Help I think the charge nurse wants me out

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Hey guys..new nurse here and just started working a few months and the charge nurse has been at me since week one. The first week she told everyone "oh look she just hired my replacement". Things have gotten worse. Just this week..I came in early to do work the Nurse Manager asked me to do and when I got to the floor she yelled at me at the nurses station about how unprofessional I am in front of everyone including nursing students. She continues to pick at me telling me how everyone talks about me and how I am not wanted on the team. But from what I hear and see it doesn't feel like that because people I work with always so nice and invite me to go out with them. I don't know what to do..I get along great with the nurse manager..she has helped me always since day one. She has taken me under her wing and wants me to advance. Please help.

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Specializes in Cardiac Care.

Speak with the nurse manager about it. As a new nurse it is hard to get taken seriously sometimes by some "seasoned" and I just mean been there longer than you, nurses on a floor. Maybe she needs to know that you can and will stick up for yourself and are not going to take her bullying behavior.

Could tell the charge nurse that if she needs to speak with you about something she needs to do it in private, unless is directly patient related?

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.

She do this with everyone?

If not you probably need to look at yourself in the mirror.

It's never your fault, huh? I'm sayin'...You're doing something wrong.

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Specializes in Cardiac, ICU.
She do this with everyone?

If not you probably need to look at yourself in the mirror.

It's never your fault, huh? I'm sayin'...You're doing something wrong.

I feel like that statement is judgmental and not productive to this discussion. If you have nothing constructive to add, please keep those comments to yourself. Bullying is unacceptable, yet it happens every day in our profession. Recently I was bullied by a seasoned nurse. My best advice is to stand up for yourself while still being professional. Talk with your nurse manager. If you want, you could sit down with the nurse manager and this staff member and talk about the problem with the nurse manager mediating. If you have talked with your nurse manager and the situation doesn't improve, talk to them again and ask why is this not getting better. Good luck!

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I feel sorry for the bullies that come at me, because I wont tolerate it LOL

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Specializes in ED/ICU/TELEMETRY/LTC.

You do not have to tolerate this. Report this to your nurse manager, and then ask the bully to come in and address the points you have issue with. You need a witness. She can talk about you behind your back as long as she can get away with, but it is the height of unprofessionalism to berate anyone for anything out loud and in the presence of others.

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She appears jealous of you from your story above. I agree, approach

the nurse manager. Keep it professional, how you enjoy being on the

team, what your goals are. Do not bad mouth the bully.

State the facts, how she is interfering with you doing your job.

Allow the NM to take the steps to curtail this employees behavior issues.

Do not engage with the bully, it will escalate her behavior.

Do take notes=document each incident carefully and completely.

Hopefully, your NM ends this inappropriate behavior by warning the bully.

If not, you will have many examples of her behavior toward you and

may need to take the next step. If necessary, you will have the documentation to back it up.

Do not discuss the bully with other staff, be professional and continue to

be admired by your co workers...

Very sorry you are having to go through this....

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I would write an email to your manager stating that on xx/xx day, the charge nurse yelled at you infront of (insert the names of everyone present) and nursing students. Be sure to include the exact words that were used. This way your manager is forced to address the issue.

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Can I guess that maybe the charge is ADN and you're a new BSN hired in? This sounds like a real familiar scenario from my software career where a lead will freak out when a specialist is hired.

All the suggestions sound real familiar too, document specifics and facts, present to the manager. Best wishes!

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Why does she think you are her replacement? Why did she feel so threatened right from the start?

I think EmergencyNrse's statement that it's your fault is very puzzling, as I don't know how she reached this conclusion, based on your post.

Do examine your heart and see if you might be enjoying the other nurse's misery and fear just a little. I have no idea what you are like but make sure you are being courteous and humble. You are a beginner. The tide could turn and I guarantee it will if you ever mess up badly enough. Then you will see what it's like to be out of favor. Not saying you're guilty of anything, only that you should make sure you're not doing anything to hurt this frightened co-worker of yours.

Don't talk to the boss until you talk privately with the Charge Nurse. At least, give it a try.

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My guess is the OP is probably attractive, walks tall, and is confident.

That tends to scare the heck out of some people

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Specializes in Hospice.

It sounds like she is threatened by you.

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