How to deal with rude coworkers

[nicenurse819]

I am a nursing student going into my senior year at a university for a BSN degree. This summer, I am working at a hospital as a nurse intern and I absolutely love it so far. Everyone is SO nice and helpful (except one rude nursing assistant). My first couple hours on the unit, I answered a patient's call light who was calling because he urinated in his bed. His johnny was completely soaked in urine so I found an extra one in his room and helped him change into it and I also changed his bed sheets and pad. I thought I was helping the nursing assistant out. But, an hour or so later she told me and my preceptor about some person who changed her patient into his clean johnny before she could wash him up and was complaining because that person used the "nice johnny" but she was talking some serious ****. I blatently said, oh that was me omg I'm so sorry about that (I have no problem owning up). I told her, his johnny was completely drenched with urine and I didn't want him sitting in that so I changed him. She literally told me, well you should've left him in it until I had a chance to wash him up. I was thinking lady are you serious? As a healthcare team we should always strive to preserve human dignity. Talk about degrading...being forced to sit in your own urine (he was embarrassed as it was).

Anyways, she rubbed me the wrong way after that situation but I brushed it off. I though well I really have to suck up to her and she'll like me. So I started saying thank you so much for the smallest things and told her how awesome she was. Today was my fourth day on the unit. I was in a double room talking with my patient when the physical therapist was with the other patient. The physical therapist helped the patient use the bed pan and then she told me that she would put the bed pan in the bathroom so that it could be measured later. In a few minutes when I saw the nursing assistant I said, "Hey just to let you know the physical therapist helped "so and so" use the bedpan and it is in the bathroom so that it can be measured". The only reason I told her is because we need to record strict Is and Os for our patients since we are a cardiac floor. Also, I would've measured the urine output myself but seeing as this patient was not one of mine, I didn't have access to her chart. So the nursing assistant responded with the rudest OKAYYYY??? (like why are you telling me this) I have ever heard.

I am so done with this woman. I always smile at her in the hall and say hello when I pass by but she completely ignores me. Usually I am not bothered by what other people think. But I just want to know why she doesn't like me. Did I do something wrong? Does anyone have any advice for dealing with rude coworkers? Thank you in advance. :)

[carson456]

You will meet many rude co-workers in your nursing career, unfortunately! I would not try to make nice anymore, she has made it clear where she stands. Regarding the incident with the patient saturated in urine, that is not acceptable! You may need to let her know professional, yet stern way what you expect from her, and being treated with respect would be #1 on the list. Good luck!

Completely agree. NOT acceptable to complain that you didn't let him sit in his urine. Forget this woman. This is the kind of thing I'd report to the manager if it happened again.

[spacemonkey15]

You did the right thing, it's wrong to leave someone in a urine soaked gown, ignore what she has to say and take confidence in knowing you've done the right thing.

I'm from the UK, it took me a while to remember that "johnny" means something very different to you guys compared to us here

[ComeTogether, LPN]

As a guest in their facility I cannot advise against this strongly enough.

I got the impression she was working there for the summer, but maybe I read the OP wrong.

[canigraduate]

For the next time:

1) You pretty much rewarded her for bad behavior by sucking up to her when she was mean. Don't do that. Don't suck up to people, period. You can be nice and attentive, but sucking up is blatant manipulation.

2) When she said you should left the patient in his urine, your immediate response should have been that it is unacceptable to you to let someone lay in urine when you can prevent it. Whenever you reply to this kind of remark, just state your position without blame.

3) Whenever someone is snarky with you, don't rise to the bait. Do what the other posters said and be neutral, or give them the "***" stare. I use it all the time when dealing with patients and coworkers who are out of bounds. It works wonders.

4) Stop caring about whether strangers like you. It honestly doesn't matter. I am a SEVERE people pleaser from waaaaaay back. I had to learn this lesson the hard way. Strangers don't think about you enough to care whether or not they like you. You may be all upset about something when the person involved doesn't even remember who you are. Also, mean people are soul-suckers, so you shouldn't give them access to you.

[Dinehpug]

When i read this, it made me boil. I have been a CNA for 10 years. I have worked in nursing homes to personal care to hospitals. I have also worked with all RNs from fresh out of nursing school to older ones who have been RNs for over 40 years. The same goes for CNAs. I have dealt with many arrogant RNs who like to treat their CNAs like crap and act like were are beneath them. I also have RNs who treated us so kindly and with respect and thankful. But the one thing that i will not stand for and if you really do care abt being in the heathcare profession to care for patients and not just for the money is how patients are being treated. How dare that cna allow that patient get upset that you cleaned up that urine soaked patient and tell you to leave him in that til it was time to wash him up. Omg. That is unprofessional and wrong and she should have been written up for that.

Now. I am not condoning her behavior. But maybe just maybe idk. She has been treated badly by RNs cause i have before. I would be busy cleaning up a patient and the RN would come in and tell me that another patient needs to be cleaned up and then goes and sits down on the computer. I mean come on! Or i would be helping a patient to the bathroom and a call light comes on and when i come out the light is still on and the RN is still on the computer. Or i would tell the RN that a patient wants a pain med. And they just gives me a dirty look or attitude and tells me to tell the patient its not time. But either way the cna has no right to bring her bad attitude to the work place. Only way to deal is develop thicker skin. Keep smiling anyway. And give the best patient care. If it gets worse. Tell her supe.

[maxthecat]

It's not you as a person, it's what you represent. She knows she is "stuck" (for whatever reason) at her job level. Maybe she once entertained dreams of moving up and becoming an RN, but (for whatever reason) didn't make it. How do you think she feels when she sees a sees a bright young thing come through on her way up the ladder, who will soon be her boss? She resents it.

You cannot be her friend. Stop trying to be her friend. She will never even think of you as a "co-worker," even though you're doing the same job right now, because she knows you are going to have the opportunity to move on. All you can do is be absolutely neutral toward her and do your job.

[kasaban]

Go to another job you will find the same, go to another part of the world doing the same it will still remain the same ... Its in every language and in every corner of the world these are the challenges that make you want to quit or kill... just don't give up... good luck