OK, I know I've posted about this before but things have gotten worse! My co-worker has nauseating, foul gas and she passes it in close proximity to people. I don't know if she has some kind of health issue, but her gas makes your eyes water. Last night one of the techs actually had a dry heave because it is so nauseating. What I find particularly irritating is that she toots all day long---now I know sometimes one can slip out when you don't want it to, but if I know I have to toot, I excuse myself and go to the rest room. She seems totally uninhibited about this, as she never ever excuses herself.
Secondly, she is always laying towels down on the seats in the station, because she has 'accidents'. Sometimes she has these accidents on our seats. I understand incontinence but there are products to help with that. And it's not just urine---she has also bled on the chairs and then go change her clothes. I have as heavy a period as anyone, and I know that bleeding through like that can be contained. Unless it's some kind of different problem.
Thirdly, she talks with her mouth full, crumbs all stuck to lips, half chewed food rolling around in her mouth CONSTANTLY. It is disgusting! Sometimes when she is talking she even spews a little bit of food in your direction.
Let me say that this person is nice enough, she means well most of the time but has been stepping on toes by making nursing decisions although she is not a nurse. For example, when I pt would not take his meds, she negotiated with him to take CERTAIN meds, which was not really a good thing because the order was for the meds to be given together. She did this in front of me, without discussing it with me first, and so put me in a difficult position in front of the patient who was very volatile. She also went to my boss and told my boss that I was sexually assaulted and so I should not have certain kinds of patients. I told her that IN CONFIDENCE (she's a therapist) and I feel it was not her business to go to my boss and tell her my personal information. Moreover, I do not want my boss thinking I am too fragile to handle certain types of patients.
Does anyone have any advice for dealing with this person? Like I said, she doesn't mean any harm, but she is wreaking havoc on the unit!
Specializes in primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, NICU.
This person is a professional? I can't believe it! How disgusting! We are not even allowed to wear perfume in the workplace because it disturbs patients and staff and some have fragrance allergies....yet you are subjected to toxic gas and biohazard leaks? Ridiculous. She needs to wear protective undergarments to keep all her bodily fluids off the furniture and talk to a GI and GYN about her medical problems! And you all need to talk to someone in charge about the problem as well.
Can someone say "Depends":idea: . I do not like to confront anyone, but this goes to far and I know I would have to say something. She obviously has no manners. The thought of seeing someone put a towel down on thier chair because they may have an accident, for some reason appalls me. Something definintely needs to be done about this.
I can't really give any better advice than what has already been given. The "squeaker" comment had me laughing! I tend to deal with uncomfortable situations by making jokes. Say if she farted and someone started dry heaving, I'd ask her (the farter) if she needed to go around to the ER and get some help for that. She will either say yes or no. If she were to say no then I'd say, "If you do that in here anymore, the rest of us are going to have to go then!" Same for the towels on the furniture -- ewww! Bloody, urine soaked towels in the station! I don't see how you could embarrass her. She's already embarrassing herself. Good luck!
looks like you do not want to talk directly to her. maybe a good idea would be to write an annonymous (spell check??!) letter explaining all of your concerns and telling her that her actions are downright nasty, etc.. let her know that all her coworkers are downright disgusted at her nasty behavior. if she does not respond then you can go to her directly.
ps...i got that letter idea from a fellow nurse who had to write to her supervisor about her very very very intolerable body odor. she said the letter worked and the said supervisor stop stinking up the place!
I agree with others---among other things, this is an infection control issue; the towels "for accidents" need to go!!! Your supervisor (or HER supervisor) needs alerted to these issues.
As for the confidential information you shared with her that she then shared with your boss: I'd remind her that the HIPPA rules apply to you too---and that you did not give her permission to share such sensitive information with others.
Our unit had a tech that had a bad BO problem. This is beyond that. Our manager spoke to her,and then wrote her up each time that it was brought to her attention. It became a preformance issue just like coming in out of uniform. She ended up getting canned over it.
Specializes in Happily semi-retired; excited for the whole whammy.
:barf01:
:yeahthat:
And furthermore, honestly, you need to go speak to your manager about this person. I wouldn't bother confronting her directly, she could turn around and file a complaint about you harassing her or some such nonsense. Speaking of which, if you told her that you were sexually assaulted in her capacity as a therapist, she violated her ethics and you have grounds to report her for that.
me. Something definintely needs to be done about this. 
That's disgusting! 
Meerkat
432 Posts
"Squeeker"---I love it!
Great answers! Thanks!