Nasty nurses

[Sabr]

I do not like nurses that use their seniority to bully newer nurses. There is this one nurse at my job she seemed ok at first but I feel I have to watch out for her. She is mean and takes advantage of my newness. The last time she had an admission that I ended up doing because she didnt feel like. Initially the patient was supposed to go to a room in my section of the unit but the pt's family decided she wanted to be in a room in another section. It was at that point that it became this nurses's pt but when she realized the family member was crazy and she didnt complete it, I had to. That was number one. Number two she takes first break but takes her sweet time to give me report and comes back late then instead of being available so I can give her report, she starts taking care of her pts while Im waiting to go on break. I really dislike this. How can I demand my respect and stop these older nurses from thinking it's ok to talk to me anyhow and walk all over me?

[excited1]

*different results.

[dance4life]

Unfortunately, I can do that but I will be doing it from my car again.

Get your NSO

Save 1 year salary

or

quit while you are ahead.

Goodnight I have a lot of minimum wage jobs to look for.

[excited1]

Very good advice....thank you. I hope you find peace in whatever you do. Kiss your family and hang on tight. At the end of the day, that is all we have.....

[nursel56]

I'm really afraid to say anything dance4life as one of "them" . . .I am sorry to hear of what has happened to you and your family and really wish you well. I know in today's economy anyone can find themselves in circumstances you do.

[TU RN, DNP, CRNA]

There are plenty of miserable, unhelpful, burnt out people persisting in nursing despite reaching their limit and breaking years ago. Now they struggle day by day to get their paychecks and pay their bills. Maybe it's nothing personal against you? Maybe it's their way of revalidating their significance to this job by exposing somebody who can't do it very well yet?

My advice is to find experienced, helpful people and befriend them. Offer to help them and do them favors with their assignments. By creating a good relationship with such a person you are gaining an invaluable mentor. The others.. avoid them at all costs and find a way to get your work done and your breaks covered on your own. I've been through this myself. I even tried warming up to them [the type I mentioned in the first paragraph] in a similar way and they just took my help and continued to treat me like ****. They are cancer and they will turn you into the same miserable waste that they are because misery loves company.

[Beautiful Mind RN]

Communication is key to a situation like this. If there are issues that you are concerned about, then approach her like a professional and get her side of things. That is what they drilled us to do in school, put it to good use in the real world setting.

Who knows, maybe the experience will end up for the better and you can pick that nurse's brain and grow from it.

Trust me, you are not the the only one who runs into this situation. That is what happened with me today in the ER with my preceptor. A very blunt woman that drilled me even on the most minuscule things. Even on areas that I knew! She had me work on the basics such as hygiene, cleaning rooms, and vitals (one patient needed to get cleaned up after he fainted from dehydration, he emptied himself in his pants...if you know what I mean...) before going on to doing the complex things such as starting IV's and giving medications. I was a little taken aback by it at first, but after "feeling her out"(watching her and talking with her), I realized the, "crusty old bat", was just trying to refine my skills because she knows I am in my final semester. She wants me to be a nurse who is efficient, safe, and knowledgable.

Perhaps your coworker is doing the same for you. If have exhausted all your professionalism and there are truly some problems going on, then you need to decide on how you want to take it from there.

[elemenRN]

I can't respect someone I don't know. Pure and simple. I'm polite to them because I don't know them or their work ethics. Respect in the workplace is earned due to skills and knowledge. Good manners is to be expected amongst adults in the workplace. Huge difference.

I could not disagree with this mindset more. You can't respect someone you don't know? Do you apply that principle to your patients as well? You're saying that everyone has to work really hard to earn your respect just because they have less experience and knowledge? Wouldn't that make your politeness and manners fake if at your core you really don't respect them until they've met your requirements?

The best nurses I've ever worked with were the experienced ones who took me under their wing, offered opportunities for me to learn and didn't get frustrated when I was a new grad and lacked experience. I'm a much, much better nurse for having worked with them. I respect everyone in the workplace and that means I understand that we all have our weaknesses and we all have our strengths. Whether that individual works in environmental services or is the attending physician. I'll do anything in my power to promote teamwork on each shift or offer help to someone who looks like they need it. It comes back to you and it makes the shifts much more enjoyable. Would you want that new nurse that hasn't earned your respect yet to care for your loved one? It's about patient care lest we keep forgetting. Personally, I like to deliver great patient care with a side of fun and a dash of comradery.

[openyourmind]

I think people are confusing the words respect and trust. I respect everyone and trust no one. Lol! Respect shouldn't be something someone earns because everybody deserves respect. Not everybody deserves your trust though, so... be careful who you give it to.

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

Actually, I have been fired three times in the past year from nurses with hear say or lying problems. My family and I lived in our car last summer. Unemployment verification took forever. Of course I got it eventually. I was also reported by a hospital to the Board for not documenting. I have to wait 3 years to find out my fate. Get that NSO Insurance. Lots of little devils out there. Not sure I want to go back. It must be my Karma that I too nice for nursing. It is hard saving when you have to keep catching up from being fired. Still catching up from being homeless last year and my credit is ruined.

All these people that have done this to me work for big hospitals, have great salaries, benefits, great credit, etc.

There is no Karma unless it is leaking.

I think it may be time to take a good hard look at yourself and what you are doing. Stop blaming other people and get on with it. I find it hard to believe you were fired 3 times in 1 year and it was all because of other people.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Actually, I have been fired three times in the past year

You have been fired three times in one year?

What is the common denominator in this scenario?

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

First, I am very sorry to hear about the hard times you are enduring. I cannot imagine how frightening it must be to have children and no income. I hope you find a job in or out of nursing very soon. One that pays enough to allow you to live decently and save.

That said, and I do not mean to "pile on" at all, if you have been fired 3 times I think you have to look at how people are perceiving you. Obviously it is not good.

Most nurses whether they are good, bad, or indifferent, manage to plod along for the most part.

So please realize that while you think (and probably are) a nice person, you are putting something out there that others are seeing as negative in a big way. Is there anyone you worked with that you bonded with at all and that you could call and ask them to be honest with you about how your co-workers perceived you? I think that would be a big help. Otherwise you will end up repeating the same pattern.

I wish you all the good fortune in the future and really hope things turn around for you and your burdens become much lighter.

[dance4life]

Wait let me look at myself...Yes, I am a delusional liar... Does anyone have the DSM V?

Whatever makes you feel better about yourself.

SMH...

I think it may be time to take a good hard look at yourself and what you are doing. Stop blaming other people and get on with it. I find it hard to believe you were fired 3 times in 1 year and it was all because of other people.