Hi all! Need your input. I have been an RN for 9 yrs. been in my new job for 6months. The shift charge nurse been an RN for 2 yrs. she's charge because I stepped down as charge after I found out I am pregnant.
Now, last week, out of nowhere, she harassed me all day. Disrespected and insulted me four times in a 12hr shift. I reported her to my boss, boss did nothing. At the end of our shift, she tried to actually reassign her patients to me because I discharged mine and wanted me to take over. I told her I needed to catch up on my charting. She went to the house supervisor and lied saying that I refused assignment. I didn't. She's a lazy charge nurse. Takes long lunch breaks, always on her cellphone updating her status on FB!
Next day, boss called me. And instead of me getting an apology of some sort, I got reprimanded for contributing to breakdown in communication. How did I? She dissed me all day. Boss excused her behavior as it's a cultural thing! She didn't mean to insult and disrespect you!! I am tempted to go higher up the chain of command. I am very upset and feel this is bullying in the workplace. Am I over-reacting?
I didn't tell her she's mean. Yes, I tried to talk to her about the pouting statement and she dismissed by saying I was complaining, I should take whatever she gives me and shshhed me and walked away. Later that day she lied to supervisor saying that I refused an assignment.
I'm also taking issue with your insistence that the other nurse is "lying to the supervisor." Perhaps she misinterpreted what you said and thought you were refusing? Perhaps you only overheard part of the conversation and you thought she was misrepresenting your conversation because you took it out of context?
I must admit that I was having issues with this one too. She tried to give you patients, you said no. It sounds like this was for good reason that you said no, but she could have been discussing this and the word "refused" came up. Perhaps, the supervisor came up with "refused" on his/her own.
As for giving you a greater number of patients…on the floors where I have worked, if the charge nurse needed to take an assignment, the charge takes fewer patients and they are usually easier patients. For example, when I worked step-down, the charge might only have 2 patients while the other nurses have 4 each.
Even though you may have been pouting, I do agree OP, the charge had no business to talk to you that way.
Nola009
940 Posts
What a *****.