How do you deal with this?

Nurses General Nursing

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I work on a great unit. We all work well together. Aides, Secretaries and R.N.'s all work hard.

But my problem is other units.

I started picking up hours on a different unit. The first day I arrived the P.C.T's were telling me how lazy the R.N.'s were. As time went by they didn't communicate much with me but gave me a cold shoulder. The P.C.T's were in the back room more then helping on the floor. The R.N.'s never took breaks but the P.C.T's were on breaks 1/2 the shift. What I found worked well was give them a list what needed to be done...and sooner or later it was done. Reluctantly but done.

Now I got pulled to a different unit yesterday. It was horrible. They didn't work well. Not one R.N. had a break. The aides had a break most of the shift. So I thought give my list of things I need done and it will get done. Right!?!? Nope. I kept returning to the aide trying to get stuff done. No luck they'd conveniently get busy as things came up.

An R.N. came up to a P.C.T. who was drawing blood that she was asked to draw 4 hours ago and asked when are you getting the patients weight I need to start a drip on the patient. (she 2 patients not doing well) The R.N. offered to ask other P.C.T's that were at the desk....but the response was "no I'll do it" When the lady left the P.C.T. said to my patient, "like she couldn't do it." I was in the connecting room next to her and said, "would you like me to ask a nurse at the desk to help." The P.C.T. said, "no that nurse is as lazy as they get." (well I'll tell you that pool nurse was busting butt the whole shift)

How do you deal with this?

I've been on job interviews. Of the 3 interviews...without asking the interviewer discussed the difficulties with the R.N./P.C.T. relationship.

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Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

These are all management problems. Unless and until sufficient pressure is put on management to solve them, they won't. If RNs refused to "pick up" extra hours on or "get pulled" to these kinds of units, things might begin to change.

So long as RNs are willing to show up for work day after day on units like this and just "take it," why should management do anything differently? It's all working fine as far as they are concerned.

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I agree with sjoe..bring it to managements attention. Ask them to spend some tme on those floors,unannounced. State specifically what you observed on those floors. And be thankful that your floor colleagues choose to work as a team.

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While I was reading this post the first thought that jumped into my mind was, "this is a managment problem". I see subseqent post said the same thing. My experience is that a certain % of personel must be managed with heavy hand or they pull this crap. That inludes nurses and nurse support staff. However, support staff have a much bigger % of workers that will do as little as they can. Their reasoning is that they get paid the same for doing little as doing a lot. Of course I have worked with many, many support staff that have a work ethic and would work like mules even if there were no boss in the building. Occasionally, I run into a licensed staff member that is a goof off. However, we all have a license and a professional responsiblity so that is an additional movitaving factor. The above posters outlined what I would do. Tell their manager the unit has a problem and you are not coming back.

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Specializes in Home Health.

I say save your list, and mark on it how much time you gace the person to accomplish these tasks, and how many were actually done. Give the lists to the manager.

We had several aides likt that, and they were made to strat a diary. ie 7pm got report, 730 to lab 745 back from lab, 750 helped rn turn bed 3, 800 to 900 restocked bedsides, etc...

The manager would evaluate this diary, and also check w the charge nurse that these tasks were actually done. If not, there are consequences. First a conference and review of job description. A plan was made for improvement with a target date for re-eval. If no improvement, no raise, and eventually, they were history.

Unfortunately, this requires a LOT of energy. When you are busy, it IS easier to do it yourself. That is why your manager, who I am sure does not have a pt assignment needs to "manage" the staff a whoile lot better. Well, not your manager, but the other managers. It is a shame that all the units don't work as well as your own.

Maybe when they call you in for OT on one of those units, say I won't be doing any extra time there anymore, I can't work on a unit where the aides don't pull their weight. When they are afraid they will lose your voluntary help, they may do something!

Laziness is something I cannot tolerate!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

what joe said. would not see ME working those floors. i feel for those who do....life is too short.

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I would tell the unit nurse manager that you will not be picking up any more hours on that unit until this problem is solved. It is not worth the frustration.

Our CNA's are pretty decent for the most part, but once in a while we get one who definitely "cops" an attitude. I usually ask the CNA's nicely if they would do this or that and usually it is done. If I get a CNA who gets an attitude, I just tell them "I need you to do this or that" and see what happens. I am usually pretty easy to get along with, but it burns my butt when I am trying to get my charting done and the patient's lights are going off like Christmas trees and the patient's want an extra pillow, 7up, or other things that can definitely be done by a CNA. Stick to your guns....good luck.

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