How do you handle co-workers who are extremely dramatic and are easily stressed?

[1Jessie86]

I went from working in telemetry to now working at a detention facility. I don't understand why some of the nurses that I work with can become so easily stressed out in this type of environment. The detainees are not dying. Education, pill passing and lot's of charting is involved in detention nursing. Keep in mind, I don't work in a prison, I work with low level inmates and detainees.

I got my ear chewed off my last shift from this nurse that was so stressed out with all the little busy work. She had a terrible frown on her face the entire shift with just a nasty attitude. I just couldn't understand. She's been working there much longer than me and she plans to move and start telemetry nursing. I just don't know how that's going to work out on her end.

How do you deal with co-workers who are like this? I just want to tell them to sit down and relax or go home!

[NuGuyNurse2b]

^ I've never heard that saying before LOL! but I'm stealing it.

[silhouettedreams]

For the most part, I try to avoid these situations or ignore them. If that's not possible, I nod along and provide minimal responses. Staying busy helps to avoid it.

[bathrobemom, LPN]

I find it tiring and annoying when I have to deal with people that are moody or easily irritated. Maybe the best idea is to just ignore it and let them rant. I guess what I usually do is try to help them feel happier and I don't know why I would think I would need to do that.

Currently I have a co-worker of mine that is usually wound up at the end of her shift. There was a stretch of weeks where I dreaded coming into work because of her. There's one resident that is super loud and does not seem to respond to any intervention known to mankind except meds. For a while she blamed me basically because this person is pretty much out of control whenever he is awake. I was new and didn't know what meds to ask for and which doctors I had to ask. Not fair of her of course.

There's been a couple times where what she said made me feel like I was weird or wrong for not being a basket case like her. It was hard to not let that get to me even though I thought that was dumb.

One thing I've found that helps me deal with her is distraction and a sense of humor. While we're in report I'll change the conversation to something positive, or add a detail about how I tried an intervention, or move on to the next person on the list. This person has a pretty good sense of humor so sometimes I can get her talking about funny stories involving the residents or something on facebook, etc. Once she's left for the day I feel like things are much calmer and I can get a start on my day.

I hope something works for you, I feel your pain!

[Sydryth, ASN, RN]

I get my poker out and stoke the fire a bit. Then I laugh about it.

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Or in the military: "I need you to go get me an ID10 - T form"

)

In it, it's known as the id10t error. Very similar to pebcak issues (problem exists between chair and keyboard). They've been around for decades.

As for drama, i follow the advice of that great philosopher joe walsh and just walk away.

[NursesRmofun, ASN, RN]

It's an interesting topic. I have had impossible shifts - shifts when you couldn't have enough hands or help to get everything done and safely...and people have looked at me running around like I was crazy. I wasn't crazy. I was crazy busy. Now, when they have had busy nights, they look like the sky is falling. Why can't they understand when it's not them but someone else? Anyway...I agree that some, and maybe some you work with, are dramatic because the environment may not call for it. It could also be that they have nothing to compare it to.

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

They are trying to get something from you with their behavior. I NEVER give it to them even once. They stop coming to you. The end.