I feel horrible

ladytraviler · Feb 6, 2009

this is what is called nurses eating their young. Nursing is about shift work. You do all you can and the next shift is to pick up where you left off. I can promise you this nurse has left stuff undone. It is about time management and knowing what needs when. You are still a new nurse.

Did the orders say stat? or did you ask one of your co-workers? Don't let one person get you down. Hold your head high and next time she says anything call her on it. Most people will mouth until called on it. Let her know you are doing the best you can and if she does not like it take it up with your supervisior, the one who was on shift with you and can validate your work.

give yourself a hug. Not everyone is as nasty and you did offer to talk to dr

kelly

Rotifer · Feb 6, 2009

I can promise you this nurse has left stuff undone.

Exactly. Serious error but we have all done it - so has the surgeon. And he/she will rant and rave just as someone ranted and raved at them. The nurse following you is stuck dealing with it, let her vent a little. Bring her some chocolate and/or burst into tears right in front of her - works with most. I'm male but I've witnessed these tactics! He he. Oh, and never do this again.

kellykelly · Feb 6, 2009

There is a reason those things need to be done pre-surgery rather than post, and it's true that now SHE has to deal with the drs being ****** off that stuff wasn't done, but you are new and she shouldn't have treated you that way. She should have explained the reasons why those things needed to be done pre-surgery, and let you call the doctor to tell him because it's not like you didn't offer.

I'm sorry this happened to you and that she said you shouldn't be allowed to work there, though I do understand her frustration at trying to send patients for open heart when things were left undone by previous shifts. I can't tell you how many times I've had to get a crossmatch done stat at 4AM, or had to get consents signed on 3rd shift when we've known about the surgery for six days. Those things **** you off.

But don't beat yourself up; I would have apologized to her and left it at that. If she continues to treat you that way, stand up for yourself. Your feeling bad lets me know this is a mistake you won't repeat again.

oramar · Feb 6, 2009

When I was new I did something like this. The nurse coming on insisted I stay and take care of it which I did. I much prefer that approach than all that passive aggressive stuff. Like telling you she would do it and then mumbling and moaning.

wisedonkey · Feb 6, 2009

I have been working as a RN for about 9 months now on the Tele floor. I get 4 patients on my shift. I am part-time and am wondering if I need to work more. Today I had my first pre-open heart patient. I got all the labs,and paperwork together. I ended up staying til 3am because we were short.
When I gave report to the oncomming nurse, she informed me that the pulmonary doctor wrote orders for in the AM of the OHS. For some reason when I saw them, I just assumed that they could be done after the surgery since he saw that the patient was going for OHS in the AM. The ABGs and PFTs were done but the VQ scan and venous doppler were not. I was wrong and the nurse was peeved and called the supervisor about the situation. I offered to call the doctor, as it was my error and she told me to just leave. As i was getting my stuff, I overheard her say that people like me should not be allowed to work there and that they are going to try to get the test done. I really didn't think that the tests needed to be done. I was overwhelmed with 2 of my other patients.
Now, I feel like I can't do anything right. I know that when I go back that others will know about this and I will feel stupid. I was just starting to think I can do this but now I am afraid that I might do something like this and cause a pt to miss a surgery that they really need.

Nurses have behaved this way towards other nurses consistently. It does not matter if you are a new nurse or an experienced nurse. You will see in your career nurses who play several games...doctor against nurse, nurse against nurse. These people who indulge in these games have low self esteem and are basically miserable people. Yes, it is a pain in the butt when one has to deal with something left unfinished, but that is why we have shifts. You are a new nurse and it appears you where overwhelmed and tired. You stayed until "3 AM" to help the unit. I have been there and have been exhausted. I have missed things also due to fatique. If any nurse or doctor says they have never made a mistake, they are either too stupid to know they did, or are just plain liars. In the event a nurse makes a comment again similar to this one, go to your supervisor, have the nurse called into the office and confront her with what she said to the other nurse. Do not lose your temper but conduct yourself professionally. Never ever let another co-worker treat you as invaluable. You did the best you were able to do and offered to fix the problem. People like the nurse who made the comment, are one of the reasons nursing has so many problems. Nurses do not feel impowered, one of the many problems of nursing never addressed in the workplace. We all gripe and complain...that is the problem. We never take action.

interleukin · Feb 6, 2009

I can promise you this nurse has left stuff undone.
Exactly. Serious error but we have all done it - so has the surgeon. And he/she will rant and rave just as someone ranted and raved at them. The nurse following you is stuck dealing with it, let her vent a little. Bring her some chocolate and/or burst into tears right in front of her - works with most. I'm male but I've witnessed these tactics! He he. Oh, and never do this again.

"Bring her some chocolate and/or burst into tears right in front of her.."

Wrong! While you may get teary--which is fine--don't resort to it as a tactic of remorse. A simple honest apology will do. Go overboard(chocolates) and you will seen as subservient and weak by bullies. You worked overtime, did your best, and you missed something...big deal, that's nursingl!

So have I. Recently, I apologized for giving a lousy report, yet that wasn't good enough or this nurse. She gets her strength by seeing others falter. Now, she sets herself up for a fall in that no nurse can do it all, every time, in a perfect manner.

Do your best, but do not stay overtime unless it is a mandate. It is not your responsibility to staff the unit. When you're tired, your are apt to falter.

dorimar, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2009

Paleeeease! Jees, if that is the worst mistake you ever make as a nurse, then you are a super nurse. If it was only 3 am, sounds like that nurse had time to get it done in the AM before OR. Maybe it was just a little inconvenient for the patient, but the real problem was that it was inconvenient for her. I agree with the poster who said this nurse was eating her young. My gosh!!! Each and everyone one of us has done worse than miss an order for a test we still had to time to make up. Dust yourself off from this and use it as a learning experience to NEVER treat a new nurse like this (always remember how she made you feel). I think we have all been put through something like this, but for some reason, instead of learning NOT to behave this way, many end up doing exactly the same thing to their younger peers when they themselves get a little experience under their belts.

justiceforjoy · Feb 6, 2009

To echo the theme here, that is nursing. No nurse is perfect! She likely was having a bad day. next time you see her, just follow up with how the rest of the night was and be as empathetic and caring sounding as possible. Kill her with kindness!

interleukin · Feb 6, 2009

Kill her with neutrality and the best research-based nursing practice. She'll come running back to be your friend in due time.

Vito Andolini · Feb 17, 2009

There is a reason those things need to be done pre-surgery rather than post, and it's true that now SHE has to deal with the drs being ****** off that stuff wasn't done, but you are new and she shouldn't have treated you that way. She should have explained the reasons why those things needed to be done pre-surgery, and let you call the doctor to tell him because it's not like you didn't offer.
I'm sorry this happened to you and that she said you shouldn't be allowed to work there, though I do understand her frustration at trying to send patients for open heart when things were left undone by previous shifts. I can't tell you how many times I've had to get a crossmatch done stat at 4AM, or had to get consents signed on 3rd shift when we've known about the surgery for six days. Those things **** you off.
But don't beat yourself up; I would have apologized to her and left it at that. If she continues to treat you that way, stand up for yourself. Your feeling bad lets me know this is a mistake you won't repeat again.

Consents are generally not good beyond 24 hours, are they? So getting them signed prior to that is no good.

The nurse who in her face and then stabbed her in the back is a vicious little thing. I hate that kind of thing. For future reference, OP, if you think you should stay and take care of something, do. No matter what your relief says. That way, you'll have done all you could to atone.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2009

Consents are generally not good beyond 24 hours, are they? So getting them signed prior to that is no good.
The nurse who in her face and then stabbed her in the back is a vicious little thing. I hate that kind of thing. For future reference, OP, if you think you should stay and take care of something, do. No matter what your relief says. That way, you'll have done all you could to atone.

Depends what the consent is for and what your facility's policies are. You obviously only need to sign a blood consent once, even if you'll get multiple transfusions over the course of your admission.