Giving report-rude nurse

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:madface: I have just started a new job as an LPN at an assisted living facility. I try to give report to the eve shift which consists of the LPN and the caregivers. :madface: Whenever I give report the eve shift nurse is rude and makes remarks like "Oh I wouldn't have done that. You should have done this or that instead. etc. etc. etc." I am worried that all the caregivers are going to think I am totally incompetent and I'm not. I am an experienced LPN. If you were in my situation what would you tell this rude nurse during report? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.

I am a very blunt person. When she started with that crap, I would just sit in stoney silence with "the look" then when she was done I would say, may I finish now, please?:trout: If it continued, I would call her on it. Tell her that she is more than welcome to come do my job if she can do it so much better, but I still want the pay ;)

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When you are sitting with her in report and say, I did this or I did that and she begins to comment about it, I would politely wait until she finishes and continue on. Say nothing. Do not respond. This is called negative reinforcement (doing nothing about it). Arguing back with her is only going to aggravate her. You are only interacting with her for what, a half hour? Confronting her over a few minutes of her commenting on everything isn't worth the bad feelings that it will create between the two of you. If time starts to get short you just say, "Oh, look at the time, lets finish this up fast so I can get out of here." Afterall, you are the new guy.

excellent advice, it you don't let this person know they are crawling up under your skin they will be very disappointed

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When you are sitting with her in report and say, I did this or I did that and she begins to comment about it, I would politely wait until she finishes and continue on. Say nothing. Do not respond. This is called negative reinforcement (doing nothing about it).

I did this with a night nurse who would make negative comments about pts I was giving report on...never about my methods but about the pts themselves. I finally got to the point where I would stop talking and just wait for her to finish, then pick up and go on like she hadn't said anything. Once, when all the beds were full and I was exhausted, I just told her, "Let me know when you're ready for me to finish report" and walked away. It worked.

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.
Once, when all the beds were full and I was exhausted, I just told her, "Let me know when you're ready for me to finish report" and walked away. It worked.

I do believe it is worth repeating, Tazzi, I like your style;)

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.
I do believe it is worth repeating, Tazzi, I like your style;)

:lol2: Yep, Tazzi..why do you not work where I work???:lol2: :lol2: Have just replied to another of your posts!

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Great suggestions! :idea: Yes, maybe I should just get up and leave and tell her to let me know when she is ready to receive the rest of the report.:lol2:

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Specializes in ICU of all kinds, CVICU, Cath Lab, ER..

I like Vac's idea too - I have one who tells you what color nail polish the patient wore in 1940 to the prom.... Just kidding --- too much detail... I read the chart as soon as i am able.... I assess my patient, I get the picture but it drives me crazy when she wants to analyze every procedure (should they have intubated, why didn't they do a CT as a followup... etc.)EEEEEEEKKKKKKK

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:lol2: Yep, Tazzi..why do you not work where I work???:lol2: :lol2: Have just replied to another of your posts!

Uh......'cause you're in Scotland and I'm in California? :lol2:

BTW, I would love to visit Scotland someday!! What a rich history your country has.

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Giving report to someone like this is the worst part of nursing.

If it ever happens to me again, I am *not* going to take it, ignore it, or "try to figure out how to deal with it.".....

I'm going to be very blunt about the fact that I am here to give report, only report. DO NOT interrrupt me; DO NOT tell me I "did it wrong," or any of the other B.S. I've been subjected to....if you cannot conduct yourself in a civil, professional manner; then I will give you a quick report and be on my way.

Oh, one other thing: I do not "answer" to you. I give good care, professional care.

Now, take this report and SHOVE IT. :angryfire

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I am a very blunt person. When she started with that crap, I would just sit in stoney silence with "the look" then when she was done I would say, may I finish now, please?:trout: If it continued, I would call her on it. Tell her that she is more than welcome to come do my job if she can do it so much better, but I still want the pay ;)

You're good!:lol2:

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I've had this problem before, and finally, when I was so pi$$ed I couldn't just sit quietly, pointed out the fact that it was a shame that nurse wasn't there, because then I could have done it the way she wanted me to. I've also told her that "well, you weren't on duty then, were you" when she said she wouldn't have handled a situation that way. Worked for me. LOL, you just have to keep a straight face and not appear flustered when you say it, which can be easier said than done.

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Specializes in ICU, telemetry, LTAC.

Whether giving face to face or taped report, there's always one. Always one who will ask questions, or have some smartass remark, etc. Sometimes it's the one who ain't had her coffee yet and who probably is really nice an hour later; sometimes the person has low self esteem and needs to look good, etc. Sometimes they just have questions 'cause they're new and don't know what you're talking about.

Right now I'm the new one to my unit and every day there's something that if I don't ask the offgoing nurse about, it will screw up my shift and theirs too the next morning, so I must absolutely ask questions. With my very complicated patients I'll come in a bit early and follow the nurse in the room, sort of a walking round in order to make sure I know what the stuff is, how it's set up and what I am to do with it. I could care less how this makes me look, the job needs to be done, I have a steep learning curve and intend to get things done right.

On my old job, it was taped report and there were always one or two who had stupid questions because they would SLEEP during listening to the tape. I always answered them politely. In the end I made a friend- it turned out that despite her quirks and aggravations, her patients were always well taken care of and I learned quite a bit from her.

Don't be intimidated. If you have to make notes in a format that you can use to give a thorough, consistent report, do so. (brain sheet, report sheet, whatever you call it) Keep on talking, be polite, be professional. Explain your reasoning and don't be afraid to say "I disagree and this is why." It is really okay for one nurse to do things differently from another, providing care is good and doc's orders are followed. That's why there is such a thing as nursing judgement. Conversely, when you are the one receiving report, and you hear something that you disagree with, if you have to say so, maybe save it for the end of report and try to make it plain that you respect the nurse and have a different opinion. Yes, we need to grow thick skins but it takes time to do so.

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