Love it, hate it...

I went in today and decided to be Pollyanna.

There were the usual sourpusses and I ignored them. I actually cut one off in mid-sentence and said, "We heard you. We're in the middle of going through some labs, okay?" She stomped off, but the heck with her. The same one told me I shouldn't take my old ones out into the sun because they'd come to expect it. I replied that sitting in the sun for half an hour wasn't much in the way of unrealistic desires.

Just keep your attitude pleasant to the people to whom it matters - the residents. And if someone needs bossing boss 'em. It ain't a democracy.

Ha! I loved your response :)

Its like this where I work too...

I have worked in 3 LTC and are all about the same in my opinion.

It's the same everywhere, some worse than others. I just started a new job in the ICU back in December. I'm already getting frusturated with people's poor attitudes. All I hear is complaining all the time.

I just left a place because of all the negativity. I'm hoping my new job will at least be less bad.

When someone is having a bad day and trying to get everyone riled up because of the negativity I try to reply by telling them ", Sorry you're having a bad day, Just so you know we love you."...

It's like throwing ice cube on a fire. It works for me sometimes..

Most facilities are pretty much the same . If you let these people get a reaction out of you, they win. It takes much more energy to walk around miserable than to be happy. I have enough to worry about taking care of my 30 residents, I don't need to worry about someone elses mood issues LOL . Unfortunately, sometimes the only way to get a handle on this type of person is to call them on it. Or like the above poster wrote..."we heard you, but I need to do XY and Z"

I think its like that everywhere you go. There's always a conflict between co-workers and this creates attitudes.

Maybe I'm delusional, or just lucky, but at most of the places I've worked, the staff has been collegial and cooperative. If someone complains once or twice, I let it go. But if they complain constantly about the workload or the residents, they are reminded that they are not indentured servants and are free to leave any time to find another job. If they're really whiny I sometimes tell them that no matter how bad their day is, at least THEY get to go home....most of our residents never get to go home.

As for treating each other with respect--the management team treats everyone with respect. We make it known by policy and by example that being disrespectful will not be tolerated.

I worked Saturday night (agency role) in LTC facility.

A caregiver/nurse aide used the F word at me.

The morning nurse was so rude.

I was due to go back the next night for another shift. But one benefit of working agency is I can decide where I want to work.

I worked at another facility with nice people the following night.

I don't understand why people have to be mean.

There are too many mean people in nursing. Maybe related to a need for power.

. If they're really whiny I sometimes tell them that no matter how bad their day is, at least THEY get to go home....most of our residents never get to go home.

Good point.

I think the key is management. If management treat their staff with respect this attitude of respect tends to follow on down and into the coal face where the work is done.