Issues @ work with coworker

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Hi! I'm currently working a case f/t. We have a new nurse that I oriented that is new to private duty. I spent a few days with her teaching her about trachs, feeding tubes, and all the basics about private duty. A few weeks later she has decided to bring politics in to a case that never had it before. It was a quiet, mostly drama-free case until she came in. She has hospital experience and I guess she thought she would have to bring the politics with her. I gave her every tool I could to help her succeed. Even gave her my cell number so she could call/text me with any questions when I went on vacation or was off. She turned around and started playing games. I was the one that got her on the case to begin with as the mother wanted my opinion on who to put on the case. At first I thought that other than lack of experience with trachs, that she was great. Then all of the sudden she sent me a text asking me why I backstabbed her. I never did a thing except tell the supervisor what a pleasure it was to work with her. Then she took a day of mine by manipulation. So the office called me and told me that they were putting her on a day and pulling me off because I had OT. But I was scheduled!! The office told me during that call that they had already talked to this nurse and she would be working that day. So next thing I know the nurse texted me asking "Who is working tomorrow". Even though she knew...she was playing around. So then she started politics with the parent trying to make me look bad. Well now the parent has been "cold" to me the past couple of weeks. Well last week the nurse got a DWI and I had to cover her shift for her while she was in jail. Well that gave me more OT and the agency pulled another day from me and she got her hours back as she had been scheduled. The agency didn't and doesn't know about the DWI....the agency will shoot the messenger!! So basically I lost OT for covering for her and keeping my mouth shut while she got her hours back. Well I went back to work after a day off and see that this nurse has decorated the patients casts....thats great, except on the underside where its hard to see she wrote "my best nurse is, (nursesname)". Excuse me?!?! Really?!?! So tonight I see that she has friended the parent on facebook. So then I see that the mom had something nasty to say about me because I did my job like I'm supposed to and she didn't like it. Unfortunately, there are no other cases with work available right now. I'd ask the agency to put me on another case or at least move some of my hours to another case. I can't afford to lose any hours. But I don't want any trouble by staying on the case either.

This other nurse is wrong on soooo many levels. What do I do?

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As soon as another case becomes available, depart this case.

What goes around comes around, and the nurse's true colors will be

revealed by her own behavior.......Continue in your usual professional

manner. She will not last long and you will be invited to back to this first

case. So sorry you are going through this, once you are clear of this

situation, make it clear to the agency what your expectations are.

Agencies do not want bad word of mouth from families with unprofessional nurses attending their, so it in their best interest to screen and add more professionals like you..

I will add if you are still on schedules with her and she does anything

that would be potentially unsafe for the patient, alert the agency

immediately..

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Doesn't the employer deserve to know about the DWI?

(serious question - I have no idea of an employer's right to know)

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Oh wait. This nurse got a DWI?!?! And she is still employed?

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

The agency doesn't know she has it. The agency has made it clear that they don't want nurses telling them anything about other nurses. Its a national and well known agency too. So if I tell them anything I'll look like the bad guy. I said something once and quickly found out that it made me the bad guy until they parent made the same complaint.

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

A copy of the DWI could be mailed to the agency. Or don't they post the DUIs in the papers anymore ... I know they use to where I live but no one buys the paper anymore.

I've worked with many of these types and they will always often times win with their underhanded tactics. Sometimes you can't wait for the Karma to work and you need to be proactive and give it a little nudge ... anonymously of course. ;)

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

I thought of that exact plan. But she is new to the agency and has only had contact with the office and myself. So I'm worried it would come back to me anyway. And Karma works both ways. If I did that, I'm worried about how it will come back to bite me.

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.

I understand your concern. That agency needs to know this information though.

Actually, so does the state board, and most likely will in time...it will be reported...at least in Florida all DUI's are considered criminal and are reported to the Board. DIdn't she have to surrender her drivers license?? You immediately have to..so how is she able to drive to work?

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

I found out her mother is driving her to work. I thought about an anonymous report to the board about her. I looked up her record and if its the same person I'm working with, the record shows convictions for felony controlled substance charges. Now I wonder how they even hired her!! Or if they needed a warm body with a license and overlooked the background.

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I looked up her record and if its the same person I'm working with, the record shows convictions for felony controlled substance charges. Now I wonder how they even hired her!! Or if they needed a warm body with a license and overlooked the background.

Good grief, maybe you need to reassess working for this agency!

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Unfortunately there isn't much work here right now. Nurses are fighting for hours at the agencies which is why there aren't cases available to move to easily. And I'm working over an hour away. It was the only work I could find in 6 months! While I'm keeping an eye open, I have to stay until another opportunity comes up.

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.
I found out her mother is driving her to work. I thought about an anonymous report to the board about her. I looked up her record and if its the same person I'm working with, the record shows convictions for felony controlled substance charges. Now I wonder how they even hired her!! Or if they needed a warm body with a license and overlooked the background.

Interesting...go to your BON website and do a license "look up"...it's all public record...you don't need her license number, you just need to put in her name, just see if her nursing license is "free and clear" or has "obligations" or "dicipline" on it....if she has covictions for felony controlled substances-she should be in an "alternative" program such as the IPN (Floridas)...that's if you have one in your state...if she is in one, then a DUI would automatically kick her out and she would either have her licensed suspended or revoked.....she may already have a suspended license...it sounds as if this chick has been around the block before......I have some other ideas, too.

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