I feel so terrible about this, DH says I should just forget about it...
Towards the end of one of those 12 hr shifts where you never sat down, admissions til unit was full, VERY 'demanding' pts etc., I was charting for the whole shift and getting ready to leave when yet another iv starts beeping. I tapped her on the arm to let her know it was hers(she has some hearing deficit), and she stomped away all huffy puffy. It's not like I was just lounging, I had been answering iv's all night and honestly just needed to go home before losing it! She is a very sweet person, great nurse, who was having a bad day at the start of the shift, and had just gotten a pretty complicated admission. I always try to help out and don't do the "it's your pt, you do it" thing, but my back was killing me and I just wanted to go home. She had time left in her shift so I figured it wasn't a big deal. Was I wrong to not do it for her? She is someone I consider a friend, so I feel horrible about upsetting her. Please tell me what you guys think..
You both were having a stressful day. She'll forgive being asked to get the IV, just as you will forgive her huffiness because you both know it was just a rotten, crappy, thankless day. Just make a point to do something nice (like get her IV;)) the next shift you work with her. I will bet that she feels as bad as you do- or has forgotten the whole incident.
YES, YES. get my IV now that is a very good. Demonstrates you are willing to help and support her, and you both were just over burdened humans.
Yeah let it go. She was just frustrated that the machine was beeping as we all get upset when pumps go off inconviently. Don't mindread that she was angry at you for not getting it for her, as surely she knew your shift was over. That huffing and puffing wasn't about you. Relax.
I agree! Forget it! If you bring it up and clear the air, will she even remember the incident? She may have been involved in something else and wasn't really meaning a huffiness towards you. We all get huffy at one time or another. Patients are demanding and we are tired. Women tend to let this bother them more than men. Just let it go.
From your post, you don't have anything to apologize for, she should be apologizing to you! It was her IV and the end of a long shift where you were both trying to finish up your work. You did nothing wrong. She owes you an apology for her reaction towards you. I would not worry about it any longer, but please don't feel you did anything wrong.
canoehead is right. i had a horrific day friday (new computer system, slow unit secretary). i ended up leaving three blood transfusions, two units each, and two central line dsg changes for second shift. know what the pm rn said to me? that's whay there are three shifts, don't worry abt it, i'll do what i can.
as long as you don't make a habit of it, your coworkers will forgive you for the bad times.
usually i would have stayed til the blood was up and the done the dsg changes myself, but friday i had to leave at 3:30 and she understood that. god bless her.
Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
know what the pm rn said to me? that's whay there are three shifts, don't worry abt it, i'll do what i can.
QUOTE]I LOVE that nurse-not too many of them where I work but it is my philosophy and when I hit the unit in the AM I get report and jump right in...I take over and send them on home and I expect the same at the end of my shift..I am often disappointed though-I am in LTC and work with some inflexible people...They want to come in and sit down and get their ducks in a row-no matter what is going on....I am like you and am sensitive and tend to dwell on things.I want everyone to "be happy" I am the Queen Smoother over-er....What a thankless task-I am working on that issue...You thought you were helping her out by letting her know it was her IV alarming and she bit your head off-she had the problem-not you...If she is the type that does this often you can make some smart remark back at her...Or let it go if it is an occassional reaction...There are no victims...only volunteers...to quote a fellow board member (or B.M.) You'll only get as much as you'll take.....
Ya,, i agree, p****d off co-workers come on a daily basis in one way or another. She'll get over it. If it was already past your end of shift, it wasnt your responsibility to take care of it. Think of it as you were trying to help without overstepping your end of shift, if she got PO'd,, its her problem and her problem to get over.
Well, as it turns out, she wasn't mad at me just ticked off in general. I'm glad I brought it up, I HATE when people are mad and don't discuss it. I think people would get along better if we talked it out instead of holding grudges. Lots of suppressed animosity on my unit and you can feel it in the air. Maybe if we all stopped wispering about what so and so did we could better understand their actions and have a healthy work place. Kind of PUNNY for a hospital setting isn't it? :chuckle
Yes, glad to hear it. There is so much undercurrent of bad feelings in stressful environments that I'm all for clearing the air. I was on the phone with a doc the other day and had the ward clerk pushing a lab result under my nose over and over until I finally held my hand up and I guess must have looked a bit impatient. She immediately put her head down and looked distressed. When I got off the phone I apologized and explained that it was hard to listen to the doc and deal with the distraction of the lab, that I already knew about the lab and I was sorry for being gruff. She was very grateful that I cleared the air and we have been fine. Now if I hadn't said anything, she would have forever thought of me as rude and who knows what else that would have fed . . . .undercurrents and all.
Agnus
2,719 Posts
YES, YES. get my IV now that is a very good. Demonstrates you are willing to help and support her, and you both were just over burdened humans.