Lazy Coworkers?

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Specializes in Long Term Care.
Lazy Coworkers?

OK everyone! How do you handle working behind a lazy coworker?

For example. I'm an agency nurse, and there's one (LTC) facility I work at frequently. Just about every week. There's one particular nurse where every time I come on night shift to work after her, things are left undone. Admissions from day shift that she claims "just got here" who were actually there for  hours, things like that.

She also never does wound care.... She'll chart off that she did, then when I check, the dressings are soiled and dated from days ago. This is constantly. Then, patients and families question me on when it should be changed, so I just go ahead and do it. They have every right to complain. 

Sometimes during report, she even skips entire patients!! It's getting ridiculous.

This facility is so nice and easy, but she is making me not want to come. I have enough of my own work, hers shouldn't fall on me too. I hate confrontation, and I know how some staff nurses already feel about agency. Management and administration here have complimented me numerous times on my work ethic, and how they appreciate how I get things done. Should I discuss this with them?

How would you guys handle this? I don't want to "snitch" or get anyone in trouble, but I do feel like management would hear me out. This isn't fair to me, and most importantly, our patients. 

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Specializes in Hospice.

Is your agency aware of the issue? What does your coordinator have to say? 

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Specializes in Long Term Care.

So I work for one of those online agencies that are really just more of a third party than an actually agency. They wouldn't really be able to do anything. 

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Specializes in Hospice.
thenursebabe25 said:

So I work for one of those online agencies that are really just more of a third party than an actually agency. They wouldn't really be able to do anything. 

Still, they're legally your employer, I think It might be a good idea to inform the company of a potentially serious (read "expensive”) work issue.

Is there a way to jiggle your schedule so that you don't have to follow the problematic nurse so much?

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The resident has been neglected. You have a duty to report. Document, document, document... be ready to move on.

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Specializes in Private Practice/Family Healthcare.

BTDT said it much better than I could ever. "Documentation.”  You will never change them.  If you fight with Pigs, you'll get mud and all kinds of other fomite and flora/fauna on you.  Be you.  Do you.  And Document what you see Objectively.

If it becomes a "Patient Safety" situation, I am obligated to communicate and document that.  I am very specific to date, time, location, exactly what I saw using all 5 senses to objectively tell a story of an occurrence.  The only "hearsay" I chart is what the Patient states, and I document that as a Patient Stated…“Quote.”

When it hits the fan, you'll have a coat and umbrella, a sense of peace, and a nice clean pair of underwear.  All this while the other Nurse, not so much.

If your gut says, "Something is wrong with this/that,” listen good, and the question is simple, "Hmmm, What is my appropriate Nursing Action?”

The tools you learned in school can help you do everything- even out of Nursing.  When someone talks negatively about a co-worker, to keep from joining in, I'll use therapeutic communication, Hahaha.

My point is, there's nothing we can do to change people.  We can point, advise, and even educate,.. but we can only "do" us.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.
AlpacaTraveLlamaDNP said:

My point is, there's nothing we can do to change people.  We can point, advise, and even educate,.. but we can only "do" us.

A very good point. As awful as it is to follow a lazy coworker, you're the only one that knows whether this is worth it to follow up and risk either losing your job or making an uncomfortable work environment. If these things rise to the level of safety events, you are well within your rights (and maybe obligations) to report it. However, if there are just a few things and you can fix them without any real harm coming to a patient, maybe it's worth it to do what you can and keep a good job.

Perhaps this nurse really lacks the time management skills to get everything done. LTC is a hard gig, and I know that when I started out I was there late constantly because I couldn't get it done on time. If I had to leave on time for other family or work obligations, I would have missed many things, and I was really trying my best. (As it was I only missed out on sleep because of it)

I'm generally a straight forward person. If it were me and this was a pattern I would ask the nurse if there was a specific reason that something wasn't done. If they said it was about now knowing something I would offer to get it done together so they could learn. If they said it was about running out of time I would ask them whether we should approach a supervisor or charge nurse together to find out how she can get the support she needs to get the job done. If you can at least appear supportive, perhaps things could change. Then again, maybe it wouldn't do anything. Good luck with whatever you decide. 

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Specializes in Med surgical and Corrections.

Welcome to Nursing ! Some good some not so good !

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This is going to be managements plan when the facility gets into trouble and is required to make a plan of correction; they will put the blame for various problems on her and fire her. While management will say they were unaware of problems until that time. 

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JBMmom said:

I'm generally a straight forward person. If it were me and this was a pattern I would ask the nurse if there was a specific reason that something wasn't done. If they said it was about now knowing something I would offer to get it done together so they could learn. If they said it was about running out of time I would ask them whether we should approach a supervisor or charge nurse together to find out how she can get the support she needs to get the job done. If you can at least appear supportive, perhaps things could change. Then again, maybe it wouldn't do anything. Good luck with whatever you decide. 

I agree.  Typically these kind of people only do this when they know they can get away with it.  I'd probably flat out ask her why she has trouble getting these tasks done.   Sometimes you have to call them on it.  

I also agree with the other person who mentioned going thru your agency vs to the unit manager.  You and especially the agency have some leverage.  If they are using agency nurses, they're in a bind.  If they realize they may lose that option because of one bad apple, they'll fix it. 

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thenursebabe25 said:

She also never does wound care.... She'll chart off that she did, then when I check, the dressings are soiled and dated from days ago.

I would report this.

thenursebabe25 said:

How would you guys handle this? I don't want to "snitch" or get anyone in trouble

Yeah this definitely isn't about that, but about taking care of people instead of not taking care of them while fraudulently charting that the care was done.  Your position here needs neither apology nor defense. If the other nurse wouldn't want to be "snitched" on then there is always the option of doing the work.

 

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Specializes in Case management, supervisor, unit manager, etc.

Do walking rounds on each patient. Look at dressing etc and ask the new patients did you get in last night or this morning? She can not dispute what you both see. And, it removes blame away from you without confrontation.  

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