getting in trouble at work

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2007

What did yo do?

I know it's upsetting to be written up, but maybe what you were doing needed to be addressed and the new nurse was uncomfortable confronting you with it.

I certainly wouldn't approach her now. That'll just get you in big trouble for being unable to accept criticism and correction.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2007

If this particular nurse felt that what you were doing was so darned unprofessional, then she should have tactfully spoken to you about it first without getting management involved, which would have granted you the chance to 'correct' the alleged unprofessionalism. If you continued to commit the alleged wrongdoing after she warned you, then it might have been appropriate for her to bring it to the attention of management.

However, this tattle-tale nurse behaved unprofessionally by skipping the chain of command, and going straight to management with her concerns without telling you what was wrong, which got you in trouble. In my opinion, this was unproductive and displays true passive aggression. Some people seem to enjoy reporting coworkers to management for miniscule issues. I think these people are disgusting.

rn-jane · Nov 20, 2007

Honestly, I would confront her in a positive way. Basically just tell her, you did not realize you did something wrong and if she see's anything else you can improve upon to let her know. Maybe the next time she might just come to you first versus going to the manager. Somethings have to be written up such as when a patient could have been injured such as a med error but some things can be dealt with person to person.

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2007

Well, we have no idea what you did- if it was something that put pts at risk, I say anyone is right to tell.

But if it was not, that's different.

A lot of times, I've seen brand new nurses tattle on seasoned nurses for things they think are wrong, but they do not yet realize that what they are seeing is the accepted "real world" way of doing things; not the fantasy world nursing school way.

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 20, 2007

Honestly, I would confront her in a positive way. Basically just tell her, you did not realize you did something wrong and if she see's anything else you can improve upon to let her know. Maybe the next time she might just come to you first versus going to the manager. Somethings have to be written up such as when a patient could have been injured such as a med error but some things can be dealt with person to person.

Not knowing what the OP did wrong -- or any other of the specifics about the situation -- it's impossible to say whether or not the nurse who "tattled" on the OP was right or wrong. However, now that it has been reported and she has been found to have been in the wrong, she needs to stop blaming the person who reported her -- though I agree, if there was no risk to patient safety, the person should have reported it directly to the OP first to give her a chance to correct the situation.

I agree with rn-jane that the best approach now is to ask that the other nurse speak to the OP first if possible before going to the manager. The OP should assure her that she would accept such guidance graciously and work to correct any problems in her practice -- and would welcome such input from a colleague. The other nurse may have been afraid to say something to the OP directly for fear of causing an unpleasant scene.

catlynLPN · Nov 20, 2007

I just can't stand tattletales.

We've had tattle tales on my job thruout the years.

I had one nurse tattle tale to our director that I was raising a feeding pole way too high to cause it to drip faster and the DON confronted me about it. Of course I told her I wasn't doing that and I don't think she believed me, but guess what? I found out who was, and I told her about it, too. {It was one of the mentally challenged people we serve who was doing it, but no, the other nurse assumed I was doing it.}

That's why I just cannot stand tattletales. If they would talk to you first to find out what was really going on, it most likely is not what they assume it to be at all.

NursesRFun · Nov 20, 2007

First of all i hate tattle tales.... BUT, if an investigation was started and you were found wrong and repremanded for whatever it was that you did, then maybe the New Nurse was right in reporting what you were doing.

Is she a brand new nurse, meaning straight out of school? or just new to the dept. We have all been there as new nurses, she could have just been to intimidated to say something to you but felt that something needed to be said.

A good manager doesn't just go on Hersay anyway... They should have (hopefully did) investigate the situation before coming to any conclusion.

CrispyRN · Nov 21, 2007

I hate a snitch. First, I've been on both sides of this. I've been told on, confronted the other person, said to please let me know if she has a problem with something I did and I'll work on it. I've written people up who I thought/think are retards just because there is no other way for them to learn.

By the way...the first tattle tale really ratted me and 2 good nurse friends out. Now I just look up revenge on google.

ASSEDO · Nov 21, 2007

i hate snitches too. they have no manners. they will take your life and profession and stomp on it. my advise to stay a world way from the newby. i know you work with her, but avoid her at all cost. you don't need to share your knowledge with a crock that will bite you. the newby will probably take the managers job away in a few months.

TennNurse · Nov 21, 2007

i hate snitches too. they have no manners. they will take your life and profession and stomp on it. my advise to stay a world way from the newby. i know you work with her, but avoid her at all cost. you don't need to share your knowledge with a crock that will bite you. the newby will probably take the managers job away in a few months.

i could not agree more. recently a new graduate (undeservedly very impressed with herself) to whom i was giving report was obviously not getting my explanations of how to deliver an iv antibiotic to a 6-day-old patient. repeatedly i explained to her that all the equipment she needed was in the room, including the 1-cc syringe the pharmacy had sent her antibiotic in. i'd put it on the counter in the room deliberately so it would not be knocked off my desk, contaminated on the floor, or even violate her privacy. call me too-trusting, but i was pretty dadgum sure mom and grandma would not attempt to steal a cc of antibiotic and mainline it them ownselves.

long story short, i gave this lengthy report to miss know-it-all while the first antibiotic was infusing. the second could not be started till the first was finished, and it was this second antibiotic that i'd left on the counter for safety and security reasons. a fourth-grader could have seen that this wise-a$$ new grad had no clue what i was talking about, and consequently she wrote me up for not giving a medication, but leaving it in the room.

a couple of months later, she feigned complete ignorance of the entire incident. i wanted badly to just say, "come on! i gave report to you and you were obviously clueless! you and i were the only ones involved in the care of this baby!" what really pissed me off was that i had made no error in the care of this baby, but her write-up was deliberately phrased to make it look like i had, when in fact it was she who was at a loss as how to medicate this baby.

but there are a lot of reasons that i know myself to be the more professional here, and i told her what's quoted above, and said it's over with, done, so drop it.

snitches and tattle-tales are bad enough, but the ignorant ones are just intolerable, and this one just chapped my a$$.