Published
I was wondering if anyone has a story or opinion regarding gossip and or back biting between nurse coworkers. I have experience with this myself but would like feedback from others for a paper I am writing. Thanks :rotfl:
I work with a great bunch of people that get along for the most part....but there's always one or two having a fuss at one time or another. I'm going to day shift and there's a feud between two nurses when one nurse told her to "get the hell out of my face and mind your own business". So instead of keeping it themselves they are gossiping and fussing and dragging everyone else down.
These things come and go and hopefully will pass. Right now I found out I'm the subject of gossip. There's a rumor that since my spouse got a new job that I'll be quitting to. Also when I called in sick the other day it was because I don't like the supervisor. Whatever..........at least they aren't talking about someone else. :)
OMG What a subject!!!
When I started in the workforce @ 15, I worked for my father. I worked for him until I was 25 and then went to nursing school. The only women in his company were me and my mother. Suffice it to say, when I started working in healthcare with predominantly all women...WAS I IN FOR THE SHOCK OF MY LIFE!!!
Women are viscious, vile and downright cruel. I am of the firm belief that people cannot stand to see someone happy. The happier they are, the more they are talked about.
I started my nursing career as a CNA while in nursing school and am now an RN still in LTC. I was one of those CNA's that couldnt wait to get out of nursing school so I could sit on my *** like MY charge nurse:chuckle . So part of me DOES understand where they are coming from. They have NO idea what my job is nor do they WANT to know. The work harder than me or the charge nurses and that is that!
It is bad enough that everyone is caught up in who is sleeping with whom, who doesnt do this, who doesnt do that.....then management takes their retarded accusations seriously:uhoh21:
I actually had some CNAs tell my DON once....Wendy is trying to tell us what to do!!!!!!!!! Who does she think she is????? He was like....well...she IS your supervisor:uhoh21:
That wasnt good enough for them so then they started making accusations that I was mean, hateful and they were going to quit if they didnt get rid of me. For a while at work, I was afraid to even ask someone to answer their call lights! Management seemed to be listening to every crazy complaint they had and boy did they come up with some doozies! I finally had to put my foot down and tell my administrator... support me to the staff like you say you do behind your closed door. It finally took me telling him that I had spoken with an attorney because I felt I was being harrassed at work by MY management to get him to show support of me.
Why encourage that crap? If the accusations are founded...fine....do something about it....if not...do NOT encourage it!
I use myself as that example but I see it happen daily with other nurses. Now that I am one of their most "loved" supervisors, the CNAs make the most retarded complaints you ver heard about other staff members to me!
Ohhhhh and let them get started on EACH OTHER and you got some real good gossip and backbiting going on! Good Lord!!!!
Another example of crazy gossip and how it gets blown out of proportion was very recently while I was in drug rehab. I continued to work during my rehab. During my treatment, my therapist gave me a teddy bear to carry with me EVERY where I went to get in touch with my inner child. I asked him if i had to carry her EVERYWHERE, including work, and he said yes. Well, my management knew I was in treatment so I did what I was assigned to do. I named her Little Wendy and off to work we went. To explain her to my staff I told them that my therapist gave her to me....I just didnt tell them where I saw my therapist. (I have since told them all I was in treatment) 1 of the CNAs got mad at me that day for who knows what. She then got with 2 other CNAs to talk about me and they decided that I was "mentally incompetent" to work because I thought my bear was a real person!!!!!!!! :rotfl:
Laughable, right? Well, they went to the CNA supervisor and told her what they thought, who took it upon herself to "interview" all the nurses and CNAs to see if they thought I was incompetent. This pist the nurses off, who came and told me what she was up to. I told them...oh ignore her, she is just making trouble. Well, I only work on the weekends....so a few days into the week, I get a call from my EAP counselor. They had talked about me so much that management actually called my EAP counselor to ask him to call my treatment center to see if I really WAS mentally competent to work!!!
Can you believe that crap??????
He called me on the phone saying "wendy...dont yell at me when I tell you this" :chuckle lol, I yelled anyways. It took almost a month for my teddy bear rumors to die down! And occasionally I still here little "comments".
Thank God for my treatment and the 12 steps~!
I am POWERLESS over their ignorance:chuckle
ok...im done now
What you are all describing sounds like horizontal violence among co-workers.
This is a very descructive, dysfunctional pattern of behavior exhibited primarily by those professionals who feel oppressed within their professional role.
There's lots of information and nursing research on this topic.
Paula
lighthouseRN
9 Posts
I agree with you, we all need to get along. I work nights at my facility and find time to help my NA's, finish day shift admissions and do my own throughout the night. All without complaining. We are supposed to cover each other and assure people that things will be done. I think it all has to do with the power of positive thinking. Have a great Christmas