown anyone under the bus. I keep to my business. I like to laugh (appropriately, or sometimes inappropriately!) at work and just work and keep things light when I can.

This person that has this attitude with me and has her own troubles, I'm sure, but it bothers me when someone speaks of me without knowing the truth and makes a judgement. I am professional, do a great job, and don't make any waves, so I am annoyed that someone is trying to start crap with me or hinder/hamper/otherwise mess with my professional credibility. No one was there that was in that situation, or witness to what happened, but me and the terminated person. No one knows the whole story, so how dare anyone blindly stand up for your friend when you don't even know the half of it. It is ignorant.

My usual M.O. is to be courteous, professional and go about my work. If I need a team member, then I ask for help, if I don't, then I don't. I don't speak with this person. I don't even make casual small talk anymore, when I normally do with anyone. I essentially cut someone out of my life if you're only there to create problems. I don't like to have to do this, but we have to protect ourselves. It's sad when we're in a high stress, professional atmosphere to have to deal with adolescent drama. You have to have a certain amount of reliance on your coworkers, which I don't feel I have with this person. I don't trust her. That's not a comfortable place to be in...

[Neuro Guy NP, DNP, PhD, APRN]

Don't let it get you down. Some people are just like that. Some people are just Mr./Mrs. Negativity. Just stay positive, keep that professional air about, and if I were you, I wouldn't have anything to say to her, lest she try to misinterpret that. Some people just need to be avoided at all cost. Besides, seeing as what she did, this could affect how you feel about her and how you interact with her. Remember that she will be hypercritical of you now and will look for and report any minor error.

Just enjoy your work.

[Orange Tree]

I agree with the first post. Just put your blinders on and keep moving along like nothing happened. I wouldn't say anything about the situation, one way or the other, to anyone.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

thanks, guys. I agree and will keep my nose to the grindstone. Good to read your posts.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

As I read your post, it amazed me how easily I identified my own nurse/witch in my workplace. Different scenario, but same type of attitude. She seems to thrive on creating a constant undercurrent of gossip and bad feeling.

I imagine that there's at least one for every unit in every facility. Hard to deal with but it sounds as if you're managing fine. You are definitely not alone.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

As I read your post, it amazed me how easily I identified my own nurse/witch in my workplace. Different scenario, but same type of attitude. She seems to thrive on creating a constant undercurrent of gossip and bad feeling.

I imagine that there's at least one for every unit in every facility. Hard to deal with but it sounds as if you're managing fine. You are definitely not alone.

thank you for that. :) I agree with having one on every unit. It seems there's always a bad apple out there trying to ruin a bunch. I'd LOVE to work where there are like-minded people, 100% of the time. I don't think it's possible in nursing, though, sadly.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Well, I once had something similar, happen. I chose to let it blow over but got tired of feeling that gossip was flowing. So when I was trying to work with this person, and they kept being contrary and basically PMO, I had enough. I stopped them mid sentence and said, "Gossip Girl, Stop, just stop!! I am tired of you behaving this way. You weren't there, and you do not know what happened. So stop gossiping" I did this in front of several people. It worked, at least, the nit-pickiness stopped and was replaced with a sort of sulking. But that was fine with me. Yeah, I sternly spoke to her like she was a child - she was behaving as a child. Meh.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

I had a similar situation. The other individual was performing a task incorrectly and insisted my technique was wrong when in fact it was the opposite. She then proceeded to mouth off for weeks on how "incompetent" she decided I was. When the nurses corrected her stating that she was doing the task wrong all along, that only incensed her further. Me? I said nothing either way. I knew I was trained properly and following protocol.

A month or so later, I was working with the nurse manager (I was the equivalent of a PCA/PCT at the time) she commented on how the girl was spewing comments about my "incompetence". I simply said there isn't much I can do other than do my job competently and efficiently. (Aside from the fact that I rarely worked with the girl) She laughed and said the more the girl ranted the more it showed her own ignorance and incompetence (especially since she refused to do the tasks the correct way, insisting on using the erroneous short cuts she learned in her school). She did say that the nursing staff admired how I simply ignored the rants and did my job not feeding into the tantrum. (Less I said or reacted the more upset the gal got, she'd ask those on my shifts if I had anything to say about her, which of course there was nothing).

Ultimately she was fired for incompetence and lack of professionalism (different situation and her 'tantrum' & errors occurred not only in front of senior management but the high profile client that was monitoring study events.)

My mother always told me to turn the other cheek and just do my best, my actions will stand as proof of my character and competence. I was just happy that this time it really worked.

Good luck. It sounds like you intervened appropriately on the patient's behalf. The non-nurse acted unprofessionally, inappropriately out of her scope and the patient escalated the situation as necessary. She was terminated on her own (lack of) merits. Some people insist on always blaming someone other than their own lack of judgment. This is something you cannot change, but you can choose to ignore and not engage. It sounds that it is likely the patient appreciated your intervention.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

yes, this patient actually did say I intervened to de-escalate the situation, which is exactly what I did. Nice that this person did include that. This non-nurse really put the nails in her coffin, it just irks me when I am thrust into a situation that I have no choice but to be a nurse and report the facts, and have to be subjected to criticism from those that weren't there. I'm sure in time this will all blow over, or those that are friends of hers will move on from being her friend - but I will never forget that they chose to throw me under the bus, without fact, without regard, all with only hear say as their grounds. Ah, well... who knows.... just another day in the life, I suppose.

[allstudentnurses, ASN, RN]

People who are angry / cause trouble for other people have their own problems / demons that they don't know how to deal with so they project / cause problems for others, that doesn't make them saints, but understanding that has helped me to deal with those people.

Also...

If you have a good management team (which is usually NOT true) they will not have knee jerk reactions to accusations and such, they will investigate, take their time and observe to see the truth and then deal with the problem person accordingly.

Hope this situation gets better for you :)

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

People who are angry / cause trouble for other people have their own problems / demons that they don't know how to deal with so they project / cause problems for others, that doesn't make them saints, but understanding that has helped me to deal with those people.

Exactly. In a weird way, you come to feel sorry for them because you realize how absolutely miserable they must be. I'm just glad their lives are not mine, from the way they behave ...

OP, sorry for this situation. I know it probably makes things uncomfortable. Not cool.

[JKL33]

You have the right attitude. I understand how uncomfortable this situation would be (been there!), but keep in mind that most of your co-workers and your manager likely already know the truth, based on their experiences with you as opposed to their experiences with her. There are those people who literally can't function (don't know how to behave or deal with life) unless they are stirring a pot somewhere. My guess is you're not the only one she has treated in this manner....you're just the latest. When you're right in the thick of it as the victim of this type of behavior, it's easy to feel as though this person could very well be trashing your hard-earned reputation in the eyes of people you respect. But the truth is, from the outside looking in it's much easier to see who's doing what, and who the problem is.

Don't worry about defending your honor, just stay as far away from her as you can - - unless she is in a position to need/ask for your assistance with something, and then if it were me I would kindly help her! Never go down into the fray; treat her the way she is NOT willing to treat others. Your reward at the end of the day is that you will not be ashamed of who you are, how you treat others, or how well you take care of patients.

Good luck!