LVN/LPN out to get me?????

[Bretside]

I just took a job as DON in a small town nursing home.  This small nursing home has been through 3 DON's this past year.  I have had some call ins and had to work the floor as a CNA a few times already and alternating taking call working the floor with the LPN that has pretty much been handling the place (I did expect this to some degree starting out being a small facility-been far more then I expected).  Funny thing is on her weekend On-Call is always staffed and I seem to have to come in all the time when it is my turn.  This LPN has been going behind me calling the doctors changing my wound care orders to what she thinks we should be doing.   I get the schedule all completed and then it gets altered by her.  She tells me she is trying to get the shifts covered for me but I've been told that she is most likely sabotaging me with her buddies.   

I understand that I should probably pull rank on her and confront her about this.  My problem is she is good friends with the administrator, the medical director, hr person, and has known most of the staff for a long time.  I'm not really sure who I can trust or if administration will have my back.  The administrator seems to be very open minded when I talk to him but I'm not sure if he will have my back when it comes to her.  I love the facility, the residents, and it is near my small home in the country.  Besides, having to work all the time and the struggle for control it is my dream job.  Any advice on how to handle this power struggle????  

[caliotter3]

I once worked at a place that had an LVN that was a version of this. Eventually, after much turmoil, turnover, and new administration finally seeing her for what she was, her hours started to get cut. Some here, some there. Since she worked a long distance from her home, they finally reached a point where it was no longer sustainable and she resigned. My suggestion if you don’t want to wring your hands with this person, do the same. Start cutting her hours. Continue to do so until you get rid of her. By cutting her hours, you will actually be teaching her a lesson on her way out the door. And the other staff will see you as a force to be reckoned with, a bonus for you in the long run. Tell your administration what you are going to do. No support: resign. You can’t win when they support the personnel rot.

[Bretside]

Thank You for the advice caliotter3.  I was thinking of cutting back on the problem children's hours who have been calling in sick.  Just need to get some more staff in the building to handle the fallout. Never been in this situation before where I'm not sure if I could trust anyone in administration.  I have not had the opportunity to really express what I expect from staff.  I was thinking maybe a potluck, cookout, or something.  My first day as DON had the State in for Full Book.  Have not really gotten a chance to put systems in place or figure things out yet.   

[caliotter3]

You kind of have to be careful about using scheduled hours to discipline support personnel. It could backfire. They did that with one very poor CNA and ended up having to recall her from suspension due to continuing staffing issues. She reportedly walked around grinning. Cleaning house is always going to depend to some extent on available work force.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

I hate to say this, but without someone on your side you will be DON in name only. The LPN is running the whole show here.

[Bretside]

I've slowly worked through a solution with my issue with the LVN/LPN out to get me.  These are the steps that I've gone through that seemed to have helped and seems to be a combination of advice I got from everyone:

1)  Met with the LVN/LPN and agreed to give her a second change if she agrees to give me a second chance as well (Before she would become offensive to any kind of leadership being allowed to do whatever she wants for the past 10 years and the five previous DON's she ran off).

2)  Had a BBQ where I grilled a bunch of yummy food and had a meeting of what I expect from all of our staff (Especially, reliability is very important to me).

3) Hired on several PRN Staff members that would show up and help us in a pinch (I think this makes a statement that they can be replaced).

4)  Took the problem child off of On-Call and Overtime with replacements.

5) Had a talk with all staff where it comes to working Agency (No problem with anyone having a second job as long as it doesn't interfere with the job here).