Reported to Manager; What do I do

[nelcoy4]

My nurse manager asked me to come into her office after my shift was done. She told me that I was reported by another staff member for not being a team player. She said that I'm not answering other nurses' call bell when I'm not busy. I work with some nurses that have horrible time management skills and they expect me to be their assistant because they are not caught up with charting. I do answer the bells, but I do not let myself get taken advantage of. I'm the youngest nurse, so the other nurses come to me to help bc "I should should enough energy." I didn't defend myself to my manager because I was too angry and I didn't want to be emotional. I just listened to her. Now I'm upset because the nurses on my shift are like a family. I work night shift and there is not many of us. I have confronted a few of them and I plan on talking to the rest of them. I feel that if someone has a problem with me, they should come to me and not go running to the boss. Am I doing the right thing?

[miko014]

Well, I don't know what to say about the whole reported thing, and your actions related to that, because I don't know the situation.

I will say this though - I'm sooooo tired of the "oh, come on, you're young, you can do it!" attitude. Ever wonder why nurses get so burnt out? Sheesh!!!!! I feel you on that one.

[Virgo_RN, BSN, RN]

I'm of two minds on this. While I do think it's petty to run to the manager when they could simply ask for help instead, I do think that if you're not busy, as you say, you should help the other nurses out. If that means answering call lights, then so be it.

[Batman24]

The age comment is out of line and I would be sure it gets addressed ASAP. Just because you are younger doesn't mean it's your responsiblity to always pick up their slack. That's a cop put on their behalf.

I don't have a problem helping my fellow nurese because I know they work as hard as I do but if I felt they were taking advantage of me I would speak to them about it directly before going to our superior. I feel I owe them that.

Spend a little more time in patient rooms and doing your own charting especially if you feel others are taking advantage. Sometimes instead of others being grateful for us doing a bit more it starts a trend of others doing less and us being taken very much for granted.

If you feel the need go back to your manager when you have calmed down a bit and aren't so emotional. I wouldn't confront your co-workers so much as I would address the situation in a constructive manner. It will be received better and perhaps clear the air while making your feelings known.

[RockyCreek]

The age comment kinda funny to me. I am 54 years old [yikes!] and have been an RN for 22 years [OMG!] and I have yet to figure out how to be one of the nurses that gets to sit at the nurses station all day! I answer the call lights, I answer the phones, I give directions to visitors, I pass the trays, I take patients for walks, I turn patients, I wipe butts ... I just work the whole shift!

Someone told the manager once that she 'couldn't find' me for whole 8 hour shift and I had to laugh and ask "Did she think to look in any patient rooms or just wait for me to pass by the time clock?"

It isn't right and it isn't fair and it isn't going to change -- some people just have a different idea about what nursing is all about and they get crabby if you challenge their preception. As long as you KNOW IN YOUR HEART that you are doing your personal 100% best, just hold your head up, smile and keep on going!

[kharing]

It's unfortunate that there are people out there that spend time pointing the finger at others instead of just doing their jobs! I get annoyed at times because these "squeaky wheels" seem to get into management's ear. Always document to CYA.

I wouldn't confront the other nurses since it most likely will create more tension and won't change anything for the better. When you are feeling up to it, write down your side of the story pointing out what really has been going on (keep it professional and positive) then schedule a meeting with the manager.

[oramar]

You know these little trips to the manager's office always left me speechless also. I think the boss always takes your silence for guilt but the thing is usually so much of a suprise. Like you say you are angry and it also makes you speechless. What I did learn to do since similar thing happened several times is have a prereheorificed speech for these instances. You are not alone. Here is my story that I have experienced. A certain nurse would take 3 smoke breaks in morning again in afternoon. Spent a good part of day yacking to friends and docs and fellow employees. All of a sudden she is running late at 3pm. Me who works ahead on everything and stays on top of everything is a bum because I won't stay and bail her out. I got called on carpet a couple of times about it. By the third time I had my speech all written and reheorificed. Manager got an ear full.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

This is CLEARLY 'nurses eating their young'...in fact, in this case, it is literal. Just because you are young does not mean that you have to pick up their slack at all. I think it is excellent that you have mastered time management skills, because that is a plus! I would start spending more time with your own patients, or staying out of vision, because when people perceive that you 'have nothing to do', they tend to find things.

A few weeks ago, I worked per diem on Med-Surg. LPNs are primarily responsible for medication administration in my hospital, and we are 'double assigned' with an RN. I was fortunate enough to only have 7 patients and ALL PO medications, so, I was finished within 30 minutes. I did ask the RN if there was anything else to do, or anything I can help her with; she said no, and I would either make rounds to see how our patients are doing or find things to do to stay out of their vision. Hate to be that way, but I know the nature of people. They start dumping on you, and then, when your own assignment goes awry, they don't assist you.

I would take the time to speak to the manager again and tell her that this took you by surprize and you had to regroup to think of how to respond.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Batman gives great advise.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

And, thanks to the OP for bringing up this issue. We all need to think up stategies to deal with slacker co-workers whose idea of 'teamwork' is for others on the team to pick up their slack.

I like the idea that batman said to spend more time in the pt rooms. I don't think it's right to enable slackers to continue to take advantage of others on their team.

[november17, ASN, RN]

Your best bet is to spend more time with your patients if you don't want to get in trouble for not answering call lights. Unfortunately this is a repetitive theme that grates my nerves and the theme is, "But it's not my patient." If you don't like helping the people you work with, move along. You can't change them.

It does get pretty irritating when you are deep in your work and a call light is ringing and your coworker is sitting there and not helping you just because it happens to be "your" call light.

I wouldn't confront the other nurses since it most likely will create more tension and won't change anything for the better. When you are feeling up to it, write down your side of the story pointing out what really has been going on (keep it professional and positive) then schedule a meeting with the manager.

That is not confrontation it is communication and communication is what teams are built on, not sitting quietly and being passive aggressive about things and running back to the manager expecting them to fix the problem in some sort of a constructive manner (that won't happen).

[GLORIAmunchkin72]

I do med pass for 29 people and txs to help my nurse, answer call lights here and there (sorry, I cannot and would not answer them all for I am not the only person working there), help pass trays when I'm not behind yet there are those who don't think that's enough. And that's ok. I don't see anybody jumping up to help me when I'm struggling. Nobody will claim my job as their responsibility. No regrets here!:)