What do you do with a problem supervisor?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

We have one where I work who is, shall we say, a bit ODD. Now, 'odd' is not in and of itself the problem, one can deal with odd. But what do you do when the 'oddness' goes too far?

This one is into some kind of New Age/Eastern religious thing. Very dependent upon the "karma" and the "vibes", etc. At first, it was kinda funny, but lately I have come to realize that this woman is just nuts. The latest problem I've had with her involved a situation where a resident had an order for a medication that we did not have on hand, it being a new order, and not delivered yet. It was also not something we had available in our night pharmacy. So she brought up a similar medication, and told me to give that. Fine, no problem, but I told her I'd need her to put an order in for the substitute.

No, she said, I didn't need an order, the med she gave me was, in her words, "the same damned thing", so I should "just give it, and stop giving me a hard time". When I showed her in our computerized reference library that it was NOT the same thing, she says, "You're just an LPN, you need to do what you're told". After placing a call to our medical director, and being told EXACTLY what I had just told her, she was totally po'd, at ME. So, now there are "bad vibes".

You can't TALK to this woman, she throws up her hand and will say, "Stop yelling at me!". (No one is yelling at her.) If you disagree with her on anything, you are giving her "bad vibes", and if the conversation isn't going her way, she will say, "I don't want to talk about it anymore".

It's gotten to the point where NO ONE wants to deal with her. She is rude, condescending, and has absolutely no 'people skills'. For some reason administration will not do anything about her, even though there have been numerous complaints about her. She creates a very hostile work environment.

But trying to bully me into administering a med that there is no order for, then getting annoyed with me because I will not do it is a new low. I'm a per-diem nurse, so I have no job protection through the union, and can be fired for any reason whatsoever. The reluctance of admin to deal with this woman makes me hesitate to complain...how can I be sure that I won't suffer should I make a formal complaint? So, I walk on eggshells around this person, and just do whatever I have to to cover my ass and try to get through the shift. But that is no way to work.

Have any of you had a problem like this? And how did you deal with it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

Karma my @&& - you are working in a snake pit - and snakes do eat snakes - get out before karma bites you in the @&&. Really, few people survive an attack by karma without residual damage. :o Okay, that is not funny - but may still be true.

What she did with the med appears to me to be practicing medicine without a license - last time I checked nurses (any of them) could not just give meds willy nilly or use this drug instead of the one ordered. So, I am confused as you noted it - does she think think that the BON has a secret phone # or that she has special powers or what?

Simple here. There is a valid complaint to be made - if she does not have prescribing authority - she stepped it in.

Now as to what to do.

You are being given a gift this early in. GET OUT. Do not wait until this situation gets worse (it will!), makes you sick (never worth it!) or really gets out-of-control and many much worse things happen (I'd make you a list - but think of the worse case and x it by 10 - it may be possible!).

As I have gotten older and less optimistic and more firmly introduced to the futility of fighting wars that even if won - still makes you lose too much - I refuse to participate in any situation that is not going to make me better, productive and healthy. Life is just too short.

I think that nurse is quite simply bat$@(%. And dangerous and toxic and .....

You don't need union protection you need self preservation and the number to the BON once you are cleared out of that place.

Estimates that 12-14% of the population has some type of psych disorder that impairs functioning. Borderline, anti-social, passive-aggressive - yep, they are real. And we should not assume that those folks will not make it into the nursing world. They make it - yes, it sometimes does surprise us all - but they are out there! Heck, I have worked with my share. :eek: I still do not accept this and give folks a pass for bad acts or actors - I just choose to stay in a safe spot and report as necessary, if necessary.

Good Luck.

Practice SAFE!

;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac.

Can you say, crazy?

If it were me, I'd leave little voodoo dolls scattered around the unit. But, I'm a bit of a trouble maker. Hehe.

So, in this case, I'd look for work elsewhere. This lady sounds like a wacko!:bugeyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

I don't see anything wrong with believing in bad vibes and karma, but it sounds like this person cannot be reasoned with and has poor interpersonal skills. Trying to bully someone into giving a patient the wrong medication because they believe it's the same thing when it isn't shows that she simply is not capable of providing for patient safety. The whole thing sounds like a disaster waiting to happen and quite frankly it's probably better for you and your career to leave this place as soon as you can.

My advice would be to document everything, encourage others to do the same and if you gain employment somewhere else then write a letter explaining the situation and your concners to the CEO of the hospital and to hospital management. I would also contact the BON as well. Sooner or later a patient is going to be a victim of this nurses incompetance.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.

I guess you thought you could post this about me and i wouldnt know huh? you are so busted. if you thought i was crazy BEFORE.....you aint seen nothin' yet!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I guess you thought you could post this about me and i wouldnt know huh? you are so busted. if you thought i was crazy BEFORE.....you aint seen nothin' yet!

you are a nut.:lol2:

leslie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.
you are a nut.:lol2:

leslie

it's not my fault leslie. just LOOK at what i have to work with! it's bad enough at work with them but then they go home and post HORRIBLE things about me on the innawebs.

poooor me:crying2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
it's not my fault leslie. just LOOK at what i have to work with! it's bad enough at work with them but then they go home and post HORRIBLE things about me on the innawebs.

poooor me:crying2:

ok...i am very gullible.

that said, tell me you are jesting, southern.

appease me, please.:p

leslie

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.
ok...i am very gullible.

that said, tell me you are jesting, southern.

appease me, please.:p

leslie

you think i'd admit to being that crazy supervisor??? haha you dork! :lol2:

(but i am planning on accusing every single one of my nurses of posting this, hahahaha)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
haha you dork! :lol2:

yes, i am, thank-you-very-much.:bow:

*noogie*

leslie:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

The New Age/Eastern religion thing: not a problem.

The hostility and lack of people skills: a problem.

The supervisor condescending to you by telling you you're "just" an LPN :angryfire and creating a toxic work environment: a big problem.

The supervisor telling you to substitute a medication when you KNOW it's not correct: a HUGE problem.

Get out of there ASAP. This place, this supervisor will suck your soul dry. This supervisor could cost YOU your job and your license. You seem conscientious and some other place, some other supervisor will be thrilled to have you on board. But this place, no.

I am so sorry this is happening to you. It saddens me that your situation is not all that uncommon.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Okay, I am the real supervisor being spoken about. Just came from Salem, so, I am loaded with great karma, so watch it, folks!

On a real note, however, she is wacko. For now, I would try and avoid her at all costs until you make the decision to cut out. Now that you see she is useless, look around for people whose judgements you trust a bit better and contact the doctor on your own if the right medications are not available...period. Not only is she wacko, but misinformed. LPNs are equally responsible to know not to practice medicine without a proper license. I find it interesting that she didn't give it herself if she was that confident in her decision.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment