How can my shift deal with a nurse who is always causing drama?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

NEED SOME ADVICE

I have been working at my facility for over two years now and my shift gets

along really well,except for one lvn. She is constantly complaining about how

she is the only nurse who does her job correctly. If another nurse doesn't chart

something she has to broadcast it to everyone within earshot. She bullies my

fellow cnas. She hasn't ever treated me that way (maybe because she knows

how outspoken I am). If she decides she wants to mess with someone she

will use evey chance she gets to say things about them. It has gotten to the

point that we try our best to avoid her. She even made a cruel comment about

a former coworker, who recently had a massive stroke. She said what goes around

comes around bcuz ”she didn't change her patients and now she has a bedsore”

We have talked to our DSD and our DON but she is still causing trouble.

One of the cnas refuses to work on nights when she is there. When she

doesn't work the work atmosphere is much happier. When she is there everyone is

tense. What can we, as a shift,:nurse: do to her to stop messing with her coworkers

so we can be more harmonious group?:hdvwl::banghead::uhoh3:

Specializes in ICU.

I wonder who is doing her job while she is busy checking to see what everybody else is doing. Sounds like she has low self-esteem~ if she can make everyone else look bad, she thinks it will make her look good. Maybe when she starts bad-mouthing her co-workers, just say "don't tell us, we can't do anything about it; go tell administration you think so-and-so isn't doing their job." And walk away.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
...then stare at her blankly.

you just made me laugh out loud :yeah::yeah::yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

Can I play Devil's advocate for a minute? What if she's uncovering real problems? I was once accused of "causing drama" for reporting patches that hadn't been changed, and yelled at for reporting a dosage error with morphine (calculated for 1 mg/ml, we had 20 mg/ml). Has anyone approached the nurse about this?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If you have a group that is together on the situation than that is great! Mentioning it to managing it or just simply walking away or suggesting she go to management (someone who cares). I find when situations like this occur most people are divided on how t deal with the problem. Some people don't care what the person does, some people don't want to deal with it, and then the few that are brave enough to want to deal with it, have no back up to fix the matter. Being together as a group will hopefully put an end to this unpleasant situation. Hope it works out for you :(!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Ortho/Neuro.

I find that people of this character do thrive off of reactions! However, her constant picking is making time~bombs in the work place...someone is gonna loose their job kicking her tail! She needs to be confronted, but only after you put the NM or DON on point! These people thrive off of intimidation. Since she denies everything, pull her A** to the side give her a piece of your mine, and hell if she complains just deny it, its your word against hers...LOL!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.
Can I play Devil's advocate for a minute? What if she's uncovering real problems? I was once accused of "causing drama" for reporting patches that hadn't been changed, and yelled at for reporting a dosage error with morphine (calculated for 1 mg/ml, we had 20 mg/ml). Has anyone approached the nurse about this?

If indeed, this is the case, then it's the old "crying wolf" syndrome. Who can take someone like that seriously?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics.
If you have a group that is together on the situation than that is great! Mentioning it to managing it or just simply walking away or suggesting she go to management (someone who cares). I find when situations like this occur most people are divided on how t deal with the problem. Some people don't care what the person does, some people don't want to deal with it, and then the few that are brave enough to want to deal with it, have no back up to fix the matter. Being together as a group will hopefully put an end to this unpleasant situation. Hope it works out for you :(!!

That's the problem: if the staff is not 100% on board, then it will be difficult to get your point across. There are many who cannot simply ignore and walk away. Watch any reality show and you'll see that as soon as the big-mouth drama queen is fed, all he'll brakes loose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

HIPPO

You all should be documenting the dates of the incidences and what she said or did. Management cannot make a change or correction about something if they don't have documentation with specifics that are going on. It sounds like a few QRR's should have been written about her already. She must be the problem, since many of you have issues with her. If a QRR and documenting the issues doesn't work when given to the manager, the next step would be to go to HR. That CNA that wont work on nights is she is there, should work but just request to not be assigned the said nurses' patients. That request alone to management should set off some triggers that there is a problem.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

Also, you do not need everyone on board to go to management and make a formal complaint. We had a traveler at our hospital, he was rude and snarky to everyone, even the dayshift (that was only around him the 30min for report) noted how rude he was. He often had a bad attitude. Finally, one day another staff member and I helped transfer his admission pt from the er gurney to our med-surg beds, in the process he passed by, and I let him know we needed his assistance, due to the Pt was large and could not assist in the transfer. He made a rude remark (don't remember what exactly it was), came in to the room, and kept on complaining aloud in front of the pt's family member, he even berated the EDA for something miniscule. Once we left the room, I pulled him aside and kindly explained to him, that sometimes he comes off offensive and that we were just helping him with HIS pt. He then started yelling and saying 'you're offensive.' I called the charge nurse for the night (in front of him and another nurse) and informed her the said nurse was being extremely disrespectful and being the rude way he always is. Once I hung up, he said, "B*tch." I asked him, did you just call me a b*tch? He replied, "Yes." Please believe I wrote out a QRR, typed up a 3 page letter attached to it, explaining the situation, how rude he is to everyone, even in front of pt's and emphasized that as nurses we must be professional, and that I did not appreciate going to work to be disrespected/being called a b*itch. Guess what? He was fired for his misconduct, I even received a thank you letter from the CEO of the hospital for reporting the incident and was informed the said nurse was being let go. So, it can be done

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

I've been the same place- both as her and as you. A lot of times I find myself griping and putting down other staff because, I at times, don't feel valued or empowered by my peers or the management. I just want to scream when I feel I'm giving my all, and the peer who skips meds, calls off every other weekend, sleeps half her shift, and always comes in earily so she can get the lightest assignment gets invited to chair the unit steering committee because she has such an "up beat and positive attitude":eek:. I think I would have a positive attitude as well if I could treat my profession obligations like a tupperware party or girls night out . All I can advise is try to find a way to really make this person feel like she is being taken seriously. I few " I hope if I'm every a patient, I have a nurse with your dedication to giving the best care" could go a long way to make her feel valued. If the back biting dosen't slow down- gentle nudges in the right direction will go a lot further than a head to head confrontation. "I see what you are saying about Lois being a slob with her charting but she is so good at wound care I'm glad she works here" Lead by example. Every time she says something negative in front of you- find something positive to say to ballance the conversation. Avoiding her, ignoring her, confronting her- all are just going to increase her feelings of powerlessness and invite more negative attitude.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You have been given some fantastic advice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If nothing changes, nothing changes.....and sometimes you have to group together and aim for change- or change where you work...I know that's easier said than done- but what choice do you have now? It's either stay and be miserable, or quit and go somewhere else. Do it right, and give notice.... but if this nurse is tolerated by administration, there's not much you can do....so you have to change where you are ..... :heartbeat:heartbeat

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment