Has co worker stolen my work?

Nurses Relations

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Hi im new and would like some work related advice please. My manager mentioned that we needed to update a rota for new staff who would be starting on the night shift. This would help new staff working nights not to miss anything important. While on nights i drew up a draft detailing everything that needed doing and in the morning left it on my managers desk. Next day I found that a co worker had printed off my work and put a message in the work book that he was updating the old version which was done by a member of staff who left 2 years ago and would be updating a newer version. I went to speak to him to let him know that I had already done one and found him sat at a computer with my work and was told by him that he was just changing a few things! His "new" version is now up in the staff information room and I have found that he has merely added one or two ideas that if given back to me I could easily have added but the majority of the work is mine. I just don't know why he couldn't have included me in the retyping considering I had put the majority of it together. I also wanted to use it for my portfolio and feel that my hard work has been for nothing. I feel he has taken my work, changed a few words, added a sentence or 2 and is now passing it off as his own. Advice would be appreciated.

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Specializes in Perioperative; Cardiovascular.

Claim what is yours. Approach the manager and ask for feedback on your work you left behind. The manager can put it together and realize that you are the original author. Continue to use it for your portfolio. Eventually, the coworker will get the consequence s of stealing your work. Don't bother approaching him about it. He knew what he did.

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Thanks for your reply. Yes he knows what he has done but Im not sure whether my manager is aware or not. As I left it on his desk I went home as I had just worked nights. It was the next day returning to work that I noticed the message in the work book. When I asked one of my colleagues about this they informed me that there had been a meeting between the manager and the higher grades but what went on I and my colleague dont know. Another person said that the co worker (the one who changed my work) printed it off the computer, read it and said "some good points". So I dont know whether my manager has authorized them to print my work and change it? Either way I would have thought that the Manager would have asked the co worker to consult with me to make improvements? Can my manager pass my work onto someone else to do even if the final version is mine with a couple of alterations?

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Specializes in Perioperative; Cardiovascular.

What's important is to establish that the work is yours. Don't worry about the coworker because he doesn't think that you will do anything about it since you are new. Ask the manager if he received the document in his/her desk and ask for feedback or suggestions. If the manager brings up the coworker, then make it clear that there was no collaboration on your draft and act surprised. The manager can figure out the truth that way. Good luck.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgical ICU.

You need to talk to your manager. Once you do, you will have the answers you seek.

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Thank you OrNurrse03. Yes I will do what you have suggested. I dont know whether my manager has saw their version (which is mine albeit a couple of things i could easily have added) so should i copy their version and take my original into the managers office so I can show him how close the draft (mine) and the final version (co workers) is? I am really hoping that my manager has not just passed my version onto another person and asked them to complete it without acknowledging me or asking the co worker but to speak to me. I really dont want to appear as petty and causing trouble but by reading what I have in the work book, the co worker telling me that he was just changing a couple of things and now witnessing the final version I am really feeling quite undervalued and that any contributions I may make in the future will be treated the same way. I really dont know how I will react if I find my manager has passed my work to another worker for them to improve on it and not to bother asking me. By his reaction, when I found him on the computer with my work beside him, it was obvious that he wasn't a bit bothered by what he was doing so Im getting the feeling that he may have been authorized to do this by our manager. Really hoping that this is not the case :nono:

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You need to talk to your manager. Once you do, you will have the answers you seek.

Thank you Sun0408. Yes I will speak to my manager but im really worried what the answer to my questions will be.

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Why worry about what she thinks? I'm not getting that.

Your manager may just not have gotten around to thanking you, or, as someone said above, the other guy may have led the manager to believe that you had collaborated. Either way, you can provide your manager with a graceful way to recognize your contribution directly. Accept it with a smile.

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Specializes in Perioperative; Cardiovascular.

The coworker is "claiming" that the work was from a staff member from two years ago. He is stealing your spotlight and your goal is to get it back and make it clear that it is not professional to steal your hard work without credit. No manager would pass off work....unless its from a previous employee. I bet the manager is under the impression that the work is from the previous employee and he passed it on to the coworker. Something your coworker orchestrated to take credit for. I would be offended instead of worrying about their reaction.

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Claim what is yours. Approach the manager and ask for feedback on your work you left behind. The manager can put it together and realize that you are the original author. Continue to use it for your portfolio. Eventually, the coworker will get the consequence s of stealing your work. Don't bother approaching him about it. He knew what he did.
Ditto
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And next time, email this kind of thing to your manager so she'll know whose work it is! :cat:

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.

That is frustrating, OP...... However, really, unless you copyright documents, it is pretty much open to anyone to claim as their own. You won't know the answers to your questions if you don't ask your manager. Is there a history there for you with your manager/this coworker, that gives you reason to believe that you will be undervalued? Good luck!

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