Issues @ work with coworker

Nurses Relations

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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?

Cali, this is absolutely true for the Florida IPN, I would suspect it true of others as well.

However, we don't know if she is in a program--yet!...I would imagine-if this state is anything at all like FLorida--that she will be in one within the next 12 weeks....maybe a little longer for all of the red tape...she would need all of the evaluations, etc. But it should be coming...and bye bye home health...if she has to go to rehab..bye bye working anywhere for about 6 months.....

That is why I said it is a matter of time. Assuming she gets put in the program, the agency will be forced to get rid of her, and the OP should have a better work atmosphere. However, if it were me, I would still look for a new case. The client can not be trusted not to dump over one nurse for another, and a proven record in this area means a person has little job security.

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

Very true. If a parent wants to keep a good nurse, they need to stand up for that nurse. Not jump in to all the games and politics. I need a better case and will find one in time. This parent can't be trusted!

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Yes. It is very common, actually, it is par for the course. And almost always, the nurse who says anything at all to the agency supervisors about anything out of kilter, gets branded as the troublemaker, not the offending parties. The supervisors do not want anyone to rock the boat at all. That means work on their part, and they don't want work. So, they attack the person who reports any wrongdoing at all. This behavior can be found from case to case, from agency to agency.

You are SOOOOOO right caliotter3!!!!!

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

WOW is all I have to say. What a person!

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Specializes in CTICU.

First, I have to say that we've heard the side of your story and that I'm concerned about yours and everyone else comments. It makes me believe by reading Your complains about this co-worker of yours that we :down: do not know and then again we have the audacity to make these conclusions with the paucity of data is what makes me upset. This only implies that you already have spoken to some people close to you at work about your perception or what you might think of your co-worker. While you may think those close workers have your back and would never do anything to harm you, they may unintentionally let slip what you have said to them. ARE YOU 100% SURE ABOUT THE DWI? ARE YOU SURE 100% ABOUT YOUR ACCUSATIONS? IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN ALL OF THIS WRONG? Cause once this gets to your boss, you may find yourself having to explain all of this. if it's not true or if she has discussed this matter with the boss then you are in deep poop. Also, I would like to add that we all are humans and we can make mistakes and just because a nurse has a DWI does not make her less of a professional than anybody else. NURSES ARE HUMANS TOO. So my advice to you is simple. If whatever you do, it does not end in problem resolution then don't do it.

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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.

With the number of experienced nurses looking for work, how is it the agency chose this individual.

Seems they need a better screening process.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

rn-logic wrote:

first, i have to say that we've heard the side of your story and that i’m concerned about yours and everyone else comments. it makes me believe by reading your complains about this co-worker of yours that we :down: do not know and then again we have the audacity to make these conclusions with the paucity of data is what makes me upset.

i don't understand why you are upset. the op gave us both her opinion and some factual data. you wrote, "we have the audacity to make these conclusions"...yet in your next sentence, you make a 'conclusion' that the op has spoken to her co-workers about the situation. unless i am missing something, nowhere in any of her posts does she even hint about talking to anyone at work about the situation, and actually wants to avoid discussing it.

this only implies that you already have spoken to some people close to you at work about your perception or what you might think of your co-worker. while you may think those close workers have your back and would never do anything to harm you, they may unintentionally let slip what you have said to them. are you 100% sure about the dwi? are you sure 100% about your accusations? is there a possibility that you have gotten all of this wrong? cause once this gets to your boss, you may find yourself having to explain all of this.

the op wrote that she had to pick up the other nurses' shift because she was in jail for the dwi.

if it's not true or if she has discussed this matter with the boss then you are in deep poop.

the op further explained that the agency did not know about the dwi.

also, i would like to add that we all are humans and we can make mistakes and just because a nurse has a dwi does not make her less of a professional than anybody else.

i beg to differ. it absolutely makes them "less of a professional." however, it doesn't mean by any stretch that she is a bad person. it just means that she has a problem that needs to be addressed.

nurses are humans too. so my advice to you is simple. if whatever you do, it does not end in problem resolution then don't do it.

i agree. nurses are human. we all make mistakes. the op did the right thing by not causing a stir at the agency, but instead sent a report to the bon.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

also, i would like to add that we all are humans and we can make mistakes and just because a nurse has a dwi does not make her less of a professional than anybody else.

i beg to differ. it absolutely makes them "less of a professional." however, it doesn't mean by any stretch that she is a bad person. it just means that she has a problem that needs to be addressed.

i'm glad someone sees it that way. sadly, many people get dwis or duis. i know many who have (none of my nurse friends tho). it is not a good thing, no matter how good the person is.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.
First, I have to say that we've heard the side of your story and that I'm concerned about yours and everyone else comments. It makes me believe by reading Your complains about this co-worker of yours that we :down: do not know and then again we have the audacity to make these conclusions with the paucity of data is what makes me upset. This only implies that you already have spoken to some people close to you at work about your perception or what you might think of your co-worker. While you may think those close workers have your back and would never do anything to harm you, they may unintentionally let slip what you have said to them. ARE YOU 100% SURE ABOUT THE DWI? ARE YOU SURE 100% ABOUT YOUR ACCUSATIONS? IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN ALL OF THIS WRONG? Cause once this gets to your boss, you may find yourself having to explain all of this. if it's not true or if she has discussed this matter with the boss then you are in deep poop. Also, I would like to add that we all are humans and we can make mistakes and just because a nurse has a DWI does not make her less of a professional than anybody else. NURSES ARE HUMANS TOO. So my advice to you is simple. If whatever you do, it does not end in problem resolution then don't do it.

I suggest that you re-read the OP and the following posts. You have made some inaccurate conclusions.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Will move to the Nursing Colleague and Pt Relations forum.

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Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.
First, I have to say that we've heard the side of your story and that I'm concerned about yours and everyone else comments. It makes me believe by reading Your complains about this co-worker of yours that we :down: do not know and then again we have the audacity to make these conclusions with the paucity of data is what makes me upset. This only implies that you already have spoken to some people close to you at work about your perception or what you might think of your co-worker. While you may think those close workers have your back and would never do anything to harm you, they may unintentionally let slip what you have said to them. ARE YOU 100% SURE ABOUT THE DWI? ARE YOU SURE 100% ABOUT YOUR ACCUSATIONS? IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN ALL OF THIS WRONG? Cause once this gets to your boss, you may find yourself having to explain all of this. if it's not true or if she has discussed this matter with the boss then you are in deep poop. Also, I would like to add that we all are humans and we can make mistakes and just because a nurse has a DWI does not make her less of a professional than anybody else. NURSES ARE HUMANS TOO. So my advice to you is simple. If whatever you do, it does not end in problem resolution then don't do it.

I'm so sorry you are having such a bad day and feel the need to stir up something. However, I have enough sense not to come on a board like this without having my facts straight. BTW, I did verify on the courts website all the info. It shows her court date and her charges.

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Specializes in CTICU.

i don't understand why you are upset. the op gave us both her opinion and some factual data. you wrote, "we have the audacity to make these conclusions"...yet in your next sentence, you make a 'conclusion' that the op has spoken to her co-workers about the situation. unless i am missing something, nowhere in any of her posts does she even hint about talking to anyone at work about the situation, and actually wants to avoid discussing it.

i completely agree with you that she gave us her opinion but i don't know what you classify about factual data when you don't know the accuracy of the circumstances. it's only fair in this case to be neutral cause we don't know the other side of the story. also, i never concluded anything. i was just implying. however, some of you are so quick to judge. a person who seems at a low point may in fact have worked very hard to overcome hardship and reach even this level.

i beg to differ. it absolutely makes them "less of a professional." however, it doesn't mean by any stretch that she is a bad person. it just means that she has a problem that needs to be addressed.

once again you do not know if she has a problem. you do not know the circumstances. just cause she was charged with a dwi does not mean she is an alcoholic. i rather place myself in her situation and try to have a better perspective. does an obese/smoker/hiv/ or some one who cheats on wife or husband nurse is less professional than others. i don't think so. nursing is a career and it should not reflect your personal life.

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