Help with a GS nurse

So we have a new GS nurse on our floor. I work on High Risk Antepartum unit. She was a military nurse for 5 years Med Surg. She has a really large attitude and states she isn't a military nurse anymore so there are things she shouldn't have to do for example take certain patients. Well she is trying to get pregnant and started making our patients uncomfortable by asking them how they got pregnant what did they do. She is obsessed with it. If that isn't enough she is trying to find fault with everything that the nurses previously had done so far that she sent out an email to everyone on the floor and she was wrong but she told the patient and her husband that the nurses that had previously taken care of them were wrong in their teaching. If that isn't bad enough she was so worried about proving the nurses were wrong that she didn't give the pt any pain medication and the pt asked and asked for it. The patient was going to complain to patient affairs. I tried to smooth things over. I went and sat down with my division officer the problem I had was she didn't talk to any of us nurses she just sent out an email to everyone. So how do I deal with her. I want to confront her but she is so passive aggressive I think it will just make matters worse.

Allison

Hello,

If she is violating policy, (i.e. talking to patients and telling them that other nurses are giving poor care) can you take it up with COC? Telling patients that other professionals are doing things wrong seems like a major malpractice violation.

Now that you know 'talking' with your division doesn't solve anything, how about something documentable? She sent an email out to everyone, what does that mean?

If you go straight to the nurse confrontation might be tricky however, first things first, she needs to be the first one spoken to before following the COC, right? I'd just make certain that you do it in a controlled, calm manner with a witness or several. Toxic coworkers do not just fade away, yet, neglecting care, (i.e. witholding treatment to prove a point) is a documentable issue right?

Gen

You could document that she did nothing about a patient's request for pain meds - I'm sure that alone should be looked into - if they are in pain, treat them......do one of the in house incident report - you could also speak to your manager about these complaints and see what she has to say.

Allison,

We work at the same hospital; I work on 2E. We have had several problems with different nurses on my floor. One thing you can do about the pain meds problem is write it up in an incident report. Or right now NMCSD is real big on customer service, so next time you can make sure that the pt fills out a "contact point worksheet" NMCSD form 6320/74. Do you know what I'm talking about? It's bascily a complaint form. The command is paying more attention to these types of forms that are filled out by pt since the new CO has taken over. If you can't find these forms on your floor let me know; we have a whole bunch of them down here on 2 East.

ENS PM

(soon to be LTJG in 8 days...yeah pay raise...LOL)

Well,

The patient's husband filled out a customer satisfaction survey and the command was less than happy about it we'll see what the Patient Advocate and our management come back with. I talked to my chain of the command and they are currently working on it but you know it is easier to move a mountain than do anything to a civil service government employee.

Allison

Allison,

I understand your frustration and completely agree with you about the whole easier to move a mountian than a GS worker getting fired or discplined. I had the same problem with several GS nurses on my floor before I left on deployment. GS nurses and thier bs was why I went to permanent nights! All we can do is be pt advocates and keep handing out those customer satisfaction surveys. I think the new chain is really paying attention to those surveys right now...or at least I hope so since they are making such a big deal out of them now.

LTJG PM

Hey,

So are you rotating anywhere else soon. They are trying to pull me to L&D but I'm happy where I am at. I am going to perm nights the end of Jan. I'm training for charge right now so I can stay where I am at. The deck is really crazy right now and with 3 little ones I don't want to be working 5 or 6 12 hour shifts because of call ins and avails. We are going to have to meet up one of these days it is nice to have an ally in the place we work. I love your floor on nights. They won't let us have binkys on our floor but sometimes those poor babies are under those bili lights and they just cry so you guys always tube me some.

Allison