How to deal with a nurse who has a NASTY attitude and mouth.

[sasha2lady]

sigh.....a nurse that I knew from a long time ago just got hired at my job. She is an odd one thats for sure.....or she used to be...now she is just FOUL! I recently took some days off and she worked in my place.....when I returned to work yesterday I got pounded with the news of the multiple falls that took place when she worked....one pt busted her head and face up and broke her leg...another one fell and busted her head open too....the first one was hospitalized....then the aides told me about some of her nasty comments to them...she told one " You talk to f**ing much", she told another one "Youre getting on my f***ing nerves" because someones toe nail had come off in the shower and the aide reported it to her..the nurse as she should have....then she made comments to some of the other nurses during report at shift change "cant you talk any f***ing faster? Im ready to f**ing go!".......I think this is totally unacceptable. The boss asked me when she hired her if I knew her...I said yes..but I only told her that she was weird b/c I had not ever actually worked with her as a nurse. The boss told us to have an "open" mind. I think we are all pretty open minded but we know a bad fit when we see one. Other nurses knew her also and couldnt believe she was actually hired but the boss said that she had a good handshake...thats always her hiring criteria. She doesnt know that this nurse was fired from 2 other facilities due to complaints about her rudeness...and the fact that she cussed out a DON and then got into a cuss fight with an aide at the 2nd place. We had several families to complain on the days that I was off...which normally doesnt happen. I do charge on my shift usually. I found it odd to be bombarded with all this info my first day back...and then getting grilled by the boss and the administrator over things I was just learning about. Then, I found out that this nurse has already tried to call in...and shes been there for only a week! Plus..now she says that she can only do certain days...when she was hired for straight prn....I see problems in the future with this. Plus....I was also told that she was talking about giving her teen son money to go buy marijuana with..now...come on...how stupid can you be to be at a brand new job with all new people and talk about giving your kid pot money???????? LIke that isnt going to get around ???? I have to work with her this coming week and I just dont think that I can handle that kind of attitude! my aides are already working short nonstop as it is....they are short fused and burned out....I dont think I could tolerate somebody talking to them like that..I plan to just stay as far away from her as I can so that I dont have to overhear her mouth....on top of that...shes loud, rude, and one of the most annoying obnoxious inconsiderate people I know. My nerves cannot take somebody like that.....but if I do have to hear her....shes not one Id want to pull aside....she'd make a scene. I dont think the boss would believe anything about her at this point because she for some reason adores her. This is messy.

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

You know her better than I do, but I have to ask: Do you believe she's on something before she comes to work? I know people are just down right rude, but from what you're describing it doesn't seem like normal behavior. Most people (not all) will only go to the limit as to what they can get away with. But from her actions, she's really crossed the line too far. I would inquire about drug testing. Just my opinion, but it doesn't seem like the normal rudeness that I've come across. She could be intoxicated with alcohol or drugs. Who knows, but try to stay calm and just do what you're there to do. Apologize for any inconvenience if you're hit with something, and WRITE IT DOWN! Keep a log so that way you have something to cover yourself with. Good Luck

[systoly]

To answer your question, in this case, you don't. You do not have to deal with her. You do not have to be subjected to this language or whatever else she's doing ( I didn't read the whole post, because after a couple of foul words, I turn off). You might explain to her (once) that you have no intention to be subjected to inappropriate and unacceptable language or behavior and if it continous, walk away, inform your superior (you need to do that anyway), and if she follows you, do not engage in dialog, but explain to her that you will call the police or leave the building if she continous to pursue and harrass you and be prepared to do just that. The only way to deal with bullies and the likes is to

show them zero tolerance. Should there be any underlying medical or other condition contributing to the behavior, well, that can be addressed later, but tolerance won't help anybody.

[sasha2lady]

We actually went to nursing school together...she was not this bad back then. She had an attitude and was very cocky just in general. She says she has a rx for xanax as she has so publicly made it known to our staff. This will be my first actual weekend working with her so I plan to just observe how she does...esp with the aides. Some of them have already told me that they dont like her because of the way she talks and the way she talks to them. If she acts like this I plan to discreetly let the boss know about it. The DON already knows that most of the nurses dont care for her but she keeps telling us to be "open minded" about her. She will rethink that open mindedness once she gets more complaints about her.....and over the past week thats all that weve gotten. When I returned to work after taking those few days off...things calmed down. On my time there were no falls, no complaints from families, nothing.....but this new nurse was also not on duty. Even one of the mgmt nurses made the comment to me "Well...seems quieter now that you're back". I can tolerate the occasional cuss word or 2...but man....not when its every other syllable and within earshot of patients, families, or coworkers. She also gives me a weird feeling. ......a very uneasy vibe in general but if shes not fired, I look for her to quit or just be a no call no show. She has already tried to call in. Go figure.

[sasha2lady]

Ps....as for her maybe being on something before work...I was wondering that myself....on top of the obvious...she is extremely "hyped" up, nonstop moving mainly her mouth, real jittery and way talkative, you literally cannot get a word in edgewise to her to try and explain something to her...she argued with one nurse over a freakin oscal......! .....always in a rush rush rush yet doesnt seem to accomplish much from it.

[iluvicu]

o gosh! she is worst. with our profession, i can say that skills is not the only tool we need but attitude as well, with good vibes. the hospital is a place where people are stressed; relatives, patients and healthcare providers, so we need to have tons of patience and people skills.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

You do not need to do anything more than observe and report performance that does not meet your facility standards in a tactful, non judgemental way.

She will soon dig her own grave over above behavior when residents, visitors and other staff reports begin piling up on DON desk.

[sasha2lady]

Well...I made it through the past few days with her....I dont know if it was because I was there or what...but she didnt cuss and carry on like she did when I was off those few days....she was belching and passing gas all over the place ..esp when we were trying to chart....she made a point to announce it every single time...as if we couldnt hear it the first time....she did make alot of smart cocky comments that were aimed at everything and everybody....said she was ready to quit because she got a taste of our boss finally....I knew those 2 would eventually butt heads when they saw each others colors. I am trying to quit smoking...so I have been wearing a nicotine patch...and while I was doing my usual routine at the desk...she told me that I was getting on her nerves and should just go smoke....I was just separating labs, orders, and consult sheets for the doctor.....like I always do..regardless of whether I smoke or dont smoke. It helps the day time RN who has to go with him on rounds and it helps me sometimes. Since I am not smoking....I am doing other things to just keep my hands busy and my mind off my bad habit. I just held my tongue because now that I chunked all my cigs....I am extremely ON EDGE and grumpy. I did notice that her narcotic count was way off....I was just finishing up some charting and could hear her count....there were 9 narcs that were not right. I dont know which ones they were or which patients they belonged to but I heard her make the comments about it each time one was wrong. Im still trying to just give the benefit of the doubt like I would with anybody. We'll see how it continues.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Cursing at a patient is abuse.

You need to report it the next time you see it to your supervisor, and keep taking it up the ladder.

To me...the problem will take care of itself.

[kittykatty]

Congratulations on quitting smoking--you can do it---I would suggest getting some Lobelia--it is an herb--from a health food store--it mimics exactly the effects on the neurotransmitters in the brain that are effected by the nicotine.

If at all possible get off the patch as all it does is substitute the nicotine fix from the cig to the patch--your brain is still feeling the effects of the nicotine.

Get on line and look up Lobelia--I bought mine from a company in Pa that makes it up fresh.

Also read the book "The Easy Way to Quit Smoking" by Alan Carr--after you are finished with it you will never smoke again.

As for this nurse--she sounds very dangerous and with the non-stop talking I might think Bi-Polar or drug addiction or both. Don't worry she'll hang herself--I just hope she doesn't hurt any of the old folks--I have a special place in my heart for the old ones.

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

Belching, and passing gas?? She must be on mylicon LOL...did I spell it right? Well I believe that's inappropriate to do in front of people you barely know.

[sasha2lady]

hmmm...lobellia...Ill definitely look that up because Ive never heard of it. We actually have a herbal shop in my town...Ive been in one time a few years ago just looking around to see what it had. maybe they have it there. The patches. while working....the side effects are terrible. Insomnia Insomnia Insomnia!!! However, as for this weirdo nurse....the more I observed her the more I was thinking about her maybe being bipolar too....or a severe case of ADD....something is NOT right for sure. She was even at the desk just casually talking about her teen son who is a "drug addict" as she put it...like she was just so proud of it. She said he likes pills......and this might sound far fetched..but I wonder what the chances are that some of the narc counts that was wrong on her end....were the kind of pills that he likes to take.....she has no insurance so it would be perfectly convenient to sign those narcs out and just slide them in her pocket to haul home. When she started talking about all that...I just got up and stopped my charting and went down my hall. I just dont want my name to come up in anyones conversation about her or what she does outside of work. Id rather just not hear it all together so that when it comes time for the boss to grill me about it I can honestly say I dont know. I too agree that she will hang herself. especially since she has been working on the unit that has the most oriented people so if they arent getting their meds right....they will be the first to tell it. Thats how alot of former nurses got caught stealing narcs. She said she likes my unit...but as long as Im working shes not getting near mine. My patients are demented except for 1 or 2. they wouldnt have a clue if someone was hoo dooing them or their meds.