I asked one simple question...

[TLSpaz]

Me: "Where can I find saline for a wet prep? There isn't any in the drawer."

Co-worker: "I'll show you. What's all that for?" (Pointing to various implements presently being held by me with gloved hands)

Me: "For the patient in room ###. The only thing I couldn't locate was the saline."

Co-worker: "Ok, so what you do is, when you go in the room, you...(blah blah blah arrogant lecture about how to set up and assist with a pelvic exam)...and you only need a couple of drops of saline for the wet prep, and these swabs...(takes two swabs resting in a glass tube from the tube with her un-gloved hand and shoves them back into their original plastic tubing)...are for the chlamydia test.

Me: "Ummm....yeah....we've already DONE the pelvic. I know what to do with this stuff. I just needed some saline."

Co-worker: "This stuff is already used?!"

Me: "Yeah. All I asked for was some saline. I worked in an OBGYN clinic and three other ERs before I came to work here. I know how to do this."

Co-worker: "But this isn't how we do it here."

Me: "What?! I have the specimens. I just need to get them to the lab so we can get this lady out of here. She'll be ready to go as soon as these results are back. All I needed was some saline."

Co-worker: "Well I don't know how you did stuff where you used to work, but here we do it different. I'll show you when you get back from the lab."

Me: "Better go wash your hands."

The thing is...this co-worker (who is, despite her young age and relative few years of experience, quite knowledgable and competent) is constantly "correcting" my technique. For the past five weeks, since I began this new job, she has tried to "coach" me on things like IV starts and collecting blood specimens; EKG lead placement and even bedside manner! Never mind the fact that I learned to do EKGs and start IVs and draw blood when she was 5 years old, and have been honing my bedside manner since she was in diapers.

By the way...the lab results miraculously appeared in the system, despite the fact that I didn't do it the way "they" do it.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I am curious, though...in what way did you do it "wrong"? I'm just curious as to how they do it, if the way you did it is apparently incorrect.

[kakamegamama]

My first thought? "Sounds like a nurse educator in the making." That, or "the young whippersnapper needs to learn to respect her elders."

[TLSpaz, ASN, RN]

I am curious, though...in what way did you do it "wrong"? I'm just curious as to how they do it, if the way you did it is apparently incorrect.

You wouldn't believe me if I told you...and I'm kind of afraid to share it because it's so...ummm...unique (not to mention ridiculous and unnecessary), that it is practically a signature. If I told you, I'm afraid a co-worker might see this on here and report me for making disparaging comments toward the facility and / or a coworker.

(edited to add) I consulted with the lab's shift supervisor. The method that my co-worker insisted was the right way is, according to the lab, just fine (which I knew) but wholly unnecessary (which I also knew). There's more than one way to skin a cat.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

After almost 20 years in nursing in the Midwest...I moved to the East coast. I had more experience than ALL (yes all) of my co-workers. My experience was more intense due to the acuity of my experience at a level one trauma center, years in the ICU and trauma flight. Okay whatever Okay. I kept my mouth shut (a special feat I might add) and my head down.

They berated me with disparaging comments about my ineptness and ignorance. They went on to say that they seriously doubted me competence over all.

WHAT? I tred to explain that I have never done this their way and that my experience, although extensive, didn't include post mortem care of how to speak the language of Massachusetts.

))

I had similar problems when I moved to Massachusetts from the midwest. My first day on the unit, they gave me a patient whose diagnosis was "Comber". I had NO idea what kind of a diagnosis "comber" was -- I looked everywhere (no internet in those days) to find out, but couldn't find it. Finally, I summoned up my courage and asked my preceptor. In a scornful tone, she said "You know, when they're unconscious for a long time?" OH, COMA. that one I get. Johnnies baffled me at first, too. And an elastic? Why would you need an elastic? To hold the chart together, of course. They meant rubber band.

I changed jobs 10 years ago, with 27 years of experience. My preceptor at the new job was a 25 year old with about two years of experience in the ICU. One day we had a post op patient, and Anna insisted that he needed a Neo drip. I didn't see the need for a neo drip, nor did the resident, but after significant pestering by Anna, the resident ordered it and we started a Neo drip. Only I, in my infinite wisdom, lablelled the drip "Phenylephrine". (Generic for neosynephrine.) Anna flipped out, wrote me up, and had me in the manager's office to explain why I hung the wrong thing, and why I charted on a neosynephrine drip all day while I was really giving some unknown drug named phenylephrine. It took a phone call from the point of care pharmacist to convince them that neo and phenylephrine are the same drug and that, as the resident and I both pointed out, it wasn't really indicated in that circumstance.

I'm still at the job, but Anna soon decided that she was more suited to ambulatory care.

I've been a preceptor and I've been an orientee, but there's nothing quite like being an orientee with a preceptor who wasn't even born when you started nursing yet who is still convinced that she knows everything!

[klone, MSN, RN]

One day we had a post op patient, and Anna insisted that he needed a Neo drip. I didn't see the need for a neo drip, nor did the resident, but after significant pestering by Anna, the resident ordered it and we started a Neo drip. Only I, in my infinite wisdom, lablelled the drip "Phenylephrine". (Generic for neosynephrine.) Anna flipped out, wrote me up, and had me in the manager's office to explain why I hung the wrong thing, and why I charted on a neosynephrine drip all day while I was really giving some unknown drug named phenylephrine. It took a phone call from the point of care pharmacist to convince them that neo and phenylephrine are the same drug and that, as the resident and I both pointed out, it wasn't really indicated in that circumstance.

Did you not TELL her they were the same? Or, like, show her a drug book?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Did you not TELL her they were the same? Or, like, show her a drug book?

I tried. I tried to tell her, looked it up to show her and the resident told her. She was sure we were wrong.

[OCNRN63, RN]

Nothing like a know-nothing know-it-all.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Nothing like a know-nothing know-it-all.

But their comeuppance is most delicious.

[MedChica]

This post has me laughing.

I used to work with a nurse like this. It's almost like they're 'one-upping' you, isn't it?

It didn't just end with nursing related issues.

I've had her deny that my grandparents were born in the 1800's. They were. My grandmother/father were born in 1890 an 96, respectively. My dad was born in 1939, the youngest of 14. My mother was born in the mid fifties. I'm 33 years old.

I've even had her attempt to pull me into an argument over how long it took me to get to work on the highway. I don't know. I just said something about it taking me less than 20 minutes...and what'd I say that for? According to my coworker, that couldn't be true.

Her know-it-all-ness knows no bounds. She's the original Habitual Line-Crosser.

A mutual coworker, when they were new, asked the MA an I when she went home, "How do ya'll deal with her?"

She made the mistake of engaging her, too. The discussion was the new coworker's poor childhood, of which we were all sympathetic. Crazy nurse butts in, telling new nurse how she should feel about her mother. Crazed nurse doesn't know what the heck's going on but damned if she's going to let that stop her.

I just shrugged. "Tiff is Tiff. She just...says things. You've got to look over her. You're waging a battle that can't be won. Smile and nod. Smile and nod."

Your coworker is crazed, OP. Do not engage. There's no use in going 'toe-to-toe' with people like that. You'll be arguing in circles. For nothing.

With my coworker, I'd just let her talk, nod and blandly smile. Pepper in a few phrases to show that you're following along. My personal favorites: "Uh huh..." ; "Oh." ; "Mmm...."; "Ah." ; "Ohhhhh...." ; "Oh, really?" ; "Wowwww."

Most times - I'd let my inner ADHD take hold where I'd either abruptly change the subject or just walk away, still smiling and nodding.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

to TLCfromSC,

Since you are confident in your abilities, and the coworker wants to one up you instead of try to learn something, every time that she tries to school you on something insignificant I would let her know it's getting annoying by saying

Thanks, (insert name), for correcting me yet again.

When something like this comes up again I would be totally willing to school her right back. I would nicely let her know that " because that is way we've always done it" is not a rationale & does not necessarily make her way a best practice or evidence based practice.