Nurses rat on nurses

[rscarlatti]

I have noticed a disturbing trend amoung nurses. I am new to nursing so maybe I am wrong. Nurses seem not to have any loyality to each other. I have seen many nurses sell out, tell on, rat out, or whatever other description you would like to use. I am a male RN who has spent the last 7 years as a firefighter / Paramedic. I realize that the Fire service is not a fair comparison. Within the service there is a very strong tradition of not giving up your brother/sister firefighter. In nursing there seems to be no control on this behavior. The loyality to each other is stronger than any loyality to a system because you place your life in your fellow firefighters hands and the system can't do that for you. I have had feedback from others who attribute it to the fact that nursing is a female dominated profession but that does not feel right. Female firefighters adhere to the standards of silence as strongly as their male conterparts. I have also heard this tradition blamed on The Sisters of Mercy. That they began the tradition of loyality to the system over your fellow nurses and that it as well as eating our young is a legacy from them. I would like to here from other nurses male and female on this topic as well as some suggestions for change.

[Stargazer]

As far as firefighters and cops never reporting each other, that's just not true either. My brother, a paramedic, once had to report a colleague when they discovered, cleaning the rig after a call, that the partner had given exactly the wrong med (lido instead of atropine or similar) to a cardiac arrest patient who was still being coded when they left her in the ER. My brother brought it to the guy's attention and told him he needed to call the ER now and let them know the pt. had this drug on board. Partner pretended he was going to make the call but never did, so my brother ended up calling the ER. The ER doc asked rather grimly why the medic who'd actually made the mistake wasn't on the phone, instead of his partner.

Guy was written up by the ER doc. Can't remember if he was canned, but I know he was at least suspended.

And just this last week in the news, a Seattle police officer was caught on tape extorting money and drugs from dealers he arrested. Said cop was under investigation in the first place after fellow cops reported their suspicions to Internal Affairs.

Bottom line, if you're talking about penny-ante crap like "Jane left the pt's room a mess" or "Jane takes too many breaks" or something, then you're absolutely right, there is too much of that and it needs to stop. If you are talking about actually covering up for clinical incompetence/mistakes or criminal behavior like drug diversion, then that is just bullshit. Protecting the patient/public and the integrity of our own profession should be our first priorities.

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Originally posted by Stargazer

Bottom line, if you're talking about penny-ante crap like "Jane left the pt's room a mess" or "Jane takes too many breaks" or something, then you're absolutely right, there is too much of that and it needs to stop. If you are talking about actually covering up for clinical incompetence/mistakes or criminal behavior like drug diversion, then that is just bullshit. Protecting the patient/public and the integrity of our own profession should be our first priorities.

Uh huh.... what she said.

[baseline]

Originally posted by OBNURSEHEATHER

Uh huh.... what she said.

Ditto. Yep. Absolutely. We are in the caring/healing business. Safety first, soothe egos later.

[Katnip, RN]

What Stargazer said. Absolutely.

[babynurselsa, RN]

If I saw a co-worker committing something dangerous, abusive or fraudulent I would have absolutely no qualms about intervening and reporting those actions.

Now, what I think he is referring to (I may be wrong) is the propensity of some to go out of their way to make trouble for others. I have had co-workers that will run to the manger with the most asnine things jusst hopig for the thrill of seeing someone get called to the office. At one place I was a new employee, and not part of the gang. For 12 hours no body would speak to me. Not to answer a question, not conversationally, then they would go to the manger and tell her that I was too slow, and didn't know what I was doing. Well that was partly true since nobody would show me what or how to do anything.

I have coworkers right now that feel that they have our manger in their pocket and just grin like a cat when they can stir a little sh** at someone elses expense. Sometimes I think myself that nursing attracts many individuals with a bit of a mean streak.

[HazeK]

Originally posted by rscarlatti

Nurses seem not to have any loyality to each other. I have seen many nurses sell out, tell on, rat out, or whatever other description you would like to use.

Dear 'new RN'...

I've been in this business for a long, long time.

I don't "rat out" on the nurse who uses the door restricted for MDs only.

I don't "sell out" the nurse who drops the patient's Motrinon the floor, so she can get an extra dose out of the computerized system, because she herself is having trouble finishing her shift due to her own severe pain.

BUT.....

I do tattletale on the nurse who misses important scheduled med doses repeatedly, I do tattletale on the nurse who comes to work drunk, I do tattletale on the nurse who steals narcotices, I do tattletale on nurses who jepordize my patients' safety and well-being!

I am a patient advocate! Do not hurt my patient, as that is where I draw the line to my loyalty to my peers. And all my peers and patients know it!

otherwise, how could I sleep at night?

[baseline]

Originally posted by HazeK

Dear 'new RN'...

I've been in this business for a long, long time.

I don't "rat out" on the nurse who uses the door restricted for MDs only.

I don't "sell out" the nurse who drops the patient's Motrinon the floor, so she can get an extra dose out of the computerized system, because she herself is having trouble finishing her shift due to her own severe pain.

BUT.....

I do tattletale on the nurse who misses important scheduled med doses repeatedly, I do tattletale on the nurse who comes to work drunk, I do tattletale on the nurse who steals narcotices, I do tattletale on nurses who jepordize my patients' safety and well-being!

I am a patient advocate! Do not hurt my patient, as that is where I draw the line to my loyalty to my peers. And all my peers and patients know it!

otherwise, how could I sleep at night?

To steal a line from Heather......BINGO!

[maizey]

HazeK. Right on post. That's what we should all be doing and not doing as patient advocates. If the patient's safety if effected than the nurse must be a tattletale. Do you really have a door marked for MD use only? What's that all about.

[Rock, LPN, RN]

Originally posted by Nurse Ratched

If by "not ratting on" you really mean "covering up for" then I hope you are never in the position of seeing another nurse do something inappropriate or harmful to a patient. It's not "us against them" as in staff versus management - it's "all of us FOR the patient."

I agree !!

Rock

[l.rae]

Originally posted by Stargazer

.

Bottom line, if you're talking about penny-ante crap like "Jane left the pt's room a mess" or "Jane takes too many breaks" or something, then you're absolutely right, there is too much of that and it needs to stop. If you are talking about actually covering up for clinical incompetence/mistakes or criminal behavior like drug diversion, then that is just bullshit. Protecting the patient/public and the integrity of our own profession should be our first priorities.

l have been seeing a lot of this at work, in fact, it is more typical of the crap l see than the more serious stuff here....l just don't understand.....l wish the original thread poster...(sorry l forgot), had specified....what makes nurses rat out other nurses for crap???.....l have never written up another nurse...although l have written up a resident or two....my philosohpy is..if l don't have the balls to confront the offender face to face, l don't have the luxury of writing up....l think that is hyppcritical....with the exceptions of unsafe care etc.......LR

[LasVegasRN]

I swear there must be a full moon or something....

[Teshiee]

It's amazing to me with nursing complaining they are all so busy yet have time to observe someone's bad nursing skills or act. There is a way of doing things I feel confront in a non judgemental, professional way. What I can't stand is when nurses who run behind the the nurse's back and tell on them without getting all the facts. It has been my experience that nurses who tell on each other are for petty things not so much of gross incompetence. Pick and choose your battles. I have been in nursing not long but really see how treacherous nurses can be to one another. I say if you are not sure about something read your policy manual that will cover your orifice everytime.