Is it just my facility, or are nurses really this backbitting?

[Nurse_Tricia, LPN]

I've been a a nurse for 6 months and I have never seen a group of people who want to hurt each other so much. Where is the teamwork???? It is really sad. I have seen people be so nice to a nurse and when she turns her back they are calling the administrator at his house to let them know she went on a smokebreak. Instead of nurses helping each other out, they find a mistake and copy it and go right to the DON with it.

there are 4 of us new nurses at this facility. I think we should all try to stick together. One of the new nurses missed an entire order given by MD on 3-11 shift. I know cause she told me she called the md and he was upset because the B/P was not high enough (it was like 157/78) to warrant a phone call on a saturday night. I happened to be in the next morning on that unit and noticed she didn't do a TO order. I called her at home and told her about it and thought she would want to come in and fix it. She did although she hesitated because she said she didn't remember the doctor's name.. I was like, just call the service and ask who was on call that night. Well, two weeks later she is copying nursing notes on another new nurse and taking them to the supervisor.. The funny thing was... she was wrong and the other new nurse had the tx. nurse to confirm. But, really???

I had an EKG on a patient that I sent to the MD and also called to see if they recieved, and afterwards put it in the labs/special report tabs with the notation it was noted and md informed as well as put it in nursing notes. I float so I was on a different hall when the nursing supervisor asked where the EKG was from the day before the nurse couldnt find it and was upset it wasn't sent to the md. I said it is where it was supposed to be in labs/ sp. reports tab. Sure enough there it was.. But really???? you couldn't have asked me where it was???? you had to go to the nursing supervisor??? Is it like this everywhere???? Why don't nurses stick together?? There is such great responsibility in our jobs, it is impossible to never have made a mistake. And anyone who says they never made a mistake is a liar. I believe that we should stick together and learn from each others mistakes for a better outcome for our residents. People work more efficiently if they don't feel that at any given moment someone could say something or take a mistake they did and their job would be over. There is pressure and anxiety already with what we do as nurses to add the licensure/ job loss worry just makes it almost untolerable.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

You're preaching to the choir, honey. :)

Keep doing things the way you do and let it roll off your back. It will eat you up otherwise. I have finally, after years, found a wonderful unit where we stick together, cover each other, and work for the good of the resident, not to suck up to the DNS. And we don't have to -- we do look good. We cohere.

I'd like to work with you.

[debRN0417]

For some reason we are infamous for "eating our own"...don't know why....

[morphed]

The people that focus the most on catching other people's errors and trying to find things to report to management are the ones that make the most mistakes and then try to cover it up. The only thing I can tell is that when you are at work, don't make enemies and know that you are always being watched. Even the "nice one" could be running back to management as soon as you turn you back.

I don't think every place is like that though. In some places there is genuine support and people help each other out when they can. It all depends on the attitude of that particular unit and of management. Sometimes management really has a bigger role in why nurses turn on each other.

Also remember that everyone is trying to make sure they don't get blamed for something. They're hoping that if they're able to highlight someone else's errors, it takes the attention off of them. Better you than me, you know?

It really might be just that particular unit though. Are you friends with anybody else in the hospital? What do others have to say about their coworkers?

[coco3299]

Yes, it is said that nurses 'eat their own' as someone else stated. They will train you and nurture you under their wing but once you are on your own you are fair game. I quit my first hospital because of this type of environment. When hospitals do seminars on environmental 'culture' this is what they are talking about. Although, truth be told, it seems to be a formality more than an actual desire to change it. Like a JCAHO measure or legal measure to say they 'told you so' and all the while thinking 'now, as you were' lol. To keep from ranting here I will say this- you have to find a place where you fit in and are comfortable. I was cancelled from a travel assignment once and had to hurry an find a new position in the city or else I moved all the way there for nothing! I asked my aunt/nurse what to tell the manager where I would be interviewing for a quick start position when she inevitably asked what happened at my last assignment because I was with the same company who sent over my profile. Auntie said to be honest and tell her it wasnt a good fit and any real nurse knows what that means. Sure enough the new manager did ask and I told her I did not like the culture at the other hospital and it wasnt a good fit. She totally understood. She hired me on the spot. So when you find a good unit stick with it. I am at a great place now where we stick together. I think the odd ball snitches feel so out of place because they cant do what they are used to, which is being petty, and leave to find their greener pasture. We don't tolerate that. Its not necessary. Furthermore I tend to find public teaching hospitals better than private hospitals where doctors want every lab and test called to them and expect everyone to know not to bother them during the big game. Its crazy. Thats not my job. Teaching/county hospitals may pay a little less but I have found the culture to be so much more rewarding and the newer younger doctors are much more understanding. I found ways to tweek my pay with prn status and float pools to make more money.

The cattiness never goes away but it can be much better somewhere else, believe me, dont be discouraged from nursing like so many nurses do in the beginning thinking it will always be this way!!

Also, I attribute this to the fact that there are so many women in nursing and women are messy by nature. Like you said we need to stick together. If we did we could bargain better, create unions, and even more! But NOOOOOOO we wait for men to come along and take charge because men don't tolerate such dramatics like women. And finally (ok I wind up ranting) I blame upper management for allowing this behavior. As a manager I would politely let staff know some issues can be resolved amoungst them and NOT to expect to come to be whenever menial things happen on the unit. Some managers dont entertain such nonsense.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Also, I attribute this to the fact that there are so many women in nursing and women are messy by nature. Like you said we need to stick together. If we did we could bargain better, create unions, and even more! But NOOOOOOO we wait for men to come along and take charge because men don't tolerate such dramatics like women. And finally (ok I wind up ranting) I blame upper management for allowing this behavior. As a manager I would politely let staff know some issues can be resolved amoungst them and NOT to expect to come to be whenever menial things happen on the unit. Some managers dont entertain such nonsense.

With this, I don't agree. I attribute more of it to our positions of great responsibility with no real power. TheCommuter calls it "crabs in a bucket" -- if one starts getting out, the others drag it down. However, I would imagine this phenomenon can be seen in any "oppressed" culture such as prisons or the inner city, not that we are, thank a merciful FSM, that oppressed. But just like people in these situations, we create a lot of our own problems and then blame "the man."

[realnursealso/LPN, LPN]

My opinion is that society cares little about our fellow man these days. Even on this board, at times I've seen new grads and others, who are jobless say, well if you hate your job so, quit, we want your job. Not gee I'm really sorry you had to deal with that. Many people don't like it when another is praised, or feel their selfesteem is pumped up by tattling on another, and I'm not just talking about nurses. Selfish, greedy people abound in this world. Ever read the comments in the newspaper after articles about criminals being ignored when faced with medical crisis'? Alot of comments say, well if they weren't criminals, and in jail, they could have gone to the ER, or called 911 on their own. I'm talking about prisoners that had medical problems ignored and they died! We are becoming a society that is so afraid to offend anyone, that common sence has been forgotten. Makes alot more sence to me that when a non life threatening mistake is made and is easily corrected by going to that person, go to that person.Let them fix it, and be done with it. Just my take, old hippie here that misses the world I used to live in. Like the song, "He aint heavy, he's my brother."

[NurseSuzann]

I don't understand why nurses do this, but sometimes I think it is because they are afraid if they don't, they will get into trouble as well. I will take this to heart though. Everyone makes mistakes, I am a new grad and I've found mistakes but thats no excuse to blow up on people. However if I make a mistake I would prefer someone to tell me if they notice it, not be fuming about how they had to fix it without mentioning it so I can improve. We can all get better, right? Much love to your approach and keep being a good nurse :)

[Jody7818]

The people that focus the most on catching other people's errors and trying to find things to report to management are the ones that make the most mistakes and then try to cover it up.

That's so true. It's sad, but this a nuissance in every working environment. I worked in manufacturing for over 10 years, and this was a huge problem. What's even more sad is that you may see some colleagues as potential friends while you're working with them. However, given time, they show their true colors by doing dirty acts such as these. You'd figure that your fellow nurse colleagues would be more gentle.

[AnneS]

This is my second career after a long career as a CPA. I will tell you this...in my first career, I did not encounter any of this constant 'writing up' as I do with the nurses. Its almost like a competition on how many times they can catch another peer making a mistake. I think its PATHETIC and a terrible way to run an organization. Management is responsible for how things should be handled, and I do not understand why they allow peers to tattle (and tattle is what it is). I can only surmise that it is because 90% of nurses are female and this catty behavior is what they know. We had plenty of responsibility in the accounting world too. If you don't think people get real upset about how their money is handled... think again, its right up there with their healthcare, so I don't think this is about the nature of the business, I really think it's because it is allowed to continue because most of us are female. Very sad. We need to work together, think as a unit, think like men if thats what it takes and leave our pettiness behind and see the big picture. Until we do, we will NEVER EVER be a true profession. We will work in fear. If there is a problem with the way something was done, it should be brought to managements attention because maybe employees need some more teaching, not punishment.

[coco3299]

With what part don't you agree before I rant on everthing in that quote...

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

With what part don't you agree before I rant on everthing in that quote...

That it's because we're women. I think men are capable of just as much pettiness and display it given similar circumstances.

I agreed with the rest of your post.

:)