How to help a co-worker

[NurseAngela24]

I had a great co-worker confide in me she is beong harrassed on our unit. She is a tech and I have noticed how some Nurses are towards techs. They won't even speak to them as if we so above them anyway. She told me a nurse has actually physically been aggressive with her, pushing her aside yelling and cussing at her in patients rooms and leaving confrontations with patients families the nurse starts, for her to handle and they end up yelling at this tech. I have also been told she has told our supervisor and employee relations but nothing has come forth the manager made her fel like it's her fault and really makes her feel like she is a liar. She is very depressed and said she has anxiety attacks at night and gets sick to her stomach everyday before work. She said she wants to quit her job because the harrassment from this nurse, and the way the manager is always degrading her and nit picking and then tells her she needs to figure out how to handle this issue. Now isn't that what she is the manager for??? I feel so bad for her and I want to help her get this issue resolved. Patients adore her I LOVE working with her she is pleasant and really knows her stuff. I have seen this treatment on this unit towards other techs in the past and have had float pool staff say thy hate floating to this unit cause of the treatment. Does any one know if theres anything she can do legally? Isn't this a Hostile work environment? Thank You:banghead:

[silliemunkie]

She needs to review the HR policy regarding harassment, and then proceed according to those policies. this way she is covered by following the policy.

Jason

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

jason is correct , i think i would have HR follow the policy for harrassment. i wish her luck in her job and hope she gets the help she needs.

robin RN,BSN

[caliotter3]

Yes, get in touch with HR and follow the grievance procedure for being harassed, working in a hostile environment. No reason for working in those conditions. If she follows the procedures and things don't change, she will have grounds for an employment complaint with the appropriate agency and/or legal action. She should not just take the easy way out by leaving.

[cornpoohRN]

Look at the HR policy and go up the chain of command. Document specific incident's w/ dates & times and report. If nothing gets done.....file an EEOC complaint.

[Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN]

I was in your position several yrs ago I helped my tech by taking her down to HR every time evil nurse would attack her We also had a noncompliant manager as well. We started a paper trail that could not be ignored. and we also encougaraged everyone else to write anything this nurse did to the tech that they actually witnessed. Our tech was a delight too always at work always cheerful always did her job and more if she could. I don't know why evil nurse would chew up techs and spit them out. techs would always quit after just a few months We finally just got tired of that nurses behavior and did not want to lose such a good tech. Be her advocate and take her under your wing. We lost our tech because she went to nursing school after working with us for 6 yrs. I hear she is an outstanding nurse. HR can't ignor several complaints esp when you threaten EOCC. And EOCC won't ignore many complaints either.

[DaFreak71]

Ditto about the paper trail.

If you see or hear this tech being harassed, speak up right then and there. Make it "unpopular" for the bully to engage in that kind of behavior. Go out of your way to compliment the tech in front of the bully and any managers so that it's known that the tech is doing good and deserves to be treated decently. Enlist the aid of your other co-workers to do the same.

Lead by example. You have a kind heart....use it. :heartbeat