Gossip at work

I'm going to give you the same advice I followed while working in corporate america. And I'm going to take this advice into the nursing field. Remember, you are there to do a job. You are not there to make friends. The people you work with are your co-workers, not your friends. Therefore, keep personal business out of the workforce and if you must confide in someone about something personal, my advice is do it with someone outside of work. Pick and choose your battles wisely and learn to play the game to your advantage. If you know you have a manager that is nit picky and petty and loves to micromanage, then by all means cover your assets to avoid being on any "hit lists". When someone does come to you with negativity, just politely tell them you have work to do and walk away. Don't entertain it. This worked for me for most of the 14 years I worked in corporate america. If there was a quota I needed to achieve, I made damn sure I achieved it so there wouldnt be any reason to ride my ass. This may be the same mentality you will need to take in nursing.

Good luck to you!

Thanks for your reply.

There is a book called, "How to work for people you hate". You can find it at most Office Depot-type stores in their book section.

I once worked for a very difficult boss, and it helped me deal with her. She was always "all knowing" and "perfect" in everything she did and found fault with everyone around her.

In the end, I figured out she was mean b/c was trying to save her own job, and she ended up getting fired anyway.

Give them 10 mg of Valium

Hah 10mg valium! :chuckle

You might be interested in a book called "Holistic Assertiveness Skills for Nurses" by Carolyn Chambers Clark. I had to read it for an introductory nursing class. My classmates loved it. (I did not -- but I was in the minority.) Clark offers a lot of tips on how to stand up for yourself and confront others at the same time.

Personally, I find silence very effective with these kinds of people, though it took me a long time to understand how to use it well. That might not be possible in your situation; however, when you respond to nonsense charges, you're enabling the nitpicker and giving him exactly what he wants. It just encourages him to do it again. Prolonged silence with a long, friendly gaze can make some people very uncomfortable.