getting unwanted advice from non-nursing staff

Farawyn · Jan 22, 2015

Glad to see that you nurses get ****** as well.

I'll bet you don't.

Tenebrae, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2015

I...."I know, but I care about this patient so much" ... as if we didn't!

If she really doesnt get it. You could also point out that too much tylenol can cause liver failure and the patient will die in a prolonged painful manner over the space of 5-7 days and while you appreciate her regard for the patient, because you care you can not allow it to be given beyond the maximum charted dose

I appreciate other staff being concerned for the welfare of our patients, and I appreciate input from other staff when it is constructive, but I felt the PT was going too far today. Not only was she undermining my orientee and me, but I felt she was also getting the patient to lose confidence in us.

Its something I have noticed working in long term care, often people tend to have very lax boundaries and assume that caring for a patient gives them a free reign to do what ever the heck they like

Do any of you have any ideas about this? Has a non-nursing staff tried to tell you how to do your job, and how did you handle it?

They've tried. I let if be known I appreciate the information and will handle it from that point on.

If they really want to push it, I politely but firmly point out that they are operating outside of their job description and please leave the nursing decision to those who are hired to provide the nursing care.

Havent had to take it higher yet.

No Stars In My Eyes · Jan 22, 2015

Oh, but I have to speak up with kudos for the housekeeping staff at an LTC where I was new to the facility; they were very helpful, in that they would give me a heads up on a patient's habits and proclivities.....they were much better than the nursing staff in getting me oriented to each resident. And they did it in a very nice way, as in sharing, instead of like they 'owned' the patients. I reckon they see a lot over the course of the days ,weeks, and months (years) they have been working there, and I REALLY appreciated the info a LOT!

morte, LPN, LVN · Jan 22, 2015

I would report her. That's fireable. What the hell. Just because it's an OTC med does not mean that anyone in the facility can give it.
Sounds like she has boundary issues.

YES, AND heck YES.

morte, LPN, LVN · Jan 22, 2015

Oh, but I have to speak up with kudos for the housekeeping staff at an LTC where I was new to the facility; they were very helpful, in that they would give me a heads up on a patient's habits and proclivities.....they were much better than the nursing staff in getting me oriented to each resident. And they did it in a very nice way, as in sharing, instead of like they 'owned' the patients. I reckon they see a lot over the course of the days ,weeks, and months (years) they have been working there, and I REALLY appreciated the info a LOT!

Yup, housekeeping and food service personal are usually good sources of info.

MsLindaW · Jan 22, 2015

@ onthemark Thank you for posting this issue and your response to it. I found it extremely helpful. Personally I probably would NOT have responded so calmly in the private meeting with the PT. She definitely over stepped boundaries.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 22, 2015

Sounds like the OP could give advice rather than ask for it -- that private meeting with the PT was exactly the right thing to do, and it sounds as though it was done the right way. Kudos.

onthemark · Jan 22, 2015

No Stars in My Eyes, I really like your post. I think it's great that housekeeping is comfortable "sharing" information without "owning" it. I would guess that YOUR attitude towards the housekeeping staff has a lot to do with that open communication which benefits all.

MsLindaW, I was very rattled by the PT for the rest of that day when she had been so offensive, and that's what led me to post about it on this site. I needed to deal with it and was hoping to get ideas and support from this community, and that's exactly what happened. It wasn't until I woke up the next morning that it hit me that I wanted to confront the PT personally because in many ways I really do like her and I wanted to straighten out our differences without reporting her or making things worse. I then jotted down a few points I wanted to make and how I was going to present them to her. After planning what I'd say, I was able to come to our meeting prepared and fairly calm because I was certain I was right (from all of the comments here) and because I was prepared with what I was going to say. If I'd tried to confront her on the day she offended me, I probably would have blown up at her It has always been hard for me to deal with conflict but I do believe things get worked out better in a direct confrontation rather than holding a grudge or complaining about it to others.

onthemark · Jan 22, 2015

Thank you, Ruby Vee. I'm glad you liked it.

vampiregirl, BSN, RN · Jan 22, 2015

Awesome job to the OP for how she handled the situation!

I so appreciated any staff who were willing to be extra "eyes" and "ears" for me when I worked the floor in LTC. There were some though who struck the wrong tone to me or made inappropriate suggestions. This can be a fine line and then there is the issue of "playing well in the sandbox". But at the end of the day, ensuring that the residents receive the best possible care is the most important thing. Building a rapport with other staff members (such as the PT that the OP encountered) can be a huge benefit to the residents. Sometimes it just takes a gentle reminder that we are on the same page.

nrsang97, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2015

OP you did an amazing job of confronting the PT while being professional. I am certain I wouldn't have been as nice as you on the day of the offense. I agree waiting until the next day and in private was the best way to handle the situation.

Gooselady, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2015

I want to work with a whole unit full of this OP :)

I had a charge nurse who was a yeller when I was a new nurse. Somehow I buckled down and pulled her aside and asked that if I did something wrong in the future, could she please yell at me in private (rather than in front of night and day shift). She looked shocked and her facial expression was very concerned. She didn't 'remember' yelling, and seemed to genuinely feel badly that she came across so abrasively.

That has been the case with other 'yellers' or abrasive individuals, not just in nursing. Not always but often they are unaware how they come across. How they feel on the inside when they are reaming you out is not nearly so angry as they appear, apparently . And the few times I've broached the subject, they were embarrased about their behavior or at least willing to apologize.

It's hard to know how you come across unless someone tells you, and that includes the good stuff. Complimenting people (especially other nurses and staff) might really improve a person's self-confidence in a good way. Lord knows we get pulverized whether we do our very best or have a bad day!

I like to think of it as 'giving feedback'. And to do it as respectfully as possible, while remembering we are all stressed out and prone to poor behavior when our reserves are low, when we are harried or exhausted.