I work with someone who is been treating me like "stupid" for a few months now when she is charge nurse and no other RN is on the floor (I work nights, sometimes is just her and me on the floor and 2 other LPNs). Whenever I go to report her something she makes comments ... like a while ago I told her about one of my patient's magnesium being low and she said "I am sure it was already addressed by the evening staff". After a long talk she called the doctor and we got an order for MgSO4 IV. Thus, the problem wasn't addressed by the evening staff!
We had many episodes when she made me feel embarrassed! The worst one was last month when I had 7-patient assignment (on a surgical floor) at night with patient on insulin drip, one post op, one MRSA iso, one waiting for transportation to a different hospital, one C-diff ...however, the worst night ever. The charge nurse did nothing to help except to give me directions and to ask me to do things, give and bring and etc... and she wasn't so busy! I missed my break because I wasn't ready to leave at 2 am on the first break, so she said I cannot take the second break (3:30 am) because she was going to and I was supposed to cover the floor (being the only RN there except her). Well at 6 am I was almost crushing ... and I still had things to do, so I asked her to let me go outside for 10 min and she said "do whatever you want" not that she cared about me. After that night I filled a PRC with UNA and I had a meeting with my manager. I thought I was ok with this charge nurse and it is a learning process, she needed more time to learn how to get involved on the floor while being charge nurse.
Well last Friday I worked my first night after the meeting. I made a med error. At 00.40 am I gave Morphine 10 mg po to a patient. I picked up the wrong MAR from another patient. After I gave it, I found the mistake, my patient was on 5 mg IV/SC. And she got Morphine 10 mg PO. I started filling and incident report right away and I was called by one of my patients whose tub feeding was beeping. I finished the incident report going back and forth to this patient. I was planning to go to tell the charge nurse about the error and I got busy with another patient who was slightly bleeding from the surgical site. Well, I totally forgot about telling her about my error and at 2 am I want for break. After I came back at 3 am the charge nurse came and told me about the error. I tried to tell er that I totally forgot and I did incident report and my patient was ok. She kept telling me what it could have happen with my patient and how bad is and kept repeating me a few times that this could make me loose my license. Later I told her how I feel around her, I am very stressed out and every time when I get to her she makes me feel embarrassed, stupid and useless.
Last night I called in sick and tonight the same because she is in charge and I am terrified to work with this person when no other RN is around. I cannot function! I am planning to involve the union!
Did anyone experience something like this? Please let me know what to do!
