Miserable nurses

[FutureNurse0201]

This is more a vent, because i had a horrible day at the hospital today. As a nursing student I was assigned to one of the nurses at DEU facility. At 7am I introduced myself and let her know I will be working with her. She looked at me, didn't say anything and left. I literally ran after her. She was getting a report when the patient started complaining how everyone gives her different diagnosis and she can't trust anyone. As soon as we stepped outside of the room (night shift nurse, my nurse and I), PCT informed the nurse that patient wants to talk to the head of the hospital. Charged nurse told my nurse to just talk to the patient again and try to calm her. At the same time, the night nurse told me to stay outside of the room while they are talking inside (so that patient doesn't get even more agitated).

I was standing outside of the room when my nurse open the door and screamed at the top of her lungs "why are you just standing there, my patient tripped and almost fell, what's wrong with you. You should help me."

I made sure patient was ok (she didn't fall, she tripped as she was walking and talking to the nurse) and told my clinical instructor to assign me to another nurse. She said "yeah, we had the problem with this nurse before" and she reassigned me.

Towards the end of my shift, I overheard charge nurse talking to the mean nurse. She informed her that medical director complained that she never smile or talk. I was thinking "ok, but screaming on top of her lungs in front of the patient and patient's family at 7am is ok?" I was just buffled that no one cared, it seems like some nurses can act any way they want and professionalism is something some nurses forgot and they still can get away with it.

[FutureNurse0201]

I don't know as I said this is me venting. While i understand different "difficult" personalities... I can't justify screaming (not raising her voice, screaming with her head in the hallway while her body is still in the patient's room). And screaming at me because the patient almost fell while SHE was in the room. Patient's son was in disbelief... If I understood properly, the patient tripped and almost fell.. but nothing serious really happened. so, this nurse made sure the patient was ok, and instead of continuing to talk to the patient about her dissatisfaction with the care received, the nurse opened the door, saw me in a hallway and for the first time "talked" to me.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

Perhaps this nurse isn't the nicest and it does sound like she has some issues to deal with.

That being said, she deserved to be treated respectfully and be spoken to behind closed doors, not out in the open in front of her colleagues and nursing students. And then one of those students then comes on the internet and gloats that her mean nurse was reprimanded and how it was not enough, and blames the students near med error on her mean nurse.

I am sorry you had a rough time with this nurse, but please take responsibility for your actions.

[FutureNurse0201]

I never said it wasn't my fault, I just said her words and behavior affected me, it affected my motivation for the day (sorry, i am human and don't have a thick skin). I should know better than let it affect me, but... it did. Thanks god, nothing happened (except for maybe a bad evaluation).

And she did get reprimanded but honestly, it was the friendliest reprimand i have ever heard. the charge nurse is very nice and she just told her what medical director mentioned. The mean nurse used that patient as an excuse and then they laughed about something (btw patient complained mostly about the physicians care, because two doctors told her two different diagnosis (patient is aphasic so she probably misunderstood, and she really never talked to the head of the hospital ).

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I never said it wasn't my fault, I just said it affected me, it affected my motivation for the day (sorry, i am human and don't have a thick skin).

If you make a serious med error, no one will care (and nor should they) that the reason for it was that you were upset and don't have a thick skin. When you are drawing up medications, you must focus on that and only that; patient safety is more important than hurt feelings, pride, anger, or any other negative emotion that you believe was caused by the behavior of others, no matter how inappropriate you believe they were being.

Being "human" won't be a defense in a lawsuit or BON action. You will be held to the high standards that all of us who take the life and safety of our patients in our hands when we administer drugs are held to. Yes, it's a lot of responsibility and is why nurses experience more stress than many people in other professions who don't have the power to kill someone with a mistake.

[FutureNurse0201]

I know all of that... just saying that it would be helpful if nurses weren't nasty. You just never know how others will react to it. While med error would be 100% my fault... it could have been avoided. Next time, she demoralizes another nursing student.. they can make a mistake (we are still learning how to do not only patient care but also how to cope with... well everything). I know students who cried because of a nurse. They will probably laugh at that in few years, but it does affect them now and they can't provide safe care while in tears.

Anyway, my point is not to blame her for my mistake. my point is she made me feel miserable for no good reason. She was rude at 6.55am when I introduced myself. Just as she may not have a choice of having a student (or not), i don't have a choice in my clinical placement or my preceptor. I only know I work hard and pay a lot of money and do what I am told to do (by instructors, nurses, professors in the classroom) to become a nurse.

[Sour Lemon]

You're there to learn, so focus on learning. If the nurse you're assigned to is not a good fit, it's OK to ask for another ...but watch the way your frame your request. "Mean" nurse could turn out to be your co-worker, charge nurse, or nurse manager someday (if she doesn't decline to hire you).

As a student, you'd do best thinking and sharing positive thoughts, no matter how you perceive the staff around you. It's very difficult to get a true picture of someone's personality after only a few days or few weeks. Give them the benefit of the doubt for their sake and for your own.

[TriciaJ, RN]

I am so baffled by the terrible responses by experienced nurses to student who is not even a nurse yet. There is no excuse for unprofessional behavior on the part of the nurse. To tell the student to just 'suck it up' is just not reasonable. It wasn't a good enough reprimand by the charge nurse. I've had my load and no charge, DON has never told me I don't smile enough. There is something wrong with the nurse, not the OP.

She did what she was told, to stand outside. She doesn't know how I would assume at this point to deal with an angry patient. So what the nurse had a 'load' at 7am, all the excuses in the world to defend the nurse, but she could have been courteous to the student. If she had husband problems, tired, pt complain, move on and get another job.

Compassion starts at home. None of us knows what that nurse is dealing with. She may be in full melt down for reasons we'll never know and she might be on stress leave right now. It's easy to judge when we are casual observers and don't have the facts.

Maybe she really is a terrible nurse and a terrible person and deserves terrible things to happen to her. That still doesn't mean we get the personal satisfaction of seeing it happen. The student was able to get a new preceptor. If this is the worst experience she has she'll be luckier than most of us.

[TruvyNurse]

I think the nurse was unprofessional and should have not yelled at you in front of a patient/family. However I get that she could have been having a bad day. It happens. I'm sure I've been somewhat snappy when I've had difficult patients and a student all at once. Take it with a grain of salt. Best wishes

[TriciaJ, RN]

I don't know as I said this is me venting. While i understand different "difficult" personalities... I can't justify screaming (not raising her voice, screaming with her head in the hallway while her body is still in the patient's room). And screaming at me because the patient almost fell while SHE was in the room. Patient's son was in disbelief... If I understood properly, the patient tripped and almost fell.. but nothing serious really happened. so, this nurse made sure the patient was ok, and instead of continuing to talk to the patient about her dissatisfaction with the care received, the nurse opened the door, saw me in a hallway and for the first time "talked" to me.

No one is justifying or asking you to justify screaming. Yes, it was over the top. No, we have no idea what was going on or what the outcome will be. Maybe she's even been fired by now. Or she got her meds adjusted and she's herself again.

You aren't going to have the fun of seeing her beheaded. You had a rattling experience. Learn to roll with being rattled. It will be the most useful skill you can develop.

[FutureNurse0201]

The instructor said they had problems with her before, so... And I had a bad day on Sunday, said some offending things to my bf... he broke up with me. Bad day is not an excuse. Said words/behavior have consequences.

I just don't understand why she still gets students if she has a problem with it. On the other hand, it is DEU, she shouldn't be able to decide what she wants/doesn't want to do. It is part of her job whether she likes it or not. And she is relatively young.. Wonder how she learned nursing skills...

[nursel56]

This is more a vent, because i had a horrible day at the hospital today. As a nursing student I was assigned to one of the nurses at DEU facility. At 7am I introduced myself and let her know I will be working with her. She looked at me, didn't say anything and left. I literally ran after her. She was getting a report when the patient started complaining how everyone gives her different diagnosis and she can't trust anyone. As soon as we stepped outside of the room (night shift nurse, my nurse and I), PCT informed the nurse that patient wants to talk to the head of the hospital. Charged nurse told my nurse to just talk to the patient again and try to calm her. At the same time, the night nurse told me to stay outside of the room while they are talking inside (so that patient doesn't get even more agitated).

I was standing outside of the room when my nurse open the door and screamed at the top of her lungs "why are you just standing there, my patient tripped and almost fell, what's wrong with you. You should help me."

Sometimes you can de-escalate a situation by responding to the content rather than the tone of voice that has you so upset. In this case, calmly answering something like "I wasn't in the room because the night nurse told me to stay outside" will be very effective.

It may not change the nurse's personality, but might have avoided further disruptions by obviating the need to involve you telling your instructor to assign you a new nurse.

Having students complain that the nurse they were assigned to didn't greet them in the way they expect is so common I have to believe that they are partly misinterpreting distraction and the usual added stress of a shift change as rudeness.

As mentioned by others, the assignment to another nurse is probably the best outcome for a student in this situation.

Just a general observation as you seem to feel the nurse should face more punitive consequences than she did-- you'll have to let it go. It's between that nurse and her employer, and most likely you'll never know the entirety of reasons for their response.

[humerusRN]

As a student, you can not understand the true crazy that can be a hospital unit.

We do not choose to have students. We are assigned them. We could have the craziest patient load, have had the crappiest of crap days - and we are still handed students. It can be a steep learning curve for a student on those kind of days.

Professionalism in nursing is 100% a requirement. But doing what we do, sometimes real life can sneak up on you and bite you in the tail. I am pretty good at taking it all in stride. But there have been a few occasions where I've sequestered myself in the dirty utility room away from everyone to just sit in the corner under the dirty IV pumps and take some deep breaths.

My advice to you is cut this nurse some slack.

And perhaps ask your instructor, if this nurse has a habit of abusing students - that perhaps she quit assigning her students to her.

I love students, there are days where I'll take three at a time. :) Even I have snapped a few heads off though. I can only be asked "Where do I chart where the patient farted?" so many times before I have to cuss someone out. LOL....