I don't know what to do...

CarmenMarie · Mar 9, 2010

Still in school, but in any work environment where you have a client base your co-worker should never call you out in front of a client. It demoralizes your for one, two it decreases the clients trust in your abilities and in the abilities of the organization. Would you want to be cared for in a hospital that has the nurses fighting amongst themselves in your room? Doesn't inspire much confidence. You never know what is going on in her life too though or what she has had to put up with from past grads. She was wrong to give you a dressing down in a patients room. Don't throw her under the bus by going above her head. Tell her that if she wants she can yell at you to her hearts content in the break room or locker, but ask her not to do it again in a patient's room. More for their comfort than yours. It is not professional and if I had been that patient I would have gotten her name and had a word with the unit manager. It is a bad idea to wake me before I am ready without being in the hospital. Good luck.

Up2nogood RN, RN · Mar 9, 2010

Sorry this happened to you:(

I would have asked the nurse (charge or not) to step out in the hallway when she started speaking to you this way in front of the patient and request to be spoken to as an adult.

I would be assertive and tell her that you think it's not appropriate to berate you in front of patients. Own your mistakes and what you will do to avoid them in the future.

I would give her a chance to treat you decently before you go to your nurse manager. You really have to nip this behavior in the bud now otherwise she is going to bully and walk all over you.

caliotter3 · Mar 9, 2010

What that nurse did was wrong. She has a supervisor. Go speak to her supervisor. You don't deserve that and especially the patients don't deserve it. She should be reprimanded for undermining their confidence in you and creatng emotional distress for them. No excuse for it.

iNurseUK, RN · Mar 9, 2010

How unprofessional is that? Totally unacceptable behaviour. If that had happened on MY ward the older nurse would have caught it from me.

I don't tolerate bullying. And especially not in front of patients. You did nothing wrong and that is just not acceptable. Report it to the Sister in charge.

sunluvarn · Mar 10, 2010

Thanks everyone for your replies - I am back to work tomorrow and will speak the the nurse manager about this person... Turns out it isn't just me she is doing this to - but another grad as well - we have arranged to go together for support and to show it isn't just one person experiencing this. I do own my mistakes - and I corrected them before I went home that night- I accepted the criticisim (what she said was TRUE and if the tables were turned I would have said similar) but it was the location that she delivered it that I have a problem with. I am not confronting the staff member directly because she is now on leave for two weeks and I don't need to be stressing about confronting her for that long.

Thanks again!

caliotter3 · Mar 10, 2010

The nurse would most likely not be receptive anyway and patient abuse (creating emotional distress is emotional abuse) is serious enough to go above her head anyway. Hopefully, this will be resolved so that it does not recur. Glad to hear that you are following up on this. Good for you. You are a good patient advocate.

twentytenRN · Mar 10, 2010

Assertiveness is needed and appropriate in these situations. Even as a new grad you have to stand up for yourself and noone deserves this type of treatment. I would have stopped her dead in her tracks and said, "This is not an appropriate time for this conversation, I am going to finish with my patient and then I will be happy to discuss this matter with you elsewhere." Turn around, and finish what you're doing with your patient and don't even give them the opportunity to continue berating you. Glad you're following up with her superior.

Mezcalero · Mar 10, 2010

the nurse who was taking over from me started the shift by finding out that she was taking over from a new grad, and shook her head saying "the new grads are useless this is gonna be a mess".

Anyone who would say this to a new grad (or even a seasoned nurse) has a serious stick up his/her **s, I if I were you I would tell her straight-out "I will not tolerate this kind of BS in a professional environment. You were a new nurse at one time and someone helped you through the process, it's a shame you can't remember those days and give back to someone else what was given to you."

Stand up for yourself and NEVER take this kind of crap from anyone. That's my opinion, after just coming of orientation myself. Good luck! :redbeathe

monicanurse · Mar 10, 2010

It doesnt suprise me in a way. Nurses are becoming more and more unprofessional in their behaviour. Its a shame. I think alot of her reaction has to do with HER and not with you. She must have stress of her own that she has to deal with.

Remember, just because you are new does not mean you dont know how to be treated. Stand up for yourself. The more crap you tolerate , the more this same person will get away with poor behavior.

She should know that you are a new nurse. She should be helping you . She was also a new nurse once. I hate that this happens to new nurses. I think as experienced nurses, we are a role model for New nurses coming to the profession. If we dont do our part to be professional, then new nurses are going to go elsewhere , maybe out of the nursing profession. Its a shame we are not all true Adults..!

Hang in there! You are Learning!! You are supposed to make minor mistakes. It is stressful enough to be a new nurse and you dont need to put up with that kind of behavior.